Download a copy of the manifesto [PDF] here: Ulster Unionist Party 2017 General Election manifesto
Ulster Unionist Party Leader, Robin Swann MLA
2017 General Election Manifesto launch speech
Templepatrick, Thursday 1 June 2017
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Good morning,
Welcome to the launch of our manifesto. It is important that we begin today by reflecting on the events of the past ten days.
Last Monday`s attack on innocent people in Manchester demonstrated the cruelty and the barbarity of terrorism.
The targeting of those who were simply out enjoying a concert leaves us in no doubt of the wickedness and evil that still lurks in this world.
Like any terrorist attack its motivation was to strike fear at the heart of society and families. Yet, even in their darkest hour, the humanity of the people of Manchester has shone through.
It was a shocking manifestation of the hatred our enemies have for our way of life and the free and democratic society which we hold dear.
However, as before, the people of Manchester and the United Kingdom came together in the face of terrorism to support the families of those murdered and critically injured.
And it is that coming together and that unity that I see as core, as the reason, as the very soul of the Union.
It is that unity that binds us morally, socially & politically, and gives us that united sense of purpose.
When I was elected Leader, which now seems a long time ago, I set out my vision of this Party being a champion of the Union & for the Union and how I saw us promoting a positive unionism, a confident unionism and an embracing unionism.
No-one has anything to fear from being part of the United Kingdom but we all have a lot to lose from leaving it and I believe that is what we are presenting in our manifesto.
We go into this election facing a number of uncertainties;
- The future direction of the Union
- Brexit
- Future of our devolved institutions.
Those are the uncertainties, but a few certainties I can give you are;
- Ulster Unionists MPs will take their seats
- Ulster Unionist MPs will be your voice in Westminster
- Ulster Unionist MPs will be a voice for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland’s Place in the Union
There has been a revitalisation of unionism across the United Kingdom. It is no longer a Northern Ireland-centric viewpoint with those who recognise the clear benefits becoming increasingly vocal in England, Scotland and Wales.
But we can no longer sit back and simply expect people to know why the Union between Northern Ireland and Great Britain is the best option for them and their families.
They need to hear that the Union, that is the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland, not only is best for the present but it’s best for future generations.
They need to hear that the whole entity of a United Kingdom is the most efficient and pragmatic way forward within a global context both economically and socially.
We should go out and openly promote how the Union means better opportunities for our people, more potential for our businesses from belonging to the sixth largest economy on the globe, the protections of the welfare state, and of course the security of the National Health Service.
There needs to be a real wake up call for all of Northern Ireland that we need to create a Union for everyone, where everyone is given respect.
I believe the Ulster Unionist Party is best placed to promote the message that a strong, confident and prosperous United Kingdom, of which Northern Ireland remains an integral part, is the best outcome for all of us.
This election is an opportunity for us to begin promoting this positive message.
A vote for the Ulster Unionist Party is a vote for a strong and positive Union.
This is an incredibly important time for the United Kingdom, and for Northern Ireland in particular - an abstentionist MP is no MP at all.
Northern Ireland’s influence risks being greatly weakened, as every seat not taken weakens Northern Ireland’s influence at Westminster.
Brexit
Of course this election was called as a result of Brexit.
Let me be very clear - the days of Remainers & Brexiteers are over.
The decision of the United Kingdom on the 23 June 2016 has set the direction of travel. Article 50 has been triggered.
Whether people voted remain or leave, the reality now is we will be exiting the European Union.
Whilst others only care about getting any deal, we want the best deal.
The best deal for the United Kingdom. The best deal for Northern Ireland.
And the hypocritical stance of Sinn Fein is bold, even for their standards.
They remained almost silent during the EU referendum, and yet they claim they are the most opposed to Brexit. In reality Sinn Fein has never had a consistent message on EU membership. Only last February the Party was claiming that ‘the economic and fiscal policies of the European Union have had catastrophic effects on the lives of many of its citizens.’
If Sinn Fein thinks that anyone doesn’t see through their attempts to exploit this situation for their own ideology they can think again.
If they were serious about protecting the interests of the people of Northern Ireland in any Brexit deal, then they would take their seats in Westminster rather than just their expenses.
This election is not a re-run of the European referendum and neither should we allow people to couch it in those terms.
The United Kingdom joined the EEC as one nation and we`ll leave the European Union as one nation.
Calls by some for a second referendum following negotiations are a thinly veiled attempt to reverse the decision taken by the people of the United Kingdom in the referendum last year.
And it also weakens our negotiating hand with the EU. Why would the EU attempt to negotiate fair terms with the UK if they thought that there was any possibility of a second referendum happening?
This election is about creating a stronger, better Union for everyone and getting the best deal possible for Northern Ireland.
Those who promote “special status” are calling for the break-up of the United Kingdom.
It is an attempt by some to create a United Ireland by the back door.
I nor my Party will tolerate any attempt to undermine the principle of consent.
There can be no border up the middle of the Irish Sea. There can be no passport checks for citizens of Northern Ireland arriving in Cairnryan or Heathrow.
All our energies should be focused instead on the Brexit negotiations and getting the best deal for all our people.
And that is why our 5 key Brexit priorities are:
- No hard border, or internal borders within the United Kingdom.
- Future-proofing our economy by investing in skills and our infrastructure network.
- Providing assurance for those currently in receipt of EU funds.
- Maintenance of the Common Travel Area.
- Establishing a dedicated Executive Unit to act as a coherent voice for Northern Ireland.
Future of our devolved institutions.
In regard to the future of our institutions.
Devolution is still within our grasp, and in this campaign we are hearing that the people of Northern Ireland want to see the assembly up and functioning again. Well, let me assure you I want to see it up and running again.
It is outrageous that Northern Ireland has been left drifting without a Government now for five months.
While others have been preaching about respect and supposedly standing up to the Tories, the reality is that the crisis in public services has been deepening.
Only last week the latest health waiting times were published which revealed over a quarter of a million outpatients waiting for an appointment.
At the same time as Sinn Fein claim they are committed to resolving the crisis in the NHS it is them, and only them, that stand in the way of a new Executive being formed which could actually take the measures needed.
I say shame on Michelle O’Neill for putting the interests of Sinn Fein ahead of the interests of local patients.
These are not the only challenges we face.
A new Assembly must be fully open and transparent.
And we must finally move to educating our children together in a single education system.
And Legacy investigations must be carried out fairly and proportionately.
The best people to tackle these issues are the 90 MLAs elected in March. We need local politicians taking decisions on behalf of local people.
Ulster Unionists
And we need local politicians representing us in Westminster.
Tom & Danny really delivered in the two years they served in Westminster:
They`ve led the way in campaigning on veterans` issues, for the first time establishing an All Party Parliamentary Group on the Union, standing up for Women Against State Pension Age Inequality (WASPI), pressing the Government to introduce fair transitional payments for those who have been disadvantaged.
And that is why I am proud to lead this Party, because those achievements
demonstrate what Ulster Unionist MPs can achieve, and how they represent
my unionism, our unionism in Westminster.
It’s the unionism represented by:
Doug Beattie, by Alicia Clarke, by Jackson Minford, by Danny Kinahan, by Harold McKee, by Mike Nesbitt, by Tom Elliott, by Robbie Butler, by Mark Glasgow, by Sam Nicholson, by Hazel Legge, by Michael Henderson, by John Stewart and by Richard Holmes.
And that’s why I am asking people to vote for a stronger, better Union for everyone by voting for the Ulster Unionists on the 8th of June.