Let's Keep Northern Ireland Moving Forward

The University of Ulster DUP Association was present at the official DUP election campaign launch at the Waterfront. The party leader and First Mininster; Peter Robinson spoke of how it is important that we as a country "Keep moving forward."
At the event, the First Minister highlighted the importance of continuing the good work which has already been done. He also laid out the months ahead which we all face:

"Over the next few weeks we must take our case once again to the country. Confident about what we have achieved but not complacent about the challenges that lie ahead.

At election time politicians mostly apply the campaign tactic of asking voters to vote against something - against some policy or some person. It works - there are few successful politicians who have not campaigned in this way. I confess I have done it myself.

But not this time. This time I want the people of Northern Ireland to vote for something. I want you to vote to keep Northern Ireland moving forward.

Where others offer fear, we offer hope. Where others seek to destroy, we seek to build and where others seek to divide we seek to unite.

We've all been through election after election where the focus has been on events in Ulster's past. This election is about Ulster's future.

The choice is simple. There are those - like the TUV - who would destroy the hopes of a better future. There are those - like the UUP - who would dither and miss the opportunity of creating a better future, as a party they ran out of steam years ago. They have no plan or ideas for the future. I see no evidence of any recovery in their electoral fortunes. They were too weak to take on Sinn Fein five years ago and are even weaker with their link to the Conservative Party now. They are a party of the past and not of the future.

The DUP are in the business of delivering a better future.

On Election Day, the people of Northern Ireland will get the future they vote for. Come out and secure a brighter and better future.

Let’s keep Northern Ireland moving forward."

Another UUP attack on Unionist Unity

Nigel Dodds MP said:

“The latest outburst from UCUNF attacking the idea of Unionist Unity is classic McNarry – sound and fury signifying nothing. One suspects this is a silly attempt to move the news agenda on from the farce that is the UCUNF selection process particularly in South Antrim.

The record of the DUP on the idea of Unionists working together to win seats is clear and consistent. It is not the leader of the DUP who is holding back unity, but rather the unofficial leader of the UUP, David Trimble. I myself stood aside for an Ulster Unionist candidate in 1997 because we did not want to risk North Belfast being won by a nationalist.

The overwhelming majority of people in the pro-Union community want to see both Unionist parties working together to ensure victory at the polls. No amount of abuse directed at the DUP from David McNarry will stop us from working for unity.

David McNarry might be happy to see Gildernew and Alasdair McDonnell representing seats that should be held by a Unionist, but I am not and we make no apology for working to deliver them back to the pro-Union fold.”

Tom, it's time to do the right thing

In an impassioned plea for Unionist Unity, the DUP’s Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Arlene Foster said:

“I have said that I am prepared to stand aside for a unity candidate who can give Fermanagh and South Tyrone representation in Westminster . I have known Tom Elliott for many years. I think, left to his own devices, Tom would love to do the same.

I am appealing to Tom to stand with me and say: “we are both willing and prepared to step aside for a unity candidate who can win the seat”. The DUP has said we will support unity and co-operation: that remains our policy.

I don’t care what David Cameron or any other Tory thinks. I care about the people of my area and they deserve Westminster representation. Are we really going to allow this destructive Tory policy of fighting every single seat to hand two key Westminster seats to anti-Unionist candidates?

Ordinary Unionists are really angry at the Tories just breezing in and dictating to those of us who have been in the front line for the Union for many years. Where were the Tories when it was actually difficult to be a Unionist in Northern Ireland ? When people where putting their lives on the line for the Union , they were secretly talking to the IRA behind our backs and plotting to impose the Anglo-Irish Agreement over our heads.

It is time for Tom to do the right thing in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. People from throughout the Unionist community are utterly aghast at the refusal of the UUP up until now to come to some sort of an agreement with fellow-Unionists over these two key Westminster seats. Failure to co-operate will condemn my constituents to another four years of Gildernew. I don’t believe that is what Tom Elliot desires but people deserve to know is it what Reg Empey wants? I urge Tom to stand with me over this issue. He knows it is the right thing to do.”

Just who is leading the Ulster Unionist Party?

Upper Bann DUP MP David Simpson said:

"The comments by David Trimble concerning Unionist Unity and co-operation will be music to the ears of Michelle Gildernew and Alasdair McDonnell. He described co-operation between the Unionist parties in a very negative way, using words like sectarian.

Perhaps David Trimble thinks there is something sectarian about Unionists working together to unseat anti-Unionist MPs, but I do not, nor does the overwhelming majority of pro-Union voters who have said they want to see Unionist Unity. People can see that co-operation can deliver 2 seats at the forthcoming election. For the first time in a generation Unionism can gain seats off those who want to dislodge Ulster from the United Kingdom. I utterly refute Trimble's wrecking agenda.

Trimble's comments raise questions about Reg Empey's leadership. Is he prepared to accept a Tory who turned his back on the UUP after being voted out of office dictating the UUP's approach to Unionist Unity? Just who is leading the UUP, Reg Empey or David Trimble?"

33 DAYS TO FIND UNIONIST UNITY

Only 33 days remain to give unionists what they clearly want- agreed candidates in constituencies where a unionist can re-take a seat from Sinn Fein or the SDLP. Working on the assumption that the General Election will be held on the 6th May as seems to be the general consensus, nominations will close in 33 days.

A recent Belfast Telegraph poll found that most Unionists wanted the UUP to find agreement with our Party on candidates for key constituencies.

With a hung Parliament an increasing possibility, the number of Unionists returned to Westminster will be absolutely crucial in securing the best possible deal for the people of Northern Ireland. A hung Parliament could offer Unionists a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to make key strategic gains.

Unionism could be so much more potent by pooling resources. There is a groundswell of grassroots support for unionist co-operation. By working together unionists can achieve so much more in terms of delivering stability and prosperity to Northern Ireland.

The DUP stands ready and willing to agree candidates in key constituencies both for Westminster, and future Assembly and local government elections.

The clock is ticking- 33 days and counting!

Potholes in Parliament

Simon Hamilton MLA said,

“Jim Shannon has given a quarter of century of service to the people of Strangford, helping them on a whole range of issues, not least on issues about roads maintenance and safety. By contrast, Mike Nesbitt would need sat-nav to find his way around Strangford.

Stick to dealing with “potholes in Portaferry”. That was the condescending advice of Mike Nesbitt to Jim Shannon, the local man who has served this constituency for some 25 years as a councillor and 12 years as an Assembly Member.

Mr. Nesbitt showed clearly that he doesn’t consider dealing with road maintenance issues in the constituency to be a priority for anyone who aspires to be an MP. By the same logic, were he elected he wouldn’t even lobby for proper funding for roads for the Northern Ireland Executive, being obliged to support massive Tory cuts.

Mike is committed, in the very, very unlikely event of being chosen to be our MP to taking the Tory whip at Westminster. As someone who is so focused on Westminster and arrogantly insists that Jim Shannon should stay “on the ground” Mr. Nesbitt should be aware of what is going on at Westminster. He should be aware, but clearly he isn’t.

Anne Main is the Conservative MP for St. Albans. Were he elected, Mike Nesbitt would be taking the same Tory whip as her. This week she has secured an Adjournment Debate in the House of Commons on the subject of Potholes and Road Maintenance!

Perhaps Mr. Nesbitt thinks that Anne Main is not properly representing her constituents? After all, roads maintenance is a local government matter on the mainland. He might not consider the standard of Strangford roads to be important but clearly his colleague Mrs. Main does about roads in St. Albans!

This episode speaks volumes to the aloofness and arrogance of the UCUNF nominee. He sneers at local man Jim Shannon and tells him to concentrate his efforts on issues which he clearly sees as of lesser importance: at the same time a Tory MP is using parliamentary time to debate those very issues!

It takes a rare type of snootiness to look down on a Tory MP, but Mr. Nesbitt seems to have achieved it.”

Successful trip to Stormont for University of Ulster DUP

The University of Ulster DUP Assotiation would like to thank all DUP MLAs who received us so warmly at our highly successful trip to Parliament Buildings on Monday March 1. It was heartening to see the strong support given to us by a number of MLAs such as Peter Robinson, Nigel Dodds, Dr Paisley and Ian Paisley Jr, Sammy Wilson, Rev William McCrea, Jim Shannon, Mervyn Storey and Jonathan Bell. Also a special word of thanks must go to Michelle McIllveen for her assistance in getting us in to the Chamber to watch part of the debate on 50/50 police recruitment. A special thanks must also go to Alastair Ross for sponsoring the event for us.

The Association would also like to thank all of our members who turned out on the evening as your support made the event the unquestionable success it was. It was a source of great pride to get such a high turn out even though the Association has only been up and running for just over a year, yet in that time we have achieved much for students at the University. No longer is there a Gaelic Union office promoting a sectarian Sinn Fein agenda from within the Student's Union block, no longer will Jewish students be oppressed by wasteful anti Israel campaigns and no longer are University of Ulster Students subject to to the pitiful NUS-USI, but there must be more change afoot. Rest assured the University of Ulster DUP will be at the forefront at fighting for such change!

Richard McKibbin
Secretary, University of Ulster DUP