After Belfast City Council voted on the display of the Union Flag at City Hall, NI Conservatives’ spokesman, Trevor Ringland, urged political parties to “have pride in Northern Ireland and work hard to make it a better place”.
“Almost everyone recognises that Northern Ireland’s position in the UK is secure for the foreseeable future”, Trevor observed. “In the mean time, we’ve got to make it a place that we can all share and love, in order to sell it to the world properly. We need to have more pride in Northern Ireland and remain focussed on making it the best place it can possibly be.”
“Parties should stop using flags or symbols to create divisions and stir up political arguments. The flag row at City Hall has been unnecessary and unhelpful, as was bringing protesters unto the streets, with the trouble which that caused this evening. As a society we’ve now got to put it behind us, focus on improving relationships across communities and get on with the important work of creating jobs, growing our economy and building a shared future.”
“Can I also suggest that who we, the Northern Irish, are as a people is best reflected in a variation of the words of the Ulster Poet John Hewitt in a debate in the Irish Times on identity in 1974. We are from Ulster. We are both Irish and British and those are interchangeable. We are increasingly diverse as people from around the world make Northern Ireland their home. And we are European and anyone who demeans any one part of us demeans us as a people!
“Northern Ireland exists. It is time for some to get over it and get on with the task of making it a better place for us all.”