:00:17. > :00:22.Hello and welcome it to be programme. Several hundred
:00:22. > :00:25.delegates have gathered here at the La Mon Hotel in the County Down
:00:25. > :00:29.countryside for two days and speeches and debates and to catch
:00:29. > :00:33.up with old friends and familiar faces. They are getting ready for
:00:33. > :00:37.the highlight of the conference, the leader's speech, where Peter
:00:37. > :00:43.Robinson will outline his vision for the next year. We will bring
:00:43. > :00:46.that to you live. Already, Arlene Foster has had a warm reception
:00:46. > :00:51.despite recent controversy over gas exploration in Fermanagh and
:00:51. > :00:56.allegations of a conflict of interest, which she has strongly
:00:56. > :01:01.denied. Later, the party's court jester, Sammy Wilson, will be
:01:01. > :01:09.entertaining members with his unique style of or Tory. With me is
:01:09. > :01:14.Mark Davenport. What do you make of it so for? -- so far? This is a
:01:14. > :01:19.pretty confident performance. They top the poll in elections, they can
:01:19. > :01:26.afford to feed confident, given it is a while until they will be face
:01:26. > :01:30.another electoral test. They have a battery of ministers who have
:01:30. > :01:37.presented various initiatives. Not just Arlene Foster but we have also
:01:37. > :01:40.had nothing McCausland and Edwin Poots. They see themselves as the
:01:40. > :01:46.decision-makers at Stormont. can hear the cheers as Peter
:01:46. > :01:53.Robinson comes into the hall to deliver his speech. A different
:01:53. > :02:02.atmosphere for him this year compared to last? Last year, there
:02:02. > :02:06.were memories of the controversy that had beset him controversy --
:02:06. > :02:16.personally and also the electoral test. He'd pass that test and he
:02:16. > :02:17.
:02:17. > :02:27.did not have any setbacks at Stormont. We will hear an attempt
:02:27. > :02:27.
:02:27. > :02:32.to be more of a statesman. He has left having a go at the party's
:02:32. > :02:36.critics to the other speakers, such as Nigel Dodds. This will be a
:02:36. > :02:42.speech about bringing people together. We will hear a lot of
:02:42. > :02:47.talk about the shared society. Interesting times and a lively
:02:47. > :02:53.speech from Nigel Dodds? He did not take any prisoners. He had lots of
:02:53. > :02:57.jokes. He was getting into Sammy Wilson's territory as the court
:02:57. > :03:02.jester but I do not expect a similar performance from Peter
:03:02. > :03:10.Robinson. Let's see what he has to say.
:03:10. > :03:15.What a crowd! Thank you for your support. Thank you for your
:03:15. > :03:23.dedication and enthusiasm. Thank you for Europe extraordinary
:03:23. > :03:30.loyalty, your commitment and the unity we enjoy within his party.
:03:30. > :03:35.Thank you for making our incredible success possible. Together, this
:03:35. > :03:43.past decade, we have achieved something special. As a result of
:03:43. > :03:47.the work like you have done, Northern Ireland is a better place.
:03:47. > :03:57.-- that you have done. I want to fight not just our friend here
:03:57. > :03:57.
:03:57. > :04:02.today, but every one at home who entrusted us with their vote. It is
:04:02. > :04:08.ultimately not politicians, but the people, who decide what sort of a
:04:08. > :04:13.country we have. Our power is derived from the support and
:04:14. > :04:18.consent to of the Ulster people. For the trust reposed in us, we
:04:18. > :04:26.will return to the courage and devotion that befits the task that
:04:26. > :04:36.we have been set. This party has come a very long way in a short
:04:36. > :04:46.time. Today, thanks to a hard work and dedication, we are the largest
:04:46. > :04:51.
:04:51. > :04:57.party in Northern Ireland. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. Because of
:04:57. > :05:07.you, Northern Ireland continues to have eight Unionist First Minister.
:05:07. > :05:10.
:05:10. > :05:15.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. Winning elections is not just about
:05:15. > :05:20.getting more seats than our opponents. It is about getting a
:05:20. > :05:26.mandate to shape the future. In a decade's time, Northern Ireland
:05:26. > :05:32.will mark the centenary of its existence. Today, I want to set out
:05:32. > :05:38.a pathway to our next 100 years. A vision of a shared society that
:05:38. > :05:43.will secure the future with in the United Kingdom for generations to
:05:44. > :05:50.come. I want to set out how we ensure that this party will set
:05:50. > :06:00.that future. 12 months ago, there were very few who would have
:06:00. > :06:06.believed that today we would be celebrating not just a victory, but
:06:06. > :06:12.an increase in our representation at Stormont. Here we are, stronger
:06:12. > :06:17.and in greater numbers than ever before. Who would have believed
:06:17. > :06:23.that we could top our performance of 2007? Not after the fall-out
:06:23. > :06:30.from entering government, which included Sinn Fein, not after the
:06:30. > :06:34.impact that that had on both Dromore and European elections. Not
:06:34. > :06:39.after the setting up of another Unionist Party to oppose us. And
:06:39. > :06:45.not after the trials and tribulations that we faced. Losing
:06:45. > :06:55.40% of our vote was painful. There was an anxious uncertainty amongst
:06:55. > :06:58.
:06:58. > :07:03.our friends, alongside the torrent of abuse from our opponents. The
:07:03. > :07:08.press and media encircled are camp, predicting her downfall and when
:07:08. > :07:14.other Unionist parties before Russ were under a similar fire, before
:07:14. > :07:20.amongst themselves, became director Liz, did not have the ability or
:07:20. > :07:27.have they lost the will to explain their decisions. -- became without
:07:27. > :07:31.direction. And then, they plummeted in the polls. The dark days that we
:07:31. > :07:35.encountered were worth all that they cost us. They taught us that
:07:35. > :07:44.we needed to reconnect with our support base. They taught us to
:07:44. > :07:49.stand our ground, explainer decisions, face sterner critics --
:07:49. > :07:58.explain our ground and face are critics and it tested the
:07:58. > :08:02.motivation of those around us. We held together, we stayed united, we
:08:02. > :08:08.came through the fire as one. From the shadows of our troubles came
:08:08. > :08:13.hope and from that hope, it's drying triumph. -- spraint trialed.
:08:13. > :08:18.We sought a mandate to work with other people -- parties for the
:08:18. > :08:22.benefit of the people, and we got it. This is a new era in Northern
:08:22. > :08:27.Ireland politics. We will never forget the conflict or turmoil that
:08:27. > :08:34.we have come through. We will never forget the lives that have been
:08:34. > :08:41.lost and destroyed. We salute those who paid the supreme sacrifice in
:08:41. > :08:47.defence of our province's freedom and liberty. There's not a day
:08:47. > :08:52.back-passes that we are not mind full -- there's not a day that
:08:52. > :09:00.passes that we are not mindful of those left behind. They bear their
:09:00. > :09:07.loss and suffering with great dignity. No matter what selective
:09:07. > :09:11.inquiries and sexual campaigns there maybe -- sector and will
:09:11. > :09:21.campaigns there may be, we are resolved never to let republicans
:09:21. > :09:36.
:09:36. > :09:42.As a society and as a community, we are ready to move forward. The
:09:42. > :09:45.clearest sign of this new era was the side of the police and the GAA
:09:45. > :09:51.standing side by side at the funeral of a young Catholic police
:09:51. > :09:56.officer, murdered by dissident republicans. That was a glimpse
:09:56. > :10:03.into the future. It was symbolic of change and symbols are important.
:10:03. > :10:09.The murder of Ronan Kerr, a constable in the PSNI, showed that
:10:09. > :10:15.the threat from terrorism still exists but more importantly, their
:10:15. > :10:25.reaction to his death demonstrated that such threats will never, never
:10:25. > :10:33.
:10:34. > :10:40.wane. -- and win. Ulster will not be defeated.
:10:40. > :10:46.The end of the conflict has meant that elections are more, not less,
:10:46. > :10:49.important in shaping the kind of society we want to live in. We can
:10:49. > :10:55.take nothing for granted. We know it will be the ballot box alone
:10:55. > :11:02.that will determine our future. It is not long ago that people
:11:02. > :11:07.wondered if Sinn Fein might become the largest party and return a
:11:07. > :11:12.Republican First Minister. Not only did they hold them off, but we
:11:12. > :11:18.actually extended our lead. It was a spectacular election result, it
:11:18. > :11:26.right across the province. Today, as a result of the voter
:11:26. > :11:33.endorsement, it is the DUP leading in shaping the political landscape.
:11:33. > :11:38.38 seats was a truly remarkable achievement and as your leader, I
:11:38. > :11:44.want to congratulate all those who were elected not just to the
:11:45. > :11:51.Assembly, but to the councils as well. I want to thank all of those
:11:51. > :11:57.candidates who did not make good this time. Let me assure you, your
:11:57. > :12:07.time will come. I was especially glad to see Alan Brett land with us
:12:07. > :12:14.
:12:14. > :12:20.Most of all, I want to thank everyone who give their time to
:12:20. > :12:25.support a party. -- the party. It is good to reflect on our
:12:25. > :12:35.achievements but the real work lies ahead. An election is only ever the
:12:35. > :12:40.
:12:40. > :12:45.start. With great success comes greater responsibility. The first
:12:45. > :12:52.term of the Assembly was not smooth sailing, but despite all of the
:12:52. > :12:56.challengers, we did make a difference. We secured peace and
:12:56. > :13:02.stability, bedded down devolution and completed the first Assembly
:13:02. > :13:07.term in over a generation. That's not all. We put our agenda at the
:13:07. > :13:13.heart of government. We set a new direction. The DUP has been a
:13:13. > :13:18.linchpin at the heart of the Assembly and Executive. We never
:13:18. > :13:23.claimed that leading a five-party mandatory coalition would be silky
:13:23. > :13:28.smooth, and it is not. Unlike other administrations, divisions do not
:13:28. > :13:32.get a third behind the scenes. Instead, under this system, they
:13:32. > :13:39.get dramatically and often translucent Lee played out under
:13:39. > :13:43.the full glare of the media. Some Executive that ministers seek to
:13:43. > :13:52.exaggerate differences so they can exploit them. -- Executive
:13:52. > :14:02.ministers. Some genes position to be in opposition to the executor of.
:14:02. > :14:02.
:14:02. > :14:08.-- Sheen's Position to be in opposition to the Executive.
:14:08. > :14:12.Opposition for opposition's sake is punished at the polls. We need to
:14:12. > :14:21.persuade people that devolution is not just good in theory, it is good
:14:21. > :14:27.in practice as well. People listen and read negative commentators who
:14:27. > :14:30.only report problems and bad news. What about the peace and the
:14:30. > :14:35.constitutional stability? The investment from major global
:14:35. > :14:40.companies to our shores? What about Northern Ireland being on the
:14:40. > :14:45.international map for film, music and television? What about free
:14:45. > :14:49.travel for all the people on public transport? What about the lowest
:14:49. > :14:55.household taxes in the UK? What about student fees being frozen and
:14:55. > :14:59.the rescue package for PMS savers? What about the delivery of more
:14:59. > :15:03.jobs to Northern Ireland than under any past government? And what about
:15:03. > :15:12.highest levels of infrastructure investment in our history? I could
:15:12. > :15:16.go on, but I think you get their hair -- message. We have a record
:15:16. > :15:23.of achievement to be proud of but it is only a start. It is still her
:15:23. > :15:27.bidets but we have made a positive start. -- early days. We are
:15:27. > :15:34.putting in place building blocks for the future. In the last few
:15:34. > :15:37.weeks we have agreed how to take forward the Review of Public
:15:37. > :15:40.Administration and the Education Skills Authority. We have published
:15:40. > :15:45.a programme for government, our investment strategy and economic
:15:45. > :15:49.strategy. People want to see us taking decisions and making a
:15:49. > :15:54.difference. That is what we are elected to do. The new imperative
:15:54. > :15:58.is getting things done. While some other parties may be focused on
:15:59. > :16:04.whether or not they should go into opposition, this party is focused
:16:04. > :16:10.on advancing the business of government. As we promised in our
:16:10. > :16:17.manifesto, we are in the business of delivering. These are tough
:16:17. > :16:23.economic times and the truth is, for many people, the real fear is
:16:23. > :16:28.not that they are going to be sold into a united Ireland, bare except
:16:28. > :16:31.the union is safe in our hands. The real fear is that they might not
:16:31. > :16:37.have a job to provide for their family, or that their debts are
:16:37. > :16:47.getting out of control. As an Executive, we have to focus on the
:16:47. > :16:49.
:16:49. > :16:54.economy and do all that we can to We have an ambitious agenda. We
:16:54. > :17:01.will press for the devolution of Corporation of cap -- corporation
:17:01. > :17:06.tax and reduce its level. We will promote over 25,000 jobs, achieved
:17:06. > :17:10.�3 million of investment through FDI and increase in manufacturing
:17:10. > :17:15.exports by 15%. We will increase our visitor numbers and tourist
:17:15. > :17:19.revenue and in defeat -- get an extension of the small business
:17:19. > :17:24.rate relief scheme. We will make Northern Ireland an even more
:17:24. > :17:28.attractive place for investment. By ensuring 90% of large scale
:17:28. > :17:32.investment planning decisions are made within six months.
:17:32. > :17:38.Applications with job potential are given additional weight. We have
:17:38. > :17:42.set ourselves a challenging target to advance their shared education.
:17:42. > :17:47.We will increase the number of university places for economically
:17:47. > :17:50.relevant subjects and ensure our skills targets are aligned to the
:17:50. > :17:56.needs of the economy. We will introduce tougher sentences for
:17:56. > :18:01.those who are charged and found guilty of a tax on older people. As
:18:01. > :18:11.far as we are concerned, if you are attacking a pensioner, pack your
:18:11. > :18:23.
:18:23. > :18:26.I know people are finding it difficult to make ends meet so no
:18:26. > :18:35.matter what some economists may want, we will continue to keep
:18:35. > :18:40.household's tax the lowest in the UK. We will ensure there will be no
:18:40. > :18:44.additional water charges. The next few years will see major reforms
:18:44. > :18:50.across significant public services such as health, education and local
:18:50. > :18:53.Government. Making them more efficient and effective. We will
:18:54. > :18:58.support sensible reform of the Prison Service but let me make it
:18:58. > :19:08.clear, we will ensure that the Crown and the royal title of
:19:08. > :19:19.
:19:19. > :19:24.preserved. A decade ago, we were powerless to
:19:24. > :19:31.prevent the implementation of the Patten report. We are not powerless
:19:31. > :19:37.now. I couldn't help but notice that some of our opponents thought
:19:37. > :19:42.I over egged my opposition to these matters. Let me tell them why it is
:19:42. > :19:48.such a touchstone issue. As a matter of process, it was critical.
:19:48. > :19:52.We spent years under the Belfast Agreement, watching ministers take
:19:52. > :19:59.decisions without Executive or committee approval from the
:19:59. > :20:05.Assembly itself. Ministers were unaccountable. St Andrew's changed
:20:05. > :20:09.all that. It required any decision that was significant or
:20:09. > :20:18.controversial, to have cross- community support. That protected
:20:18. > :20:23.both traditions. Parties had determined -- determination to go
:20:23. > :20:32.forward. However, the Justice Minister announced to the Assembly,
:20:32. > :20:36.which stated that he would bypass this carefully crafted process and
:20:36. > :20:42.allow unelected officials to take these decisions as operational
:20:42. > :20:47.matters. Thereby denying the Executive, an elective
:20:47. > :20:54.representatives a right to decide how we would move forward. It would
:20:54. > :21:00.have been alarming. A blow on the process. Sometimes painfully
:21:00. > :21:04.constructed. That was an issue of such moment and significance that
:21:04. > :21:09.any true defender of democracy would have taken it to the people
:21:09. > :21:17.and asked for their view. Secondly, in the past under the stewardship
:21:17. > :21:22.of others, each of us witnessed how every aspect of British life in our
:21:22. > :21:29.province was attacked and diluted. Anything that was British had to be
:21:29. > :21:35.removed or neutralised. When the DUP took over the reins of Unionism,
:21:35. > :21:45.we determined to detect -- to defend our heritage. Today,
:21:45. > :21:54.
:21:54. > :22:00.tomorrow and always and we will The greatest challenge that we will
:22:00. > :22:06.face in the next the years would be to rebuild our society after years
:22:06. > :22:12.and years of division. We must work towards a more normalised form of
:22:12. > :22:17.Government, with an Executive and an honest opposition, not a 5th
:22:17. > :22:21.column that operates from within the ranks of the Executive himself.
:22:21. > :22:26.There would be a sign of political immaturity. Now because it is good
:22:26. > :22:31.for Unionism, but because it is good for democracy. Next year the
:22:31. > :22:35.Assembly would be considering its own structures. There is real
:22:36. > :22:41.opportunity for Stormont to evolve to democratic... It will only
:22:41. > :22:47.happen in through agreement. While we work to do live in Government,
:22:47. > :22:52.we must make sure, as a party, we are ready to face the next election
:22:52. > :22:57.campaign. That election is not Scheduled until 2014. That doesn't
:22:57. > :23:05.mean we can relax. We must work harder than ever before to ensure
:23:05. > :23:15.we do even better next time. In that election, I want to see day
:23:15. > :23:27.
:23:27. > :23:31.and the reward for all her hard So much for selection meetings. Now
:23:31. > :23:38.is the time to plan for the future and set our strategy out for the
:23:38. > :23:44.next decade. 10 years ago, with Unionism that in terminal decline,
:23:44. > :23:49.which charted a course to recovery. Many doubted we could deliver but
:23:49. > :23:56.we followed it through. Even when times were tough, we delivered. In
:23:56. > :24:03.these changed times, we must charge -- chart a fresh path for the party,
:24:03. > :24:08.the Assembly, the province and the Union. This party, our party, is
:24:08. > :24:12.best placed to lead Northern Ireland into the future. For us to
:24:13. > :24:20.make a difference, we have to earn and retain the support of the
:24:20. > :24:26.people. Elections aren't one in the weeks but the years before polling
:24:26. > :24:31.day. It is important that we use this time to reform, revitalise and
:24:31. > :24:38.strengthen the DPP. Unlike other parties, we are able to do it from
:24:38. > :24:43.a position of strength and unity. - - DUP. Our core values and beliefs
:24:43. > :24:46.are unalterable. We must constantly adapt to new chair Rouge it -- to
:24:46. > :24:53.new challenges and circumstances. We are building on the foundations
:24:53. > :24:58.that have been laid over previous decades. I know there has not
:24:58. > :25:03.always been at enthusiasm to advance, even to catch eight
:25:03. > :25:08.further strategic objective. That is precisely the time to make the
:25:08. > :25:11.next push forward. There has never been a moment when a difficult
:25:11. > :25:14.decision had to be taken, when there wasn't someone claiming that
:25:14. > :25:24.there might be a better time to take it somewhere in the future.
:25:24. > :25:34.
:25:34. > :25:39.If you never try to succeed, you will never fail. You can sit and
:25:39. > :25:45.oppose everything and hope others fail so you can seek to reap the
:25:45. > :25:50.harvest of their failure. Achievements and difficult
:25:50. > :25:53.decisions are linked. That is what leadership is about. Taking
:25:53. > :25:59.decisions and taking the consequences. The real battle is
:26:00. > :26:05.not about the past, it is about the future. We must always be sure to
:26:05. > :26:14.fight the next campaign and not continue to fight the last one. Our
:26:14. > :26:18.greatest threat is not a political opposition. The path to success
:26:18. > :26:22.hasn't been painless but the testing times have only served to
:26:22. > :26:29.strengthen us. We can look back now on everything that we have achieved
:26:29. > :26:33.and we can see that what we did strengthened and enhanced our
:26:33. > :26:41.party's position. It didn't we can get. It is not a time to rest on
:26:41. > :26:46.our laurels, it is the time to move forward. Opportunity is sitting on
:26:46. > :26:55.our doorstep. As a party, we must be the very best at everything that
:26:55. > :27:00.we do. That means we must plan and prepare. Whatever our opponents do,
:27:00. > :27:07.we must be one step ahead. That means a process of continual
:27:07. > :27:12.improvement at every level. As a party, we must set demanding
:27:12. > :27:17.targets and to live on them. The way people engage in politics is
:27:17. > :27:23.changing. We must adjust to that change. That is why we need to find
:27:23. > :27:27.new ways of interacting that relate to -- relate to modern-day society.
:27:27. > :27:33.Party members are and will always be the lifeblood of any political
:27:33. > :27:39.party. To maximise our potential, we must also harness the goodwill
:27:39. > :27:44.of those outside of our membership, but who support us. I want to
:27:44. > :27:50.create a new option for those who want to demonstrate support and
:27:50. > :27:56.play a part in our future. I want to establish the concept of
:27:56. > :28:04.registered party supporters. There will be no Effie attached if you
:28:04. > :28:09.are signing up and no obligation to do more. -- no fee. Equally,
:28:09. > :28:14.registered supporters will have a direct line to feed in their views
:28:14. > :28:20.of ideas and involve themselves to whatever extent they decide. There
:28:20. > :28:24.are people who for a variety of reason, can't or don't want to join
:28:24. > :28:29.a political party. Their job may not permit them to do so, they may
:28:29. > :28:33.spend a lot of time away from home, they may be too young. They may
:28:33. > :28:39.come from a community background where joining a unionist Party has
:28:39. > :28:47.not been common practice. They may have concerns about what membership
:28:47. > :28:52.it involves. They support what we are doing and might occasionally
:28:52. > :28:57.attend events that we organise. They follow our progress, want to
:28:57. > :29:02.see us doing well, they vote for us. As an initial target, I want to
:29:02. > :29:09.sign up 5000 registered party's supporters before the conference
:29:10. > :29:14.next year. 5000 more the year after that. Yes, I admit it, I hope
:29:14. > :29:20.registered party supporters will in their own time ease themselves into
:29:20. > :29:29.membership of the party itself. At a constituency, I want us to turn
:29:29. > :29:34.the best practice into common practice. We are looking at the
:29:34. > :29:38.structure and content of party meetings. I want to see us
:29:38. > :29:41.embracing additional party can figurations that bring members and
:29:41. > :29:45.supporters with special policy interests together. Search
:29:45. > :29:55.specialist groups wouldn't replace our tried and tested branch and
:29:55. > :29:56.
:29:56. > :30:03.associations structure, it is about setting up creeps -- groups.
:30:03. > :30:06.Encouraging greater involvement of women. Whatever activity our
:30:06. > :30:11.membership wants to promote. Of course they will operate within the
:30:11. > :30:15.guidelines set up within the party but what we will be doing is making
:30:15. > :30:20.meetings more relevant to meetings and supporters' interests. Yes, we
:30:20. > :30:26.will be constructing another slip road to he's now members into
:30:26. > :30:30.active political involvement. I want to reach into every community
:30:30. > :30:40.of Northern Ireland. I want to see far more women as elected
:30:40. > :30:48.
:30:48. > :30:52.It shouldn't be just the women who are clapping that statement. In the
:30:52. > :30:58.next six months, we will revise our party rules to make them fit for
:30:58. > :31:07.purpose. Fit for the challenges that lie ahead and fit to deliver
:31:07. > :31:10.continued success. I am proud of his party's past and I am immensely
:31:11. > :31:20.grateful for that Ian achieved as he led us through those dark and
:31:21. > :31:32.
:31:32. > :31:36.He carried a heavy burden as he led us into leadership at Stormont, and
:31:36. > :31:43.we all wish him well. I do not believe a word about him retiring,
:31:43. > :31:47.there is no way Ian Paisley will retire! I'm proud of what we are
:31:47. > :31:54.doing today and I am confident about our future. We have solid
:31:54. > :31:59.foundations upon which to build. 176 councillors, 38 Assembly
:31:59. > :32:09.members, four members of the House of Lords and worried MPs at
:32:09. > :32:16.
:32:16. > :32:20.Westminster, magnificently played by -- led by Mike -- Nigel Dodds.
:32:20. > :32:26.We have Diane Dodds as our MEP, battling for Ulster in Europe. We
:32:26. > :32:29.have a fantastic team at every level across the province. I want
:32:29. > :32:37.to affect our ministers and post holders. They have served this
:32:37. > :32:41.party well. One of the most difficult jobs that I have as
:32:41. > :32:48.leader is to allocate responsibilities. Having such an
:32:48. > :32:58.abundance of talent makes the job so difficult. Arlene, Sammy,
:32:58. > :33:07.
:33:07. > :33:15.nothing, Edwin, Jonathan, well done all of you. -- Nelson. As a team at
:33:15. > :33:20.every level, we have so much to offer. That is why I am tired of
:33:20. > :33:24.listening to the professional nay- sayers, who seemed intent on
:33:24. > :33:29.talking Northern Ireland and democratic politicians down. They
:33:29. > :33:33.criticise politicians, but are never prepared to stand for office
:33:33. > :33:43.themselves. They and -- are an authority on everything but have a
:33:43. > :33:51.
:33:51. > :33:57.mandate for nothing. One of them comes on our radio every morning,
:33:57. > :34:06.well, at least those that his alarm clock is working! When he is eating
:34:06. > :34:12.his crisps and Mars bars, he is either putting the worst possible
:34:12. > :34:17.construction politicians are trying to do, or encouraging others to do
:34:17. > :34:22.so. It is easy to pick holes in the work of others but it is hard to do
:34:22. > :34:32.it yourself. It is the size of the have boated that gives you the
:34:32. > :34:33.
:34:33. > :34:40.right to speak for the people. -- it is the size of your own boat. --
:34:40. > :34:43.the size of Europe and vote. Stephen Nolan, you might have the
:34:43. > :34:47.biggest show in the country but when the will of the people, we
:34:47. > :34:57.have the biggest a vote in the country!
:34:57. > :35:02.
:35:02. > :35:08.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. In a democracy, power is not
:35:08. > :35:13.inherited, it is one. Our authority to be in office and to work for the
:35:13. > :35:20.people is given to us democratically by the people. Mr
:35:20. > :35:26.Chairman, I want to pay tribute to our brave soldiers who have served
:35:26. > :35:31.and are still serving in Afghanistan. We especially remember
:35:31. > :35:40.those who did not return. Those who gave their lives for country and
:35:40. > :35:46.for freedom. Their sacrifice is a reminder to us of the part that
:35:46. > :35:50.this province plays in the life of our nation. It was truly inspiring
:35:50. > :35:58.to see so many people come out and read our soldiers at the recent
:35:59. > :36:08.home coming parade. -- Kuyt. We remember them today and we will
:36:09. > :36:15.
:36:15. > :36:18.ensure they are never forgotten. APPLAUSE.
:36:18. > :36:24.While our soldiers are bringing a better life to people halfway
:36:24. > :36:30.around the globe, we must do the same back here at home. I am a
:36:30. > :36:37.Unionist, not just because of my background or culture, but because
:36:37. > :36:43.I believe the union offers the best future for this province. There is
:36:43. > :36:47.something in the Unionists I keep that assumes that our political
:36:47. > :36:52.opponents are always superior at achieving their objectives. Often,
:36:52. > :37:00.Unionists are more prepared to believe their opponents' propaganda
:37:00. > :37:07.than the king of reality. -- looking at reality. Ask yourself,
:37:07. > :37:11.what have they achieved? Rather than united Ireland, we have an
:37:11. > :37:17.administration at Stormont with eight Unionist majority, enacting
:37:17. > :37:27.British laws, and red white and blue is still flying from the
:37:27. > :37:37.
:37:37. > :37:47.Flagstaff. That did not, by by longing for a return to the
:37:47. > :37:50.
:37:50. > :37:58.institutions of the past. --, Bard. -- that did not come about. The
:37:58. > :38:02.cross-border institutions are largely for show. The real work is
:38:02. > :38:08.not through institutional structures but about issues that
:38:08. > :38:14.really matter. It is personal relationships that will make North-
:38:15. > :38:20.South co-operation work and the less political threat, the greater
:38:20. > :38:25.the opportunity is to work together. It is our strategy, the path that
:38:25. > :38:32.we started down a decade ago, that has prevailed. Getting devolution
:38:32. > :38:36.on acceptable terms, seeking to make it work for everyone, ensuring
:38:36. > :38:40.North-South structures are grounded in practical co-operation and not
:38:40. > :38:45.advancing political ideology, building up the East-West axis and
:38:45. > :38:50.demonstrating that the union works for everyone. Yes, it is our
:38:50. > :38:53.strategy that has prevailed. We need to further reform the
:38:53. > :38:57.institutions to deliver better government but we need to be
:38:57. > :39:01.careful not to undermine the consent and acceptance of our
:39:01. > :39:06.constitutional status in doing it. I do not want a simple majority in
:39:06. > :39:11.favour of the union, I want an overwhelming majority to support a
:39:11. > :39:16.constitutional position. Mr Chairman, in time, the economic
:39:16. > :39:23.crisis will path. The lasting challenge for us will be to tackle
:39:23. > :39:30.the causes of division. An end to the troubles did not bring an end
:39:30. > :39:35.to division and the dilemma will not solve itself. Her critics have
:39:35. > :39:41.claimed that we want a society carved up rather than share. Some
:39:41. > :39:46.accuse us of wanting a separate but equal society. Nothing could be
:39:46. > :39:49.further from the truth. It is not right and it would not work. I do
:39:49. > :39:56.not want a society where people live close together but live
:39:56. > :40:00.separate lives. This party cannot dictate the future, but we can
:40:00. > :40:07.place issues at the centre of public debate and forced others to
:40:07. > :40:10.justify their obstruction. -- force. There can be no greater legacy than
:40:11. > :40:17.a shared community. It is not just good for Northern Ireland, it is
:40:17. > :40:22.good for Unionism. This is how we can secure our future, not for the
:40:22. > :40:27.just -- next decade, bought for the next century. Any society is
:40:27. > :40:33.governed not by the will of society but by the consent of the minority.
:40:33. > :40:42.We know that better than most. A conflict of this last 40 years
:40:42. > :40:47.created terrible divisions. It became a case of them and us. That
:40:47. > :40:57.attitude deepened divisions further. If we want a better society, it
:40:57. > :40:57.
:40:57. > :41:02.cannot be them and Darth, it can only be all of us. -- them and us.
:41:02. > :41:07.Recent surveys show over half of the Roman Catholic population who
:41:07. > :41:13.were polled wished to remain part of the UK, and only a third wanted
:41:13. > :41:20.a united Ireland. I want a society for those numbers are improved and
:41:20. > :41:23.there are place in the kingdom is not reliant on demographics. --
:41:24. > :41:29.where our place in the kingdom. There can be no greater guarantee
:41:29. > :41:34.of our security than the support of the Catholic community. Now the
:41:34. > :41:39.conflict has ended, we have a window of opportunity to reset at
:41:39. > :41:44.the terms of political debate. We have the opportunity to securing
:41:44. > :41:49.our constitutional position Beyond the visible horizon. Our task is
:41:49. > :41:55.not to defeat, but to persuade. Over recent decades, Unionists have
:41:55. > :41:59.been under attack and we have been forced to be defensive. Some
:41:59. > :42:05.Republicans tried to bomb us into a united Ireland. Others sought
:42:06. > :42:12.politically to cajole and wheedle us into a united Ireland. We have
:42:12. > :42:17.withstood them all. When have we, as Unionists, actually sought to
:42:17. > :42:23.persuade? Not just by words, but by creating the kind of inviting
:42:23. > :42:29.society that everyone will want to be part of. Our determination and
:42:29. > :42:33.resolve sold through the Troubles. Arkwright of no surrender served us
:42:33. > :42:40.well in the days when we were being mercilessly attacked and our backs
:42:40. > :42:46.were against the wall. -- Arkwright of no surrender. Happily, times he
:42:46. > :42:49.had changed and a new approach is justified. Politics is changing in
:42:49. > :42:55.Northern Ireland. Of course there will be those who are implacably
:42:55. > :43:01.opposed to being part of the United Kingdom. Even today, they are a
:43:01. > :43:06.minority in a minority. Bobby Sands once said that, the irate's revenge
:43:07. > :43:10.would be the laughter of their children. -- IRA. Such narrow
:43:11. > :43:16.vision. There has been too much talk of revenge and victory and
:43:16. > :43:21.defeat. The DUP's ambition will be the laughter of all our children,
:43:21. > :43:24.playing and living together, with a future that does not see them
:43:24. > :43:34.having to leave our shores, but live here in Northern Ireland, in
:43:34. > :43:44.
:43:44. > :43:50.the United Kingdom. If I read the mood and tempo of our people
:43:50. > :43:55.correctly, we all the realise that we are interdependent. -- all
:43:55. > :44:02.realise. If we are to move forward we have to move forward together. I
:44:02. > :44:12.believe in this new era we have within our grasp. The cancer cure
:44:12. > :44:16.Northern Ireland for the next century. -- we can see cure. --
:44:16. > :44:21.secured. We can grasp the opportunity to effect change and to
:44:21. > :44:26.deliver the aspirations of a deserving people. Our job is to
:44:26. > :44:34.make a difference to the lives of individuals and communities. We
:44:34. > :44:41.need to build one United, shared and peaceful society. Now is the
:44:41. > :44:48.moment. Miss that, and we may miss it for ever. We have the prospect
:44:48. > :44:58.of making a difference. Previous generations never had or never took
:44:58. > :45:00.
:45:01. > :45:05.that. We have the chance in the future to ensure the people in this
:45:05. > :45:14.country have a future that is meaningful, a future that is real.
:45:14. > :45:18.I tell you nine is the moment. -- Now is the moment. We want to see
:45:18. > :45:21.respect given to our varied conditions. We want to be able to
:45:21. > :45:27.express culture with tolerance and respect, mindful of those who do
:45:27. > :45:33.not share the values. We want people who do not share our values
:45:34. > :45:38.to show tolerance and respect to those of us who do. We are the
:45:38. > :45:45.first generation of peace time Unionists for many decades. No
:45:45. > :45:50.longer under siege, moving forward with confidence and able to reach
:45:50. > :45:55.out. Traditional unionism was never about prejudice or sectarianism or
:45:55. > :46:02.at wrecking or division. That was never what Edward Carson stood for.
:46:02. > :46:05.His Unionism was about shipping and sharing the freedoms, the security
:46:05. > :46:11.and the bounty of the union to every citizen, regardless of
:46:11. > :46:17.religious belief. That is the kind of society we want to build and I
:46:17. > :46:27.tell you now is the moment. The DUP is the party of Northern Ireland.
:46:27. > :46:34.
:46:34. > :46:40.They will tell it is soaked into the very soil. It will not expire
:46:40. > :46:45.with this generation if we repeat - - we planted in the next. There
:46:45. > :46:50.will Sir -- If there will be some that will try and fail. I do not
:46:50. > :46:56.want to look at missed opportunities. I want this party to
:46:56. > :47:03.make a real and a lasting difference. We will energetically
:47:03. > :47:09.pursue a one community strategy. To be DUP leader and First Minister is
:47:09. > :47:17.due a huge and enormous responsibility. It is a massive
:47:17. > :47:25.honour. It is a challenge that I humbly and gratefully accept. But
:47:26. > :47:32.today, I want to challenge all of you, both here and at home, help us
:47:32. > :47:36.build a new Northern Ireland. Not just for some, but for all. Get
:47:36. > :47:42.involved and even in some small way play your part in this great and
:47:42. > :47:52.historic endeavour. Our problems may be spall bed our ambitions can
:47:52. > :47:52.
:47:52. > :47:58.be great. We can prosper and weaken. -- we can flourish. For those who
:47:58. > :48:02.left for far off opportunities to return to be part of what we are
:48:02. > :48:05.creating. When our economy is strong and vibrant, where the world
:48:06. > :48:11.wants to come and visit, where we treat each other as well as we
:48:11. > :48:17.treat our overseas visitors. And where our community is reconciled
:48:17. > :48:23.and at peace. That is a Northern Ireland that I want to see.
:48:23. > :48:28.Possessing a dedication to succeed, providing promise, offering hope,
:48:28. > :48:34.fulfilling its greatness, reaching its potential. That is our mission.
:48:34. > :48:44.May God grant us the wisdom, courage and the strength to succeed.
:48:44. > :48:52.
:48:52. > :48:59.That was quite a mammoth speech from the DUP leader. Mark, what
:48:59. > :49:03.stands out for you? It wasn't the typical stuff that we would see in
:49:03. > :49:11.DUP conferences, having a go at your opponents. You got a feeling
:49:11. > :49:21.that there were no opponents out there. A lot of stuff as we were
:49:21. > :49:27.predicting on the shed society near the end there, talking about one
:49:27. > :49:34.community... To they can be persuaders, particularly Catholics
:49:34. > :49:39.to join them within the Union. is interesting, this vision for the
:49:39. > :49:44.future. He said it was all- encompassing. We have a series of
:49:44. > :49:48.speeches about a shared education in the build up to this. Less
:49:48. > :49:53.mention on the education system but quite a lot about the shared
:49:53. > :49:59.society. One political aspect of this is he did look forward to the
:49:59. > :50:02.Royal -- reorganisation of Stormont which is coming initially next May
:50:02. > :50:06.when the cross-community compromise over the justice department runs
:50:06. > :50:12.out. He talks about the need for an open and honest opposition at
:50:12. > :50:17.Stormont rather than having the enemy within. Different emphasis
:50:17. > :50:27.from Nigel Dodds he was having a go at the opposition for opposition
:50:27. > :50:28.
:50:28. > :50:34.sake. Maybe someone who could sort out that a difference of opinion is
:50:34. > :50:42.Simon Hamilton. BTP has always been firm in our view that we need to
:50:42. > :50:45.get to more formal structure. -- the DUP has always been firm.
:50:45. > :50:50.There's no difference at all in terms of our view that there should
:50:50. > :50:53.be an opposition and we have an opportunity, given the issue that
:50:53. > :50:59.Mark has raised about the justice portfolio, perhaps bring that
:50:59. > :51:08.forward. You cannot have an opposition that is a synthetic
:51:08. > :51:13.opposition where parties are half in, half out. We want to see a
:51:13. > :51:17.structure up where they can be an official opposition. Is there not a
:51:17. > :51:25.danger that people will come across some unpopular policy within the
:51:25. > :51:29.DUP and Sinn Fein and Executive and start going in their droves to the
:51:29. > :51:35.other parties? The DP is confident that no matter what the structure
:51:35. > :51:42.is, we have policies that people want to warm to. -- DUP is
:51:42. > :51:46.confident. The challenges of largest Protestant or Catholic
:51:46. > :51:52.challenges, they are common to us all. We should be overcoming those
:51:52. > :51:57.challenges in one committee. How do you square that circle one of the
:51:57. > :52:02.have comments about emblems, where that is a traditional union stance?
:52:02. > :52:07.They should be any controversy over that that we are part of the UK and
:52:07. > :52:11.they have an importance. The real issue behind that was the issue of
:52:11. > :52:17.the structure of Government we have a. We had a system before you take
:52:17. > :52:21.the RUC example. They opposed the changes that were coming forward.
:52:21. > :52:31.As a result of the negotiation that led by Peter Robinson, you have a
:52:31. > :52:33.
:52:33. > :52:39.situation where they cannot do that. We do not support what happens now?
:52:39. > :52:48.It is sounding as if he doesn't agree. I don't think anyone who is
:52:48. > :52:54.in the unions' committee can dispute what happened to. We are
:52:54. > :52:56.proud to embrace that. We would do it again if we had the opportunity
:52:56. > :53:03.and will do the same that the Prison Service. I don't think
:53:03. > :53:13.there's any contribution in wanting to support them. They often feel
:53:13. > :53:15.
:53:15. > :53:21.they are in a at Cinderella service and have been forgotten about. We
:53:21. > :53:26.need to build a community where everybody is pulling together. We
:53:26. > :53:29.have a huge amount of challenges on the economic front. Only by coming
:53:29. > :53:33.together can we ever come those challenges and make it a better
:53:33. > :53:36.Northern Ireland. They talked about care and compassion being the
:53:36. > :53:41.cornerstone of DUP policy but that is one minister who is going to
:53:41. > :53:46.have to bring to cut to disability allowance and getting thousands of
:53:46. > :53:56.people of incapacity benefits. have a social security at system
:53:56. > :54:02.where we have to be up to Great Britain. It there are cuts coming
:54:02. > :54:07.forward that we don't agree with and some reforms that are proposed.
:54:07. > :54:13.One Nelson is going to try and do is ensure the administrator
:54:13. > :54:19.flexibility he possesses is used in a way that we can go against the
:54:19. > :54:23.most tore macro are the party's MPs may not have quite a high profile
:54:23. > :54:28.that they used to Bert Nigel Dodds had his own 20 minutes of fame when
:54:28. > :54:31.he addressed delegates this morning. After congratulating the party on a
:54:31. > :54:36.good year at the ballot box, he pointed to tough times again but
:54:36. > :54:42.not for the DUP. We know these are tough times for
:54:42. > :54:48.many. For some there is a feeling of doom and Calluna, for others a
:54:48. > :54:58.feeling of foreboding and despair about the future. Let's not dwell
:54:58. > :55:02.too much on the Ulster Unionists and the TUV. Maybe we should do
:55:02. > :55:09.well just a bit. Talk about power- sharing. Things are so bad they are
:55:09. > :55:15.talking about having to start job sharing. John McAllister, he is now
:55:15. > :55:21.moonlighting as the warm-up act for Gerry Adams united Ireland Roadshow.
:55:21. > :55:27.Tom Elliott, he is hoping he still has a job to share. The Tories have
:55:27. > :55:31.launched a takeover bid and want them to disband. Some are for us
:55:31. > :55:38.but they had disbanded in some areas. Then there is Jim Allister,
:55:38. > :55:43.poor Jim. He has got no one to share his job with. Of course as we
:55:43. > :55:47.know, Jim is becoming less and less interested in real politics. He is
:55:48. > :55:52.more into theatrics. May he would be taking up the acting full-time.
:55:52. > :55:58.There is a panto season coming up and I could think of a few good
:55:58. > :56:08.roles for him. He could play the big bad wolf, trying to blow the
:56:08. > :56:08.
:56:08. > :56:18.house down. Or maybe the role of widowed Winky, more like a widow
:56:18. > :56:24.cranky in his case. Maybe a small part like his party. He could be
:56:24. > :56:31.great as grumpy in the seven dwarfs. Joining us now is the Enterprise
:56:31. > :56:36.Minister, Eileen Foster. What stood out in Peter Robinson's speech for
:56:36. > :56:42.you? There was quite a lot in a speech that he wanted to reflect on
:56:42. > :56:47.the success of the party. Also looking at new party structures. As
:56:47. > :56:49.well as that, it was his vision for Northern Ireland. It is a
:56:49. > :56:54.recognition that we have been defensive in Unionism over this
:56:54. > :56:58.past well and we have had to be because we were under attack.
:56:58. > :57:03.Renewed confidence, we can go forward and articulate the benefits
:57:03. > :57:08.of being a Unionists within the UK. To do that, Peter believes that the
:57:08. > :57:13.best way to do it is through a shared future. His speech was
:57:13. > :57:18.crowned broking today. I trust the people will see it as such. Is it
:57:18. > :57:25.an end to No Surrender politics? reflected that in his speech. It is
:57:25. > :57:29.about defensive Unionism. I think he very much recognised that in the
:57:29. > :57:34.past, had to be defensive, had to stick together in a united,
:57:34. > :57:38.cohesive way. The party has come through some difficult times and we
:57:38. > :57:42.have come out stronger. We have had a marvellous conference, the
:57:42. > :57:45.biggest ever. Far less moving forward, we want to look at a new,
:57:45. > :57:49.stronger Northern Ireland within the UK. Our core principles will
:57:49. > :57:53.always be the same but what we are saying is we have to change with
:57:53. > :57:59.the times and look to the future. If what about this tried to get
:57:59. > :58:02.Catholics to vote for the DUP? Is that a sincere option, something
:58:02. > :58:06.that you actually want or is it about getting more votes and
:58:06. > :58:11.staying in part? It is not about staying in power, it is about
:58:11. > :58:15.widening our base. We have been good at that across the unionist
:58:15. > :58:19.committed. We believe looking at what evidence is put before s,
:58:19. > :58:23.there is a large number of Roman Catholics who are in Unionists and
:58:23. > :58:29.he want to stay in the UK. They have found it difficult to find a
:58:29. > :58:33.party to vote for. We will talk to you and we want you to come part of
:58:33. > :58:42.our party structure because we believe in the UK that is for
:58:43. > :58:46.everybody. Is it inevitable, given the baggage that the DUP carries
:58:46. > :58:50.from the days of no surrender politics, that any Catholics who
:58:50. > :58:55.might be favourable to the union in principle are more likely to be
:58:56. > :59:01.attracted to the Alliance Party than to the Democratic Unionists?
:59:01. > :59:05.am sure they are not a unionist Party. We are the party for
:59:05. > :59:08.Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom and people are more
:59:08. > :59:12.attracted to what we do. If you talk about political baggage within
:59:12. > :59:18.the DUP, there's not a single party that doesn't have baggage over this
:59:18. > :59:21.past period of time. Poppet has Dennis he has set out a clear
:59:21. > :59:25.vision for Northern Ireland into our next century, something that is
:59:25. > :59:29.exciting for us as party members and we believe it would change the
:59:29. > :59:33.face of Northern Ireland moving forward. The union is not up for
:59:33. > :59:37.debate any more. The union is not something that is discussed in
:59:37. > :59:42.politics any more. We are dealing with the issues such as the economy,
:59:42. > :59:50.where is the best place for a union -- Northern Ireland to be? It is in
:59:50. > :59:57.the UK. What you think of some other comments? This beach is
:59:57. > :00:07.designed to ignore the opponents. They feel... This speech is
:00:07. > :00:12.
:00:12. > :00:17.In terms of this aspiration to attract Catholics, it is a long
:00:17. > :00:21.thing. To some extent, they are more external rather than internal
:00:21. > :00:26.to Northern Ireland. There is the economic challenge which Eileen
:00:26. > :00:30.Foster has been wrestling with. Nigel Dodds talked about what is
:00:30. > :00:35.going on in Scotland. In Scotland there is not only a debate about
:00:35. > :00:38.independence but a debate about fiscal autonomy. That could change
:00:38. > :00:42.the nature of Northern Ireland within the Union. Irrespective of
:00:42. > :00:50.the internal politics, bows may be the major challenges this party
:00:50. > :00:54.faces in the future. -- the voters may be. What is next for the DUP?
:00:54. > :01:01.They have to relax, concentrate on the registered party's supporters