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Tories and UUP to merge

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Politics & Debate
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7522326.stm

Bloody good idea if you ask me (which obviously none of you did). Trimble already takes the Tory whip and whilst the Tories currently organise in Northern Ireland, the party organisation is small and struggles to make any headway. It should also attract Catholics who'd be worried about voting for the UUP, but would support Tory policies. It'll mainstream Northern Irish politics and reduce sectarianism.

also it's a shot across the bows of the 'English Nationalist' Tories and reminds them that the Tories are a pro-Union party or they're nothing.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Flashman's Ghost wrote: »
    also it's a shot across the bows of the 'English Nationalist' Tories and reminds them that the Tories are a pro-Union party or they're nothing.
    There can't be that many of those around, can it?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Aladdin wrote: »
    There can't be that many of those around, can it?

    One would be too many. The Tories used to be the Unionist Party (I have a feeling that in many Scottish seats they are still officially the Conservative and Unionist Party). they dominated twentieth century politics because they merged with the Unionist wing of the Liberals. And they used to be the biggest party in Scotland, by quite a long way.

    They need to return to their roots and be a UK party. Even before this proposed merger they fielded candidates in Northern Ireland, whereas it took a threatened court case for Labour to agree to organise there and as far as I know the Lib Dems have made no effort to. I personally find it a disgrace that two parties (one in Government and one who aspires to be) show a absolute unwillingness to stand in, and democratically represent, part of the UK.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think it's a PR coup for the UUP, they lost a lot of ground to the DUP in the last elections and only returned one MP from a previous 9 they had. Don't see them becoming more mainstream, the ideological differences are too vast in this country for any major difference to happen in the next GE.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yerascrote wrote: »
    I think it's a PR coup for the UUP, they lost a lot of ground to the DUP in the last elections and only returned one MP from a previous 9 they had. Don't see them becoming more mainstream, the ideological differences are too vast in this country for any major difference to happen in the next GE.

    I don't know. I think the DUP picked up a lot of votes from people who weren't happy with the UUP. A few years down the line and they'll swing back from the Robinsons towards the more moderate UUP. I think if you add the Tories into the mix you'll also pick up some of the more middle-class nationalists who wouldn't vote for a party seem as Protestant, but would vote for a party seen as representing the UK middle class.

    I don't think it'll make a difference in hardline Republican areas - I can't see the Tories winning South Amargh, but I think it could make enough of a difference to swing a few seats from the DUP.
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