The flame of change dies within the UUP

Change can come in many ways. In politics, there are three major opportunities - external events, internal reflection, or generational shift. Within the space of a year the UUP has now fallen at all three hurdles. UCUNF was caused by an external event - a change in the approach of the Conservative Party towards politics…

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The Assembly’s looming crisis of legitimacy

Over on Slugger, I wonder if there is an electoral backlash in the making: For me, the second most interesting result from the last General Election (after Long’s defeat of Robinson, of course) was the turnout figure. 57% is a far cry from the 70% turnout at the first Assembly election. Although a turnout of…

The People’s Party of Northern Ireland

For a debate to exist, there must be at least two sides. Seymour Major laments that with the UCUNF project on its knees, he is left without a political home. The Alliance Party fits his non-sectarian principles, but not his conservatism. Jeff Peel expresses similar sentiments. After years of neglect, and after being made junior…

Fine Gael and Northern Ireland

Over on his blog, Seymour Major brings up an interesting idea: that Fine Gael could be included in the UCUNF. I am intrigued, but think it a stretch too far. The main problem is that the UCUNF is an explicitly Unionist project. However much some Conservatives may protest, their party has thrown in its lot…

Normal politics?

I have been watching with bemusement the car crash that is the Ulster Conservative and Unionist New Force (which still doesn't have it's own web page, despite the election being days away). Leaving aside the unfortunate connotations of a political movement having "Force" in its title, and the almost irresistible urge to mistype the acronym,…