Unionists can celebrate ‘without fear’
UNIONISTS can celebrate the Ulster Covenant centenary without fears over Northern Ireland’s future within the United Kingdom, Peter Robinson has said.
The First Minister made the remark during a speech which focused on Scottish independence at the British-Irish Association Conference which took place in Oxford on Saturday.
He also put a new twist on the republican slogan ‘Armalite and the ballot box’ when he said Scottish independence “can be defeated with a Saltire in one hand and a Union Flag in the other”.
Mr Robinson said that while he was loathe to make predictions, he believed Scotland would vote to stay with the United Kingdom and pointed to what he claimed was the growing pro-union stance of Catholics in Northern Ireland.
“As someone involved in politics I admire the electoral success of the SNP, but I do not believe that this support will translate into support for an independent Scotland anymore than support for an Irish nationalist or republican party automatically means support for a united Ireland,” he told the conference.
“In survey after survey in Northern Ireland we have seen considerable support for the constitutional status quo from those who vote for nationalist parties.
“It is hard to envisage a majority of people in Scotland voting to end the Union when there is no longer even a majority of Catholics in Northern Ireland that would vote to end it,” Mr Robinson said.
“Most Catholics in Northern Ireland are basing their choice, not on a strong British national identity, but upon a rational assessment of their social and economic welfare.”
The First Minister also raised the recent riots in Belfast over parading, but said Northern Ireland was now more secure within the Union.
“It is ironic that the debate about the Union is now centred around Scotland and not Northern Ireland. That’s not how it has been for most of our history,” he said.
“What better opportunity can there be to consider the Union than the month of the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Ulster Covenant which we will celebrate at the end of this month?
“Perhaps for the first time in 100 years unionists in Northern Ireland can do so without any present fears for their position in the UK.
“As a unionist I fervently hope that the independence referendum can settle Scotland’s place in the Union for generations to come.”
On the issue of more devolved powers from Westminster he said: “I have no appetite for significant additional powers for the Northern Ireland Assembly other than the much discussed issue of Corporation Tax.”
And Mr Robinson added: “For many decades most unionists in Northern Ireland have favoured devolution. But the form of devolution we enjoy at Stormont today is very different to that which was in place in the years before 1972.
“From a unionist perspective 21st century devolution has proved a stabilising force for Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom.”
