Yesterday morning I re-iterated the firm pledge that at the next general election the Conservatives will be the only party contesting every seat in every part of the United Kingdom. We’ll be demonstrating that the Conservative Party is a national party and a unionist party.
It was great to have Sir Reg Empey at our Conference. Last year Reg and David Cameron agreed that our two parties would come together to form a dynamic new force of Conservatives and Unionists in Northern Ireland.
We will offer the Northern Irish electorate the chance to participate in national politics. For decades, the Northern Ireland electorate could only vote for local parties; they could not elect anyone who could become a Minister in a Westminster government.
That’s bad for democracy. The Conservatives and Unionists are dedicated to ending the semi-detached status of Northern Ireland and bringing it back into the mainstream of United Kingdom politics by standing in every one of the 18 seats.
We’re already attracting new talent. Last month Ian Parsley, the Alliance Party’s European candidate, joined the Conservatives. We want to bring into politics those who’ve been put off by the sectarian divisions of the past.
Conservatives and Unionists are a modern, inclusive, tolerant and compassionate centre-right force committed to social justice. We’re not interested in people’s community background or religion – only what they can offer as we seek to build a shared future for everybody. I am delighted that we now have people on our candidates list from all parts of the community.
I look forward to working with Reg to bring about the change we need in Northern Ireland and for the first time in decades making a significant contribution to a Conservative victory at the next election.
( 3 comments ) Tags: Alliance Party, candidate, Northern Ireland
Comment by Bob on October 9, 2009 at 11:46 am
This is great news. Hopefully Northern Ireland is ready to grasp this chance to come back into the fold of national politics. It would be great to see a politician from the moderate wing of politics in NI help form the next government. Too long has politics in NI been about the sectarian divide. Most folk just want what everyone else in the UK has… focus on the economy, education, health. HHopefully the police and justice powers mess will be sorted out soon so that there will be less need for the extreme parties (DUP & SF). Once that deal is concluded the moderate parties should flourish.
Comment by Cllr Lynda Donaldson, PPC for Rother Valley on October 9, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Hi Owen, I thought that was an excellent discussion at Conference and I am very interested in the progress you have made and follow your career with interest. Well done and it was great to see the representation at the Conference. Well done!
Comment by Paul Cole on October 11, 2009 at 2:03 am
Aopart from none…why are you contesting seats in Scotland. We all up here hate the tories and teflon man and his non policies. Everyone an upperclass tube who has no knowledge of real life. Nom policies no ideas, other than to make the rich richer…go away and get stuffed…and as for the NHS i fear greatly for this great institution under you lot