Ulster Unionist Trevor Ringland has said he will leave the party if new leader Tom Elliott does not show a new attitude towards the GAA.Tom Elliott was one of the architects of the "joint" Unionist candidature in FST, the final nail in the coffin of the original Conservative/UUP project that Ringland, amongst other high-profile figures, bought into. That was Elliott succumbing to the "community" under pressure. His comments on the GAA and Gay Pride issues were made at a private function and so were clearly made without that "community" pressure. But, and this is the crunch, with those views he has pulled in almost 70% of those in the UUP who voted last night.
Mr Elliott was elected leader of the party on Wednesday night.
In previous radio interviews he said he had no interest in attending gaelic games.
However, Mr Ringland, who contested East Belfast in May's general election, said Mr Elliott needed to reach out to the nationalist community.
"I would guarantee him that if there is an Ulster team in the all-Ireland final next year I will get him two tickets for that final," the former Irish rugby international said.
Mr Ringland said if Mr Elliott does not make such a commitment "he's taking the party in a direction I'm not comfortable with".
If Ringland hasn't worked by now what "direction the party is going in" (and to be fair to Elliott, it has been going in that direction even without his leadership), well...perhaps "naive" is the kindest description that can be used.
What is important now is not to whinge about the short-term, inevitable outcome of last night but to see how the cause of civic, secular unionism can be pushed forward in the long term. The first question that Ringland and other civic and liberal-minded Unionists need to ask themselves honestly now is whether their ideas and beliefs still have a home in the UUP.
If they genuinely believe they do and that the party can still help them in the promotion of the beliefs... then all I can do is wish them the very best of luck in their endeavours because I really think they're going to need it.
If not, then we can move onto the second stage of working on alternatives.
But in either case, whinging about the ideas and beliefs of the leadership and the majority of the party is a waste of both energy and time
12 comments:
Ringland gave every impression on the Radio that the man with 70% of the Party behind him should jump to the tune of one guy who has stood in one election and failed against a civic unionist (however small the u) in a battle against an besieged and wounded leader of 'hardline' unionism (whatever that is these days). Then Basil came in to sneakedly try to pressure for the deputy position.
Liberal unionism is being sullied by would be leaders whose ego far exceeds their political skills. If they believe there are 100,000 votes out there for their politics then they should set up a movement to capture that electorate. Otherwise they need to learn to be constructive and respect the democratic wishes of the Party to which they purportedly support. They would have expected loyalty from Tom and his supporters had Basil won - that goes two ways.
Despite losing, McCrea has brought expectations of Unionist politics to new levels. The Genie is out of the bottle and it will never go back in again.
"If Ringland hasn't worked by now what "direction the party is going in......"
I believe he has. Having reached that conclusion, he wont jump ship yet. Instead, he and others in his camp will set traps for Tom Elliott (perhaps a bit more subtle than buying GAA tickets too).
Elliott has the misfortune of being labelled and classified before his reign as leader has begun. The media and the UUP civic wing will be watching his every move, listening to his every utterance and pouncing upon him whenever he expresses himself in any way which can be connected with a sectarian mindset.
He will get treatment like no other UUP leader has received before him. I wonder if he realises this?
glad to see the u.u.p say goodbye to the torys,
the u.u.p is back again as a six county party- there pretence at being a british party only complicated the situation at the assembly,
with SINN FEIN being the only all IRELAND party and their partners in
goverment now only six county partys, all is alright now.
If Trevor Ringland criticised the new Leader because he said he had no interest in attending a GAA match, I consider that a cheap, base remark. I voted for Ringland at the last General Election; it's just as well I didn't hear him utter that sentiment at that time.
I have no interest in attending most sports matches, let alone GAA! I'd have no interest in watching a Scotland, England or Ireland Rugby match.
At least Tom Elliott was being open and forthright when he responded to Ringland or whatever the context was.
The GAA in rural Ulster may not be sectarian but it is county-chauvinist and triumphalist to a frightening degree.
Others' sensibilities are long forgotten. It is a bit like the Holy Land on 17 March.
Protestants may have to smile and appear supportive but you can't make them share the enthusiasm.
The GAA is of course also born out of anglophobia, the Gaelic revival and the War of Independence, not to mention the Troubles.
It is the same as if Linfield was elevated to be our national team and attendance was expected of SF Ministers.
Ringland has become obsessively unhistorical and a bend-over unionist. Best for him to go Alliance rather than corrode Elliott's efforts.
The media will play this one to death so the fewer internal critics on the matter the better.
To be fair to Elliott, and McCrea, both made very polished and moderate and constructive interviews today. Elliott did not come across as petty. Quite the recerse - a serious person who wants to work constructively. The GAA thing - certainly was damaging to him - is now being overplayed. H
Dissenter
"They would have expected loyalty from Tom and his supporters had Basil won - that goes two ways."
The cultural wing of the party, the likes of Mcnarry and indirectly Elliott showed little loyalty to the party when it was fighting the last election with the Conservatives. But the rest of your comment I'd agree with. The party's membership has spoken, it isn't a civic message, Ringland seems to not the grasp the fact Elliott is only the figurehead for what the kind of Unionism the majority of the party believe in.
Seymour,
I think you credit Ringland with more guile than I do. I also don't think he'll stay in the party now. However, others of a civic/liberal may be thinking along the lines you mention and may wait either to see if the party can be pushed in their direction or failing that, choosing the best time to make their departure.
But again, like Ringland, I think you miss the point, that Elliott and his attitudes do not exist in isolation to the rest of the party- on the contrary he represents the majority thinking.
Tim,
I think Rimgland has been clumsy and chosen the wrong battleground on this one.
Anonymous,
"It is the same as if Linfield was elevated to be our national team and attendance was expected of SF Ministers."
Do you think if that was the case, Adams and Co would turn down the PR opportunity offered? If he was invited to be a special guest next week at Ibrox, he'd be on the next flight over. Elliott, perhaps, was being honest about his attitude towards the GAA but it was a PR disaster and the UUP don't need anymore of those.
"Ringland has become obsessively unhistorical and a bend-over unionist. Best for him to go Alliance rather than corrode Elliott's efforts."
I think he needs to go but for different reasons and most certainly not to Alliance. I don't think his form of Unionism no longer has a place in the UUP and it's better to accept that and move onto the next possible step.
"The media will play this one to death so the fewer internal critics on the matter the better."
Do you think there should be a purge then?
Slug,
"To be fair to Elliott, and McCrea, both made very polished and moderate and constructive interviews today. Elliott did not come across as petty."
I've never thought of him as petty, he has a view of Unionmism which is different to mine (and his view seems slightly more popular than mine!). His danger now is trying to balance all the different views and directions within the UUP. He has his own, its supported ny a large majority of the party, that's the path he should take.
Tom Elliott is leader? Time to go then.
I left a few weeks ago but Elliott can't take the full credit for that. The fact that he's leader is just a sympton of the core problem of the UUP- ie a lack of clear space between it and the DUP.
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