Happy 90th Birthday Northern Ireland
03 May 2011
Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“90 years ago today Northern Ireland came into being. It is, therefore, a fitting time to reflect upon the great debt which we owe our Unionist forefathers.
“Had it not been for their resolute and unflinching stand Northern Ireland would be part of a bankrupt Irish Republic. I believe there are those who traditionally support Nationalist parties who recognise the advantages of being part of the United Kingdom at the current time.
“It is also, however, worth observing that the stand of Unionists in 1921 was very different from that adopted by the UUP and DUP in 2011. Then all Unionists opposed any suggestion of accepting a government which would have included IRA terrorists. Today some Unionists cosy up in government with gunmen and bombers!
“The stand of our forefathers in “defending, for ourselves and our children, our cherished position of equal citizenship in the United Kingdom” as the Ulster Covenant put it should not be forgotten.
“Equal citizenship is the cornerstone of the Union.
“The contrived and distorted form of government at Stormont means the people of Northern Ireland are no longer equal citizens of the UK.
“Unlike Scotland and Wales, the devolved setup in Northern Ireland denies us two fundamentals of British democracy – the right to vote a party out of government and the right to have an Opposition.
“As part of the UK, any form of devolution here should be compatible with British practice instead of the undemocratic and fundamentally unworkable system we have at present.
“In the rest of the UK the route to shared government is voluntary coalition such as currently operates at Westminster between the Tories and Lib Dems.
“In Northern Ireland we have compulsory coalition with those whose overriding purpose is the destruction of the Union.
“That is why TUV exists and that is why we are looking for your support on Thursday.”
