DUP conference: a new direction?
Traditional DUP conference rhetoric stood in stark contrast to Robinson’s appeal to moderate voters. Meadhbh Monahan reports.
“There can be no greater guarantee of our long-term security in the union than the support of a significant part of the Catholic community,” Peter Robinson told delegates at the party’s annual conference on 26 November.
Sammy Wilson’s comparison of Sinn Féin members’ children to hunger strikers and Nigel Dodds’ criticisms of all Irish nationalists, including Enda Kenny’s call for a Pat Finucane inquiry while “trying to neuter” the Smithwick Tribunal, grated against Robinson’s calls for a shared future and an end to ‘no surrender’ politics.
Delegates also listened to a debate on the DUP leading a pro-union campaign for unionists in Scotland and Wales. Members also attended sessions on financing local government and a Health Service for the 21st century (which was addressed by Edwin Poots and had a £50 charge). The concept of registered party supporters, which would see more people “ease themselves into membership of the party itself,” was introduced and more female members will be sought.
Outlining a new direction for the DUP, the party leader stated that, contrary to some accusations, he does not want a society which is “carved up rather than shared.” In order to end the division in Northern Ireland, the ‘them and us’ attitude must be replaced with ‘all of us.’
However, insults were directed, not only at Sinn Féin, but at the SDLP (Wilson wearing sunglasses in a jibe at Alasdair McDonnell), the Greens and the media. Arlene Foster tackled the Irish News and Robinson attacked Stephen Nolan, saying: “It’s not the size of your jaws but your vote that gives you the right to speak for the people.”
The leader’s speech began by outlining the DUP’s dominance in Northern Ireland politics and its “rise from the ashes” after being punished by the electorate for entering government with Sinn Féin. Robinson lamented the direct rule days when “every aspect of British life in our province was attacked and diluted.”
He took credit for a long list of successes e.g. investment from major global companies, getting onto the international map for film, free public transport for pensioners, frozen student fees and the Presbyterian Mutual Society package. An embarrassed party member worried: “Why is no one cheering?”
Shared education, endorsed by Robinson in October 2010 must be “advanced”, he told delegates. It wasn’t until he outlined the party’s aim to introduce tougher sentences for attacks on pensioners that the party faithful applauded. A DUP Assembly motion on mandatory sentences for those attackers was narrowly passed by 44 to 41 on 29 November with David Ford saying sentencing should be at the discretion of the judiciary.
The next roar of approval came when he dismissed all-island institutions (despite DUP participation) and pointed to the fact that Stormont has “a unionist majority, enacts British laws … and [has] the union flag’s red, white and blue flying from the flagstaff.” This contrasted with the stony silence in the hall as Robinson outlined that as “the first generation of peacetime unionists”, they should respect the province’s “varied and colourful traditions”.
Making a choice
Robinson emphasised the party’s “unalterable” core values and beliefs. It is hard to judge the reaction of party members, who are notoriously kept in line by the disciplined party, but their impromptu rendition of ‘We shall not be moved’ again contrasted with the leader’s message. Gregory Campbell commented that the membership would follow the leader as long as the core values are protected.
In setting out a pathway for the next 100 years, getting the votes of Catholics who are happy with the current situation in Northern Ireland will be essential; 52 per cent of Catholics in the 2010 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey wanted Northern Ireland to stay in the UK. Naomi Long’s success in East Belfast and Alliance’s potential to take more middle class unionist votes is the likely impetus for the DUP’s new image. The strategy also compares with Sinn Féin’s attempts to ‘reach out’ to unionists.
An unexpected quote from Bobby Sands that the IRA’s revenge “would be the laughter of our children” was described as “narrow” and Robinson’s altered version was: “The DUP’s ambition will be the laughter of all our children, playing and living together.”
When asked about his reaction to the party’s new stance, Mervyn Storey told agendaNi that it reflected the reality in society.
“We can make a choice; we can either continue to live in a divided society which brought us much of the pain, anguish and sorrow that we’ve had for 40 years or we can face up to certain realities,” he said.
He sees “a healthy inter-dependence” in the province “that [is not] a threat to people who have particular values, especially if those values can be cherished and shared.”
While the DUP are the largest party, Storey conceded that some of the extra votes may have come from unionists intent on keeping Sinn Féin away from the first ministry. “That is a reflection of trust because they had other unionist parties that they could have endorsed to take that position,” he argued.
The DUP’s priorities for 2012 are “delivery on manifesto commitments, delivery on our promises to the people and delivery of a stable and long-lasting union,” according to Ian Paisley Junior. He has dismissed the Assembly as being “more like a grand county council rather than a regional parliament” (agendaNi, Issue 47, page 124). When asked what the DUP can do to improve this, he replied: “As the largest party we cannot afford to be complacent. We are in a position to deliver our mandate and must be efficient on all levels: council, constituency, Assembly and Westminster.”
On day-to-day working with Sinn Féin, Paisley Junior stated: “That’s the arrangement we are in; coalitions are never easy.”
Former prisoner Conor Murphy said Sammy Wilson’s comments were “a disgrace” and reflected badly on the Executive as a whole, while Belfast’s Lord Mayor Niall Ó Donnghaile said the comments were “offensive, hurtful and ran contrary to the theme of the DUP conference.”
The party’s questionable commitment to “one, united, shared and peaceful society” was one story from the conference but its attacks on other parties and the media were divisive and opposite to a shared future.
