UNIONIST PRINCIPLES THREATENED - Letter to Newspapers by UUP Party Officer Johnny Andrews
Dear Letters Editor,
Regrettably,it is becoming clear that Northern Ireland has been left with a costly legacy following former Secretary of State Peter Hain’s blackmail strategy leading up to the devolution deal in May 2007 by the DUP and Sinn Fein. The fact that Hain was successful shows the weakened state of the Union under the DUP as the lead party in Unionism.
Hain’s legacy of draconian direct rule will impact our economy and disposable income; domestic rates are higher and water rates will be added over the next few years. With sharply higher food prices we are now also faced with a public spending squeeze, public sector job losses, a lower growth projection and no real strategy for enabling the private sector to grow. It may not be such a prosperous new year under the DUP /Sinn Fein carve up of power.
What happened to the DUP’s promised financial package as part of the negotiations leading to devolution in May? The recent pre-budget statement by the Chancellor allocates Northern Ireland a below inflation increase in the block grant, indicating a real terms decrease in spending. The recent Varney report has ruled out lower Corporation tax rates which were to supposed to kick start our private sector.
Rather than promoting similar corporation tax rates to the Irish republic and acquiescing to Sinn Fein’s all Ireland economic policy agenda we in Unionism must argue for lower Corporation Tax rates within the Union.
With the failure of DUP to secure a financial package and lower corporation tax rates we in Unionism should now be promoting the main principles upon which Unionism and Northern Ireland was founded; parity within the UK, freedom of the individual and promotion of a market economy free from the shackles of state control and public sector domination and its ‘crowding out ‘of the private sector .
Unionism must engage with our partners in the Union, promote the principles underlying the Union, contribute to it and ensure that it not only survives, but also thrives.
Yours faithfully
Johnny Andrews
Party Officer
Ulster Unionist Party