Mike Nesbitt MLA, Party Leader
Speech at the 2014 Ulster Unionist Party Conference
#UUP2014
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Good Morning Conference!
I’ll say a word about Westminster 2015 later. But I want to use this opportunity to say something about the Past, and the Present and the Future.
Let me share a thought on how we deal with the past.
During the Haass talks, I was struck by the fact that every party, including Sinn Féin, agreed we could never recover the full truth about the Troubles. So, apparently some truth is beyond reach. But what truth? The most embarrassing? The most incriminating? The most shameful?
Whatever it is, is there not an argument that there are things some people are better off not knowing?
I’ll illustrate with a true story, from my time as a Commissioner for Victims and Survivors. Let me also warn you, this story does not end well.
One evening, a husband bends to kiss his wife goodbye. He has to stoop, because she is on the floor, focused on their baby, who is teething. On reflection, she knows she pretty much ignored her husband, but it wasn’t as if he was going away. He was just stepping out to work a nightshift.
As it turns out, it was his last. He was about to be shot dead – by loyalist terrorists.
Over 30 years later, she takes a call from the Historical Enquiries Team. She’d never heard of them, so the officer explains they are a police unit who review the case file on every Troubles-related murder. She doesn’t like the sound of that and explains why – she has moved on, re-married, she’s a grandmother by both sets of children. She’s not interested in their work.
She’s horrified when the HET officer says she cannot stop them. They have no choice but to review the file, it’s a statutory duty. But if there is something she would like them to investigate – some burning question that has been keeping her awake at night – just say and they’ll do their best. She leaves them in no doubt - the answer is “no”.
A few months later, the HET called back – a courtesy call this time. The report was finished; was there anyone she wanted to have sight of it? Human nature being what it is, curiosity got the better of her, so she said she would like to read it.
She did. She read what she had believed for over 30 years; a car had pulled up at her husband’s work; a man in a balaclava got out of the back, approached her husband, produced a handgun and shot him four times from point blank range. All this as she had believed for all those years. For over 30 years, she believed he was dead before he hit the ground ….. but what she read was that he lay bleeding to death, screaming her name for 20 minutes.
Sometimes, there are things some people are better off not knowing.
So, as we enter fresh talks that include Dealing with the Past, I hope we do what the Haass process failed to do – answer the three key questions. One, can we agree a common definition of what we mean by dealing with the past. Two, for whose benefit do we want to deal with the past? Is it for the victims and survivors, incident by incident? Or to enable society to move on? Because these are not necessarily parallel paths, as became clear through the anger of victims when the Attorney General suggested we draw a line and move on.
I do not support an amnesty, because even though there is little prospect of any more convictions at this stage, it does occasionally happen. RUC Officer John Proctor’s murderer was convicted last year, 32 years after the event. It’s rare and victims know it’s rare, but there is the world of difference between having a little hope and government cruelly extinguishing that hope entirely.
And the third question is this: Do we want to deal with the past, or its legacy? Because we cannot change the past, but we can tackle the legacy. The legacy is toxic and infiltrates every aspect of our lives. And one of the biggest poisons – as I said at Conference last year – is our massive problem of poor mental health and wellbeing.
We have far too many citizens who wake up without a proper sense of purpose for the day ahead, and who go to bed without a sense of achievement. We can change that. We can change it by committing to tackle poor mental health and wellbeing in individuals and families and above all, in communities. We can tackle educational under-achievement. We can improve areas of multiple deprivation.
Turn the past into a means of creating a better future.
I had lunch last week with the Mayor of Ards in Daisie’s Café on the community hospital campus. It’s a social enterprise run for the benefit of people with learning difficulties and mental health issues. It’s been around for 15 years – and in that time, no fewer than 65 people with mental problems have trained there and moved on to secure catering jobs in the private sector – they’re now waking up with a sense of purpose, going to bed with a sense of achievement.
So, we can transform our society. We can transform our communities. We can transform lives for the better. And the social economy has a huge role to play.
Except too many politicians don’t get areas of life like the social economy. They are obsessed with an old-fashioned, binary approach to everything we do. In economics, it has to be private or public sector. Politics has to be orange or green. It has to be win or lose.
No it doesn’t Conference. No, it doesn’t. Life is three-dimensional. Embrace the challenge and the beauty of complexity.
If the Past is to be on the Agenda for the Talks, and it is, we have already made clear that there is a simple choice. We can get stuck in the mud of another fruitless round of arguing over competing narratives.
Or we can collectively commit to tackle the Legacy of our Past in a way that helps transform the wellbeing and prosperity of our people. Is that not a fairer way forward?
Richard Haass proposed a series of expensive new legacy bodies. He did so with a focus on Human Rights, but it was an approach that did not consider what we can afford. A Human Rights approach must be tempered by a Resource based approach, because our resources are not infinite – and we have to stop failing victims by building up their expectations, only to dash them because we cannot afford to deliver. Today, the HET is now gone, and the Police Ombudsman is now knocking doors to tell families “Remember I promised you an investigation? Well, sorry, I don’t have the resources to deliver”.
Do you know the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister ran a process in March, encouraging victims and survivors to approach the new Victims Service? 3,700 first timers knocked the VSS door as a result, and 3,700 have since been told, sorry, the cupboard is bare. It’s obscene. We can do better. We should do better and under Ulster Unionist Leadership, we will do better.
I hear other parties warming up for Talks by lecturing the Ulster Unionist Party on what we need to do. Martin McGuinness calls me “disappointing” and “irresponsible”. The others say similar things.
I shall not respond in kind. I think people are bored with that. Bored with the traditional, sectarian politics on which some parties seem to thrive. Bored with that old binary approach – it’s black or white, orange or green, right or wrong …. Tit for tat.
People are eager for something a bit more imaginative. Something that reflects their lives as they live them – in multiple dimensions.
Within a five mile radius of this venue, you will find Muslims who call themselves British. Muslims who call themselves Irish. You may even find the occasional Irish unionist – remember, Sir Edward Carson himself was a Dublin born unionist.
One more example. We – unionists – tend to look with a jaundiced eye on the influence the United States brings to bear on our affairs.
Is that a surprise, Conference. Gerry Adams has been lobbying the United States for 20 years, and John Hume for 20 years before that.
What have we done?
What have we done to remind America that when they needed a Constitution, the Ulster Scots helped write it, print it, and design the Eagle that flies above it?
When they needed to defend Texas, we sent them Davy Crockett.
When they needed a bank to fire their industrial revolution, we sent them the Mellon family.
When they needed a great President, we sent them many – Andrew Jackson, Ulysses S Grant, Theodore Roosevelt and a dozen more.
When they wanted to land a man on the Moon, we sent them Neil Armstrong.
It is time to awaken the power of the Ulster Scots. We have some catching up to do. And we have started.
It’s also time to stop “negativity” being the political default position. Since I was elected, I have been astonished by how easy it is to be negative – at how much energy we put in – how much more challenging it is to be positive.
So, my message is not for the other parties entering the talks. My message is for us – the past and future leaders of unionism.
My message is positive, and it is for unionists, hard and soft – It is okay to love the Union. In fact, it’s good for you. It’s good for everyone.
The arguments for the Union are made. Just ask the people of Scotland.
The Scottish Independence debate should make us think deep about our politics.
For decades, policy makers in London and Dublin have peddled a type of snake oil - a geopolitical snake oil - called the Irish dimension. At its core is the myth that because Ireland is an island, a united Ireland is inevitable.
Conference, Geography is not destiny.
Geography does not determine political outcomes.
Yes, Geography says Ireland is an island.
But NO! It does not say the whole island has to be one state - any more than geography says the Iberian Peninsula should be a single political entity, so Portugal and Spain have to somehow merge.
Geography does not dictate our destiny. We do!
I want us to prosper. If we are, we need to refocus on economic growth.
For two years now, we have debated Welfare Reform, not prosperity.
Let me deal with Welfare Reform first. Does the Ulster Unionist Party believe in a compassionate state that looks after its vulnerable? Yes we do.
Of course we do. It’s one of the values that makes this Kingdom great.
Although as a society, we fall short too often. We fail victims and survivors of the Troubles. We fail victims of child sex abuse like Kincora. We fail our Armed Forces and Veterans.
But yes, this Party supports and values the concept of a Welfare State.
Is the Welfare system as good as it can be? As fair as it can be?
All our elected representatives know only too well that huge numbers of our citizens do not claim their full entitlements, because the system is so very complicated. There are too many benefits with far too many hurdles for vulnerable people to jump before they qualify.
This Party is clear. Bring Welfare Reform to the floor of the Assembly. We are waiting with our amendments. Everyone knows what we are going to change – we’ll make it fairer, we’ll shape it to best fit the needs of our people. That’s the whole point of Devolution!
The debate over whether or not there is to be Welfare Reform is over. That happened at Westminster!
It’s high time the Assembly had the debate on what we are going to do differently from Westminster ….. and move on.
Move on to debate how we can become better Corporate Citizens of the UK.
Citizens who don’t continuously keep running to London for another handout.
Last week, the SF/DUP Coalition surrendered control of our affairs to Mr George Osborne’s Pawn Shop. Be in no doubt, our Finance Minister isn’t Simon Hamilton anymore. It’s George Osborne, the Chancellor. And the DUP accused us of a pact with the Tories!
The Executive has to agree the 2015/16 Budget by the end of the month, not with the Assembly, but with the Treasury – and not because it makes good financial sense to rush it through, but because George Osborne is now pulling the strings because of a ludicrous £100m loan.
The terms and conditions of the Chancellor’s loan are explicit in his letter. The DUP and Sinn Féin have signed up to the Welfare Reform penalties of £87 million this year and £114 million next. We’re £100 million better off this year, but £301 million worse off next year. It makes a Wonga pay-day loan look generous!
Conference, the first issue the Talks must address is the Budget.
If we cannot balance our books, there is nothing more to discuss. So let us do it, but with good grace.
I want Unionists who are positive and progressive
Unionists who are reconnected with their work ethic.
Unionists rediscovering how the world admired our abilities in service and sacrifice, dedication and determination, invention, and inclusion of others – values that are endless and endlessly positive.
I stand for a Northern Ireland that starts generating serious wealth. They say money can’t buy you happiness, but far too many of our citizens are neither wealthy nor happy. I want people to have the opportunity to experience both.
Talking of service and sacrifice, I want to acknowledge two “Yes We Can” characters who are new to the Party since this time last year – the first is Captain Doug Beattie MC – one of our many new elected representatives, who came through in last May’s local government elections. Conference, Councillor Doug Beattie, MC.
Andy Allen – welcome to the Ulster Unionist Party. You also chose to serve your country by joining the Army. You put yourself in harm’s way to defend this country’s values, and got badly hurt. I am humbled you have joined the Ulster Unionist Party on my watch. I am delighted you see your have decided your next phase of public service is through political engagement.
In the Health Debate, Andy challenged us – to support the Military Covenant.
The Military Covenant is more than an agreement to ensure our military personnel and veterans have proper access to services. It is a recognition that we, as a nation, have a moral obligation to members of the armed forces and their families. Those are not my words, Conference, but the Prime Minister’s – a moral obligation.
Is there any good reason why that obligation is not explicitly honoured in Northern Ireland?
So, Andy, my response is this – Every Ulster Unionist Candidate for next year’s General Election will pledge that, if elected, they will bring forward as soon as they possibly can, a Private Member’s Bill to introduce the Military Covenant in NI.
Andy Allen, Doug Beattie, we’re listening. Candidates, make it happen.
In response Andy, a little challenge for you. I want you at Stormont – as an MLA – as an inspiration and role model for people with disabilities. As a man with public service in his DNA.
You may not be able to fight on foreign fields any more. But you can fight for your colleagues in the Assembly Chamber and Committee Rooms of Stormont.
On the eve of battle with Napoleon, the Duke of Wellington famously said : “I don’t know what effect these troops have upon the enemy, but, by God, they frighten me!”
I’m not talking about Andy and Doug – I’m talking about our new Health Team, Jo-Anne Dobson and Michael McGimpsey. Jim Wells, take note! This team will be hard to beat!
I pay tribute to all our spokespeople – and our Minister, Danny Kennedy, not least for his Cycling Revolution.
I encourage you Conference, do not underestimate Minister Kennedy. I have sat at his side many times recently in negotiations. The Duke of Wellington would have long-since developed a twitch in Danny’s company…….
A final reflection on today, before I focus on the future. We have been blighted with sectarianism for decades. We now have the added problem of race hate. Given how the Polish nation stood shoulder to shoulder with us in the Second World War, it is beyond wrong that members of our Polish community – as with any ethnic minority - are being subject to race-hate attacks. That is a perversion of our shared past. We are in the early stages of this process, Conference, but I want your support to secure a memorial to the Poles who lost their lives in the War and are buried here in Northern Ireland. This Party wishes to show respect to our Polish community – and all our ethnic minorities.
As to the future, I see good things for this Party and great potential for Northern Ireland. The key is changing the way we do politics.
We need an Official Opposition at Stormont more than ever before, and these Talks present the opportunity to make the case in a formal setting.
We need a shift from silo-mentality government where Departments don’t work together - and the fix is easy. After the next Assembly Election, agree the Programme for Government before you divide up the Ministries. We proposed it in 2011 without success, but the logic is gaining critical support.
And let us return to the joint ticket election of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister that was agreed by the people in the 1998 Referendum. The DUP and Sinn Féin carved up government at St Andrews and we are sick – and the people are sick – of being told to vote from fear. The DUP go canvassing with the message “Vote for us or something bad will happen to you”. We say vote for what you hope for.
These issues are on the Secretary of State’s table in the weeks and months ahead.
On our table is Doing What’s Right for Northern Ireland.
I want us to build on our stability, discipline and teamwork. I want us to build on our successes last May and focus on our next key electoral goal - the Ulster Unionist Party back into the House of Commons.
For those who think we always select our candidates far too late into the cycle, can I ask you, Conference, to please acknowledge our Westminster candidates for Upper Bann and South Antrim, Jo-Anne Dobson and Danny Kinahan.
We are on course to have all our candidates in place before the calendar year is out, and if you are wondering about understandings with other parties, let me say this.
The DUP lost east Belfast last time out. There is a real danger they could lose North Belfast next time, and that could leave Belfast, the capital city of this great country without any unionist representation in the House of Commons.
That is not acceptable. That is a danger that should galvanise unionism. That is a prospect that should, and has activated our commitment to Do What’s Right for Northern Ireland.
The Ulster Unionist Party is prepared to support the DUP in north Belfast, because it is the right thing to do for unionism. But in return, we expect them to support us in trying to return the most westerly constituency in the Kingdom to unionist control.
We want Fermanagh South Tyrone. We had a mighty result last May in Fermanagh South Tyrone. We can win the Westminster seat in Fermanagh South Tyrone.
Conference, the Secretary of State will be with us after lunch. Over lunch, we have a session on attracting more women into public life – a huge issue – and I thank Mairead McGuinness for joining us to lead the debate.
In closing Conference, remember our journey.
Let us set our sights on ensuring that when Northern Ireland’s Centenary comes around in 2021, the Ulster Unionist Party is back where it was at the beginning – Leading – Delivering a Fairer Future for All.
Doing what’s right for Northern Ireland.