Harry Cullen, a spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Conservatives, has expressed disappointment for moderate members of the UUP that their leadership is in high-level talks with the DUP about electoral cooperation; especially after the UUP leader recently rejected a proposal to form a new party, made by Conservative co-chair, Lord Feldman.
“Tom Elliott rejected a wonderful opportunity to form a mainstream, pro-Union, centre-right party and play a constructive role in giving Northern Irish voters a say in UK politics”, Harry observed. “Yet we now learn that senior members of his team, including the UUP’s Executive minister, are looking to contract some sort of electoral marriage with the DUP.”
“It’s regrettable that although they reject forward-looking, centre-right, pro-Union politics, Tom Elliott, Danny Kennedy, David McNarry and others are steering their party toward a pact which echoes the past. I’m sure many grass-roots members will be deeply saddened by their leaders’ chosen direction.”
“The new Northern Irish Conservative party will continue to build an alternative to carve-up politics. We will offer voters a mainstream, pro-Union, centre-right party, which is autonomous on devolved matters but shapes the direction of the national Conservative party and participates fully in the UK party system. We’re looking forward toward a new future for Northern Ireland politics, unencumbered by the divisions of the past.”