Friday 5 June 2009

Another cat out of the bag

When the common-law marriage of the UUP and the English Tories was announced, its creation – UCUNF – was announced as a means to drag Northern Ireland towards 'normal' politics (but strictly British, of course – 'normal', to the promoters of the project means 'unionist').

However, a recent article in the Impartial Observer (Fermanagh's local unionist newspaper), blogged by Fermanagh Tory Seymour Major, gives the game away. UCUNF was not really about introducing left-right, socialist-capitalist politics, where people would argue about public services or economic development.

No, the creation of UCUNF was designed to co-opt Catholics to the unionist cause.

In the article, UCUNF's selected candidate, Tom Elliot, admits that 'he may not “yet” attract the Catholic vote', but that "we will be working to convince voters from a Roman Catholic background that their interests are best served within the United Kingdom rather than an all-Ireland set up".

Quite how Elliot, a former County Grand Master of the Orange Order and former member of the UDR, expects to attract Catholic votes is a mystery. Even stranger is the fact that a party whose new slogan is "Vote for Change" would select an old-fashioned compromised unionist candidate who represents precisely no change from the intransigence of the past. If this is the best candidate that the 'joint selection committee' of the UUP and the Tories could come up with, it bodes ill for their future hopes.

Seymour Major agrees: "One criterion for selection of the candidate should be an ability to connect with voters of both communities and a confidence that he/she can and will attract voters from the Catholic community in the forthcoming General election. Such a person should also be able to express themselves confidently to the press. It is hoped that Mr. Elliott’s lack of confidence is a “one-off.” If that turns out not to be the case, then the joint committee will have plenty of explaining to do".

Readers of the blog will know that the demographic tide is flowing strongly in favour of a Catholic majority in Northern Ireland within a generation. In general unionists dismiss such predictions with distain. The newly admitted raison d'être of UCUNF, as explained by Mr Elliot, implies that behind their distain some unionists know that the predictions are correct. It has always been this blog's opinion that unless unionism could genuinely re-invent itself as a civic (rather than tribal) movement, it was destined to lose the battle. A small minority of unionists know this to be true, but they must convince the majority who are imbued with the tribalism of their past. By selecting Elliot UCUNF are demonstrating that so far it is the UUP and the tribalists who have the upper hand.

Unfortunately for UCUNF there is a basic problem at the heart of the project. Civic politics must take serious account of two things: the Irish identity of around half of Northern Ireland's people, and the fact that Northern Ireland shares an island with the rest of Ireland. These two things render traditional unionism, with its irrational dislike of things Irish, incompatible with civic politics. In order to practice civic politics, politicians would have to actually promote and practice closer cooperation and integration with the south. In order to improve the circumstances and the prospects of Northern Ireland civic politics requires more north-southery, not less. The unionist dream, in which Northern Ireland drifts closer to Britain, and the south fades into irrelevance is, frankly, nonsense – and trying to dress this dream up in 'civic' clothes doesn't make it less nonsense.

So far UCUNF and the so-called civic unionists have failed to explain how their new 'non-sectarian' politics will build on political, social, economic, sporting and cultural ties with the south. Instead they fantasise about northern unionists sitting in the British cabinet and about making Northern Ireland more British than before. By doing so, they simply prove that there is no such thing as civic unionism, there is only polite tribal unionism.

Trying to co-opt Catholics to their cause remains their only remaining line of defence, but their actions to date demonstrate that they have not managed to suppress their essentially tribal instincts, and most intelligent Catholics will see that.

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

'Readers of the blog will know that the demographic tide is flowing strongly in favour of a Catholic majority in Northern Ireland within a generation.'

Thankfully this blog has few readers and even fewer with any independent thought of their own.

In a generation Mr Copeland will be writing exactly the same paragraph as I've highlighted above.

There is no guarantee of a Catholic majority in Northern Ireland, less still the possibility of a nationalist majority.

Dazzler said...

Prove it?

Anonymous said...

'Prove it?'

I think you need to direct your question to Mr Copeland.

1. How is a 'Catholic majority' a certainty for the future given that the biggest driver in demographics is migration, not births or deaths? (The total migration component of NI over the last ten years will only become known when the Census is published).

2. How does a hypothetical 'Catholic majority' automatically translate into a vote to end the Union? If a tribal election headcount had any organic linkage to gauge public opinion on the constitutional positions, surely there would be no need for an expensive border poll. After all, under UK law, all referenda are merely consultative (and the GFA doesn't change that essential fact).

Still, I'll let you people have your little bit of pleasure as Babs tops the poll on Monday. Nationalists have so little to crow about I think we can let them has their brief frisson.

Anonymous said...

Ok Andrew, how come you didn't reply to my post the other day?

Your country also has a statue of the Nazi sympathizer Edward VIII whose head was sawed off and put back on.

Seymour Major said...

Horseman,

You are right about some of your points and wrong on others (including your theory about the purpose of UCUNF). I wont elaborate as that would let the "cat out of the bag"

Keep reading my posts.

hoboroad said...

What about the reds under the bed in UCUNF?Lady Sylvia Hermon and Chris McGimpsey his brother Micheal and Fred Cobain?Are there anymore?I would hate to think I left anyone out.

Anonymous said...

"After all, under UK law, all referenda are merely consultative (and the GFA doesn't change that essential fact)."

Do you really think that if there was a referendum held and the result was to join a United Ireland that the UK government would block it?

Anonymous said...

What I think (or what anyone else thinks for that matter) is irrelevant. The legal position is that the Belfast Agreement does not compel either the UK or Ireland to agree the legal cession of NI under international law.

Anonymous said...

Your living a dream world buddy...

It allows for a referendum to be called and if the outcome was for a United Ireland neither the Irish or British government would stop it no matter what. You know this you just don't want to accept it.

Mack said...

Andrew, you may be right, but I doubt it. Seymour's prescription is a better one for unionism. If Horseman is right, and unionism follows your path, they'll lose big time. If Horseman is right and they follow Seymour's path, unionism would still be in with a shout. If Horseman is wrong, and I don't think he is that far off the mark, unionism would not lose anything by reaching out to the Irish population in Northern Ireland.

Think of it as Pascal's wager for unionism.

Anonymous said...

Andrew is completely wrong......

Does he really think that the British government would let a referendum go ahead and then not accept the verdict when for the past 90 years they have chimed on about how the "majority of people"

Add to that the cost of NI to the British government and the fact that the people on the mainland could care less about NI.

He might have some credibility if he argued that the Irish government might try to delay the unification but even then their party platforms are based on Irish unification. I would like to see the Irish politicians (who come over to this country a few times a year to kiss some Irish America ass to get investment) explain why they tried to delay unification.

Can you even imagine what would happen if a referendum was held and unification was the result and the British government did not accept it? Your living in a fantasy world McCann.

Andrew get ready to see the tricolour raised over Belfast in the next 10-20 years......

hoboroad said...

A house divided cannot stand.Unionism is divided three very different ways.UCUNF want the whole of N Ireland to be like North Down.The DUP want to share power with Sinn Fein as long as they can keep a close eye on them though this may change.And the TUV still don't want a Fenian about the place!I wonder now how many people in the Unionist community are going to admit that the UWC strike was a big mistake power sharing with the SDLP and a Government in Dublin that was so Anti-IRA.Yet they brought it down for what so that Paisley and the Provos could go into Government together at Stormont.

Anonymous said...

'Andrew get ready to see the tricolour raised over Belfast in the next 10-20 years......'

And brace yourself for the undoubted mass civil strife that would follow. Nationalists aren't the only ones who can threaten. My own personal wish is that Unionists should not accept Dublin rule under any circumstances and should make any hypothetical all-Ireland state as unworkable as possible. However, personal wishes are irrelevant to this debate. Mine are just for the record.

It's not about living in a 'dream world'. The legal position is as I've described above. What the British or Irish governments would do in the highly unlikely result of a 'yes' vote in a referendum on 'Irish' 'unity' is something neither myself or anyone else here can say with certainty.

I'm not into 'imagining' anything. The central point I've raised on here time and time again is, even in the event of a highly dubious 'Catholic majority' (whatever that means), how would such nakedly demographic sectarian supremacy amongst republicans translate into an all-Ireland state.

That is the central point nobody on here, not least the blog's author, can satisfactorily demonstrate.

Pedro said...

My own personal wish is that Unionists should not accept Dublin rule under any circumstances
Fine, then just move the centre of government to Belfast.

Anonymous said...

'Fine, then just move the centre of government to Belfast.'

...or rule by an Irish Republic in any other city.

Anonymous said...

"And brace yourself for the undoubted mass civil strife"

Brace your self for internment Irish style. They can follow the guidelines of the British.

3000 Unionist interned
5 Republican interned

Also with the British withdrawal from NI and the loss of so many British public sector jobs I doubt any person is going to risk going on strike when there will be so many unemployed people to fill their shoes.

This is of course if the Unionist politicians don't reach a compromise with the Irish government when they can see which way the wind is blowing.

Remember when the Unionists said they would never enter into a government with Sinn Fein?

Andrew you got sold out in 98

Anonymous said...

'Brace your self for internment Irish style. They can follow the guidelines of the British.'

Mmm, republicans likme to claim the British State didn't defeat the IRA, yet you think putting down an equally rebellious uprising with the resources of a smaller, weaker State would somehow be a breeze.

Ireland would be wracked with decades of unrest and, d' you know what, it would be exactly what it deserved.

hoboroad said...

The DUP have lost about 60,000 votes almost all of which have gone to the TUV

hoboroad said...

Is allister the first politican to leave the DUP and found a successful party?The only other one I can think is George Seawright.Plenty have left the Ulster Unionist party and gone on to political success.Could the DUP fracture even more?The DUP looks more like the Mafia everyday with certain families in full control will this be the end of the road for the Robinson family?

hoboroad said...

Ian Paisley 170,688 votes in 1979 euro election
Ian Paisley 230,251 votes in 1984 euro election
Diane Dodds ??????

hoboroad said...

Any truth to the rumour Jeffrey Donaldson is jumping ship to UCUNF?

O'Neill said...

"Civic politics must take serious account of two things: the Irish identity of around half of Northern Ireland's people, and the fact that Northern Ireland shares an island with the rest of Ireland."

I think you meant "Irish nationalist identity" there, almost everybody in NI has an Irish identity whether they are proud of or even acknowledge the fact.

It's one of the responsibilities/duties of civic unionism within NI to emphasise the open-endedness of an Irish identity- it's one of the responsibilities of Irish nationalism to permit them to do so.

hoboroad said...

TUV take over 66,000 votes from the DUP

hoboroad said...

The DUP is split down the middle they might scrap together enough votes for the third seat.How the mighty have fallen.

hoboroad said...

May you live in interesting times.

hoboroad said...

DUP Down Under Provos

Anonymous said...

"Ireland would be wracked with decades of unrest and, d' you know what, it would be exactly what it deserved"

Who is this guy writing this cuckoo land stuff? Ireland deserves unrest for what exactly? That we're Irish and live on the island of Ireland? Or that over 83 per cent of people throughout the 32 counties of Ireland want to see our island under soverign Irish juridiction? Is that so amazing to comprehend even for the blinkered colonial mindset you possess?

Democracy will determine whether Ireland is unified or not. And if a nationalist majority vote yes in the 6 counties then the majority of law abiding Unionists will accept 21st century democracy and get on with life.

The colonial dogs of war will be castrated by joint Dublin/London/New York operations. The majority of people are for peace, in a UI or UK jurisdiction.

Anonymous said...

'Or that over 83 per cent of people throughout the 32 counties of Ireland want to see our island under soverign Irish juridiction?'

Love the way nationalists pick bogus figures out of the air.

It would deserve to fail because, having spent the last 80+ years trying to undermine the Union, you then expect Unionists to meekly accept nationalist will.

Many wouldn't and many won't.

Deal with it!!!

Anonymous said...

"Ireland would be wracked with decades of unrest and, d' you know what, it would be exactly what it deserved."

I doubt it, the support from the British government would be gone and there is not many people around the world that would donate or feel bad for the Unionist cause.

The British would never take you back after all the trouble you caused them and the only other option you would have instead of a Unified Irish state would be a tiny independent state which would probably be about half the size of the current NI area. You would have no economy and probably become a failed state within a short time.

Anonymous said...

"Tiny independent state"

In who's dreams.

I think not!

They talk of the resolve of the Unionist people, have the forgotten the resolve of the GAEL alienated within his/her country for so long and who with the march of time have found themselves with reunification virtually within their grasp. The day that Catholic, Protestant, Dissenter and those of other or no religion can stand up and be considered equals on our shared island.

Éire Abú

MPG.....

Anonymous said...

So, we'll look forward to a civil war then?

Unionists felt abandoned in 1912 and still went on to prevent themselves being ruled by an Irish republic.

As I said, 'deal with it!!'

Anonymous said...

Hear we go again, when push comes to shove and Mr McCan and his ilk cannot. These people set themselves up in a state where all those who did not agree with them were alienated and discriminated against on a huge and systematic scale leading to strife and the civil rights movement. Have you learned nothing? The North of Ireland as a political entity has failed totally because of its foundations (Protestant state for the Protestant people) and now you want it to continue.Your lot prides itself as being the upholders of democracy in a world gone mad but unfortunately for them they could not see the wood for the trees. It was themselves in fact who used every trick in the book and plenty of more dubious ones to keep the nationalist population in check. All in the name of democracy? Who were you fooling only yourselves,in fact the original problem was GREED. They took too much land and consequently too many nationalists (the forth green field) and look at what this has lead to.

Secoundly, having grabbed too much, the new Government (with the approval of the British) did not even try to integrate those nationalists caught inside the new statelet but in fact actively discriminated against them at every level of governance.

No wonder we find ourselves in this mess and this continues to this day in the mindset of Unionist politicians, the orange order and others.

If and when the people of the north decide in a referendum (legislated for, organized and implemented by the British Government in agreement with the Government of Ireland and facilitated by the Government of the US)who will support your position internationally? The only reason partition was achieved in the 20`s was because the opposite was true and the British Government at the time imposed it upon us.

The "new" Ireland will be truly democratic and will cherish all it citizens equally and this position is backed up by the anti-discriminations laws already in force. You are right, it will not be easy but be under no illusion the Government of Ireland will not be alone in facing down the terrorists.

Civil war will not happen, sense will prevail and democracy will win!

Within Ireland, the feeling of abandonment is not confined to the Unionist community.

And finally, it is being dealt with, on a daily basis, and the clock is ticking......


MPG .....

Watcher said...

Anonymous said:

"Do you really think that if there was a referendum held and the result was to join a United Ireland that the UK government would block it?"

There won't be any border poll. Irish Nationalists under Gerry Adams surrendered. The UK state is well aware of this reality.

Watcher said...

It took 40 000 soldiers and policemen thirty years to crush 500 000 Irish Nationalists. I wonder how long it will take The Oirish to integrate a million Unionists?

This site is full of piss and wind - the Guinness scented type.