:00:11. > :00:15.Welcome to the conference. We have had that's from the DUP annual
:00:16. > :00:21.gathering, including coverage of the main event, Peter Robinson's
:00:21. > :00:26.keynote speech. Already, delegates have been enjoying contributions
:00:26. > :00:33.from the Health Minister, the deputy leader and the Enterprise
:00:33. > :00:39.Minister, Arlene Foster. Diane Dodds is at the podium now, taking
:00:39. > :00:45.the applause of the delegates and she has just finished speaking. She
:00:45. > :00:53.is about to step down. Peter Robinson is going to be there,
:00:53. > :00:57.delivering his speech within the next 10 minutes. With me is a
:00:57. > :01:03.political expert, Professor Rick Wilford and at the La Mon House
:01:03. > :01:11.Hotel, Mark Devenport. 450 delegates, I think. It is a big
:01:11. > :01:15.conference. What is the mood? It it certainly is big. You get a sense
:01:15. > :01:20.from the scale of the size of the DUP and their success, a lecturer
:01:21. > :01:24.in, they have stretched proceedings across a couple of days. They
:01:24. > :01:30.started with the rural affairs breakfast, addressed by the Irish
:01:30. > :01:34.government minister, unthinkable years ago. They would normally
:01:34. > :01:38.there to protest Irish ministers coming north of the border. They
:01:38. > :01:43.talk about pragmatic co-operation North and South in relation to
:01:43. > :01:47.areas like agriculture. They have their court jester, Sammy Wilson,
:01:47. > :01:52.speaking. He talked about the efforts of Unionists in days gone
:01:52. > :01:58.by to bring Northern Ireland to a standstill. Danny Kennedy, this was
:01:58. > :02:03.his job, he as Transport Minister has succeeded with those new bus
:02:03. > :02:10.lanes around Belfast, that was a typical jocular performance. With
:02:10. > :02:16.me to give some assessment be is the DUP a member, Strangford MLA,
:02:16. > :02:20.Simon Hamilton. The Heidi you assess this period in the life
:02:20. > :02:25.cycle in terms of elections? Still time to go but building for the
:02:25. > :02:30.European election? It is a good platform, the party is in confident
:02:30. > :02:34.mood, confidence bigger than ever and it is very clear from the line-
:02:34. > :02:38.up that we have that we will have our own Secretary of State speaking
:02:38. > :02:44.later, the Shadow Secretary of State last night and we are at the
:02:44. > :02:49.centre of politics. That is reflected in the mood. We saw
:02:49. > :02:53.pictures of Diane Dodds finishing up her speech. Speculation as to
:02:53. > :02:58.whether or the DUP might run two candidates in the European
:02:58. > :03:02.election? We will assess that closer to the time. In the last
:03:02. > :03:05.election, we were pretty strong and the opinion polls show that is a
:03:05. > :03:08.position that is growing so that is something worth considering. There
:03:08. > :03:13.is enough strength that they are to consider running two candidates but
:03:13. > :03:17.we shall take the decision closer to the election. Guests and the
:03:17. > :03:23.front row, Adam had a son, formerly the Alliance councillor in North
:03:23. > :03:28.Down. It looks quite likely he shall come to you. You say that you
:03:28. > :03:31.want to be more in the centre, representing everyone, yet he is
:03:31. > :03:36.leading on the business of gay marriage. He thinks Alliance Party
:03:36. > :03:40.has gone too far. You are still very much in the conservative end
:03:41. > :03:45.of politics? Adam is very welcome and I hope he will have a very good
:03:45. > :03:48.conference. The reason he left the Alliance Party is that is the
:03:48. > :03:56.centre ground, the majority of people have backed the decision
:03:56. > :04:00.that he has taken. It is one of the DUP is at the forefront of.
:04:00. > :04:03.terms of trying to appeal across the religious divide, we will hear
:04:03. > :04:07.more from Peter Robinson about the support he believes there is in the
:04:07. > :04:11.Catholic community for the union and people say that the DUP tries
:04:11. > :04:17.to have it both ways, talking about shared society but happy to engage
:04:17. > :04:22.in dog fights about the Union flag at City Hall? We will always stand
:04:22. > :04:26.proud for the Union flag and it is a fly that embraces everybody. But
:04:26. > :04:29.there are other issues, we take very seriously in trying to bring
:04:29. > :04:33.everybody from every background together. It doesn't mean they have
:04:33. > :04:36.to agree with our point of view but we want to see Northern Ireland
:04:36. > :04:42.moving forward in a cohesive way. We regularly introduce you as the
:04:42. > :04:47.man he will be the Finance Minister, are you getting impatient? Sammy
:04:47. > :04:56.Wilson is doing a very good job. I serve at the pleasure of the party
:04:56. > :05:01.leader. When he asks me, I will be ready to step up. Thanks very much
:05:01. > :05:11.for joining us. Maybe at this point, back to the studio and Professor
:05:11. > :05:16.
:05:16. > :05:21.Rick Wilford? Burford. Mark Devenport. The leader taking the
:05:21. > :05:26.stage in five minutes. What do you think we should be looking for in
:05:26. > :05:31.Peter Robinson's speech? Or what might we expect? More of the
:05:31. > :05:37.centre-right platform, he began to articulate that sense 2007, which
:05:37. > :05:41.is to position the party more less in the centre right ground on
:05:41. > :05:45.issues like shearing and integration and he has been
:05:45. > :05:52.particularly vocal about that in the recent past. -- sharing. And
:05:52. > :05:58.shared schooling. The primary impetus will be on celebrating the
:05:58. > :06:01.DUP's growing success. Which is reflected in the fact that they are
:06:01. > :06:09.contemplating two candidates for the European election. There will
:06:09. > :06:12.be a lot on the economy, the demand for attracting foreign direct
:06:12. > :06:18.investment, we don't know if anything is in the offing from that
:06:18. > :06:22.China trip but actually to the fore. The fact that the G at mending --
:06:22. > :06:27.G8 meeting in Enniskillen, that is something that could not have
:06:27. > :06:30.happened unless there was some overarching stability that attends
:06:30. > :06:37.the institutions in Northern Ireland and he certainly is correct.
:06:37. > :06:43.It is very difficult to anticipate any issue that can be derailed
:06:43. > :06:47.those institutions. The emphasis will be on the future. But he has
:06:47. > :06:52.to reassure not just the party faithful but the wider audience
:06:52. > :06:58.that this is an executive that can do more than simply ameliorate the
:06:58. > :07:02.effects of recession. The extent to which their hands are tied in
:07:02. > :07:06.levering finance is significant and I thought during this -- during the
:07:06. > :07:13.course of the week, in an interview he gave, I thought he was very
:07:13. > :07:16.relaxed. Corporation Tax has been bubbling on for so long, he seems
:07:16. > :07:21.reconciled to the prospect that this will not happen during the
:07:21. > :07:27.course of the current Assembly man dead so they have to look elsewhere
:07:27. > :07:33.to induce inward investment. -- mandate. Particularly with the
:07:33. > :07:36.private sector operating. With that on the longer finger, there will be
:07:36. > :07:42.some level of expectation about what the executive can do
:07:42. > :07:46.realistically to kind of cushion the worst effects and the
:07:46. > :07:53.deprivation in what is looking like a very austere future. OK, we shall
:07:53. > :07:55.hear more from you in a moment. Thanks for it. Peter Robinson it
:07:56. > :08:01.needed a cheerleader but to better than Nigel Dodds? He praised his
:08:01. > :08:05.bus and his predecessor. But he could not resist taking a dig at
:08:05. > :08:11.his Ulster Unionist counterpart. Just over 40 years ago, Dr Paisley
:08:11. > :08:19.lay down and vision for this party. He drew on the lesson learnt by
:08:19. > :08:23.Unionists one century ago. And this party was built on a unity. Divided
:08:24. > :08:31.we fall, but United we can build and Northern Ireland in which we
:08:31. > :08:38.can proudly take our place on the world stage. Today, Peter Robinson
:08:38. > :08:44.is building up on that great legacy. And as leader, Peter has been the
:08:44. > :08:49.architect of electoral success, and expanding our reach, setting out
:08:49. > :08:55.their vision for Unionism into a second century. Ladies and
:08:55. > :09:05.gentlemen, in this room, it is the future of Unionism. And that
:09:05. > :09:08.
:09:08. > :09:18.future... And make mone -- make no mistake, that future shines
:09:18. > :09:21.
:09:21. > :09:25.brightly under the leadership of Peter Robinson. In this party, you
:09:25. > :09:30.don't have to worry about what to say on Unionist unity. And the
:09:30. > :09:34.Ulster Unionists, give a bit Derry get thrown out of the party for
:09:34. > :09:39.being pro-Unionist. And then, we had John McAllister thrown out
:09:39. > :09:43.because he was too much against it. The Ulster Unionists are becoming
:09:43. > :09:51.like Fawlty Towers. Instead of don't mention the war, it is don't
:09:51. > :09:54.mention Unionist unity! Nigel Dodds speaking to delegates. The warm-up
:09:54. > :10:00.act for Peter Robinson, who has made his way into the hall and is
:10:00. > :10:08.at the podium. He is about to address delegates. 450 delegates.
:10:08. > :10:14.Mark Devenport says that this is going over two days. The arts of
:10:14. > :10:24.flag waving and cheering and he has not even started. Let us hear what
:10:24. > :10:29.
:10:29. > :10:34.he has to say... Thank you very much indeed. OK, thank you. Thank
:10:34. > :10:39.you for that very warm welcome. And thank you for the fearful work that
:10:39. > :10:45.each of you have been engaged in over the past year. Just in case
:10:45. > :10:55.there is anybody from the Alliance Party in Belfast, could we see
:10:55. > :11:03.
:11:03. > :11:09.When we last met at the conference, we celebrated a resounding Assembly
:11:09. > :11:19.victory, having won more seats than at any time in our history. As you
:11:19. > :11:24.
:11:24. > :11:29.can see, we are not done yet. Over the past 12 months, opinion polls
:11:29. > :11:33.have shown that DUP support continues to increase. The last
:11:33. > :11:39.published polls showed our support has risen while the Ulster Unionist
:11:39. > :11:44.Party's has fallen. And we still have 1.5 years until the next
:11:44. > :11:48.election. Let me welcome all of the new members who have joined the
:11:48. > :11:52.party, whether they have come to us from other parties or if they
:11:52. > :11:58.arrived fresh and ready to make some contribution in this era of
:11:58. > :12:05.Northern Ireland politics. We stand on the verge of a defining period
:12:05. > :12:10.for Unionism. The siege has been lifted, the Troubles are over and
:12:10. > :12:14.the constitutional debate has been won. One century ago this autumn,
:12:14. > :12:19.our forefathers overcame the greatest crisis which ever faced
:12:19. > :12:25.Unionism. And in this decade, I believe that we have been presented
:12:25. > :12:32.with Unionism's greatest opportunity. And this time, the
:12:32. > :12:37.purpose isn't to defeat but, by words and deeds, to persuade.
:12:37. > :12:44.Having failed to convince people that cure of the value of a united
:12:44. > :12:51.Ireland, Gerry Adams, like the undead from a film, roams around
:12:51. > :12:56.the globe, lecturing people about the creation of a united Ireland.
:12:57. > :13:01.But, Democratic Unionists want to use their power of persuasion right
:13:01. > :13:05.here at home, where it matters. To expound the benefits of belonging
:13:05. > :13:09.to the union. That means challenging ourselves as well as
:13:09. > :13:15.others. And that means building a society where everyone feels
:13:15. > :13:22.equally valued. In promoting the benefits of the UK, Unionists have
:13:22. > :13:26.a product that none of our opponents can match. This autumn,
:13:26. > :13:32.other parties have used their conferences to be good opposition,
:13:32. > :13:41.to criticise their opponents and sometimes their so-called friends.
:13:42. > :13:47.And to decry what Northern Ireland Today, I want to take a different
:13:47. > :13:51.approach. I want to talk about the union, about jobs, about programmed
:13:51. > :13:56.delivery and reconciliation. I want to focus as much as possible on a
:13:56. > :14:00.vision of hope, of progress, optimism and accomplishment. A
:14:00. > :14:05.future built on advancement and prosperity and positive politics.
:14:05. > :14:11.As other parties look inward, we must look outward and beyond our
:14:11. > :14:17.normal horizons. This has been an historic year. We have celebrated
:14:17. > :14:21.and commemorated a generation of Ulster men and women whose bravery
:14:21. > :14:25.in 1912 maintained our British citizenship when it faced its most
:14:25. > :14:31.serious threat. Those were defining days for Unionism and the Union.
:14:31. > :14:35.They made us what we are today. But the era we are living through well,
:14:35. > :14:40.I believe, when future generations look back, proved to be equally
:14:41. > :14:48.important. The the 40 year campaign to wrench us from the union may be
:14:48. > :14:54.over, but the new equilibrium has not yet been fully established. Few
:14:54. > :15:00.generations face a defining moment face the confrontations are fat
:15:00. > :15:05.fathers did a century ago. Few I suspect all discover the
:15:05. > :15:10.opportunities that we have today. That past generation of Unionists
:15:10. > :15:15.saved to the union and insured the creation of Northern Ireland. This
:15:15. > :15:18.generation of Unionists, yes, our generation, has the opportunity to
:15:18. > :15:24.reshape politics and guarantee Northern Ireland's place in United
:15:24. > :15:27.Kingdom for centuries to come. As leaders of Unison today, our
:15:28. > :15:33.responsibility is to hand this Provence on to those who come after
:15:33. > :15:39.us in better shape than when we inherited it. We in this party hour
:15:39. > :15:43.the custodians of Unionism. Michael as leader is to lay the groundwork
:15:43. > :15:49.that will cement our place within the Union. If that means taking
:15:49. > :15:55.tough decisions or abandoning an outdated dogmas, then I will do it.
:15:55. > :15:58.The essence of our success has been, and will be, that of remaining true
:15:58. > :16:05.to our enduring values but doing so in a way that is relevant to this
:16:05. > :16:09.modern world. This is not a time for easy contentment of what we
:16:09. > :16:14.have already achieved, rather it is a time to find ourselves with
:16:14. > :16:20.ambition about what more we can do. In an age when politics is too
:16:20. > :16:25.often seen as being about the small or trivial, let the peace and
:16:25. > :16:29.prosperity of Northern Ireland be are driving ambition. We must not
:16:29. > :16:35.be influenced in the tasks that we have set ourselves by the ups and
:16:35. > :16:39.downs of the 24 hour news cycle. Only by the perspective of history,
:16:39. > :16:46.the economic difficulties we face today are a tough but they will
:16:46. > :16:50.pass. In time our problems will emerge stronger than ever. On 20th
:16:50. > :16:55.September 1912, our forefathers came as one to sign the Ulster
:16:55. > :17:00.Covenant. In the following 10 years vitiate what became Northern
:17:00. > :17:04.Ireland for the decades that followed. So, too, in this
:17:04. > :17:10.generation, will these next few years to shake our province well
:17:10. > :17:16.into the 21st century. This month, we remembered once again at those
:17:16. > :17:20.who died in the service of our country. In just four years' time,
:17:20. > :17:26.we will commemorate the centenary of the Supreme sacrifice at the
:17:26. > :17:30.Battle of the Somme. Some people say that we live in a selfish and
:17:30. > :17:34.pampered generation. They wonder whether we have people today who
:17:34. > :17:41.would be as prepared to make the same kind of sacrifice for their
:17:41. > :17:45.country and community. I have no doubts. I look back on that long
:17:45. > :17:49.for a nation of a brave Ulster men and women at who faced terrorism
:17:49. > :17:54.over recent decades and in that same tradition, in defence of
:17:54. > :18:00.country and community, give up that most sacred get - their own lives.
:18:00. > :18:09.This month, during one of the saddest weeks of my term as First
:18:09. > :18:15.Minister, I attended the funerals of David Black and Channing day.
:18:15. > :18:20.Lives lost in the service of others. Words cannot erase the paean that
:18:20. > :18:26.their families and friends are feeling. But we are humbled by
:18:26. > :18:31.their sacrifice. Both at home and around the world, these people
:18:31. > :18:35.chose to serve their country. Nothing can bring them back but no
:18:35. > :18:40.one can erase the lives that they lived nor the service they have
:18:40. > :18:50.given. Just as we remember those who died serving us all, let us
:18:50. > :19:01.
:19:01. > :19:05.also remember those who continue to serve, whether it is here or abroad.
:19:05. > :19:11.Their extraordinary work allows each of us to live normal lives and
:19:11. > :19:18.we honour all of those heroes today. As a party, it is also right that
:19:18. > :19:22.we spent some time this afternoon in solidarity with one of our own.
:19:22. > :19:28.One who terrorists tried to murder but are due to his courage and
:19:28. > :19:33.adeptness, he survived. In spite of facing a heel of bullets and being
:19:33. > :19:36.shot several times, he managed, though injured, to shoot one of his
:19:36. > :19:39.would-be assassins before struggling to his vehicle and
:19:39. > :19:45.driving to the local police station from where he was transferred to
:19:45. > :19:49.hospital. Not content with their failure to murder him, his home
:19:49. > :19:57.were continues to be attacked and he and his family face ongoing
:19:57. > :20:02.abuse. This recently reached an you know when councillors in the same
:20:02. > :20:08.council of which he is a valued member, in his presence, they voted
:20:08. > :20:13.to have on one of his would-be murderers released from appeal.
:20:13. > :20:23.Conference, I asked you to rise and show support and solidarity with
:20:23. > :20:28.
:20:28. > :20:38.our colleague, our friend, Dungannon councillor, some a brush.
:20:38. > :21:06.
:21:06. > :21:13.You and your family will continue to be in our thoughts and
:21:13. > :21:17.particularly our prayers. We cannot rewrite history. We can add a new
:21:17. > :21:23.and better chapter to it. The responsibility for that will fall
:21:23. > :21:26.to this party. The DUP has triumphed because it is united and
:21:26. > :21:30.because it is strong, because it looks to the future and not just to
:21:30. > :21:35.the past. Because it doesn't just say things have to court a popular
:21:35. > :21:45.tide, but rather, it says what it believes and unlike many other
:21:45. > :21:51.
:21:51. > :21:57.political parties, it believes what it says. Although we have been very
:21:57. > :22:01.successful, we must not be smug or complacent. Just recall how quickly
:22:02. > :22:07.other parties have fallen from power. I don't need to warn anyone
:22:07. > :22:10.in this hall what division does to a party prospects. I don't need to
:22:10. > :22:16.warn anyone in this hall because the DUP has always been as much a
:22:16. > :22:22.family as it is a political party. During the past decade, we have
:22:22. > :22:27.gone from strength to strength, not by closing our doors, but by
:22:27. > :22:37.welcoming in all those who share her outlook and values. Let me say,
:22:37. > :22:45.
:22:45. > :22:49.tantalisingly, we are not finished bringing people into the party yet.
:22:49. > :22:54.Those who have joined us have made us stronger and in turn, it has
:22:54. > :22:58.made Unionism stronger. At every level. In the European Parliament,
:22:58. > :23:02.at Westminster and Stormont, this party continues to serve the people
:23:02. > :23:06.of Northern Ireland. I want to thank all of you who have
:23:06. > :23:11.contributed to the party's continuing success. As someone who
:23:11. > :23:15.has been in the DUP since its formation over 40 years ago, in
:23:15. > :23:21.good times and bad, when I look around today, I have never been
:23:21. > :23:26.more optimistic about the future of our party and our problems. This
:23:26. > :23:31.year, I have attended many Meryl installations and they have
:23:31. > :23:37.included three of her youngest council leaders. The mayor of North
:23:37. > :23:47.Down, the mayor of Craigavon and of course, the Lord Mayor of Belfast.
:23:47. > :24:05.
:24:05. > :24:09.Guys, stand up please. Come on! Well done! November has an awful
:24:09. > :24:15.lot to answer for - I will personally by the razor blade at
:24:15. > :24:23.the end of this month! You will never win seats in East Belfast
:24:23. > :24:29.kicking like a Mexican bandit! Are young people are a credit to this
:24:29. > :24:35.party. They and their generation can ensure its success, not just
:24:35. > :24:39.for years, but for decades to come. It is a work of all of our elected
:24:39. > :24:44.representatives that has laid the foundation for our success. In
:24:44. > :24:54.Europe, Diane has been tremendous, not just for what she has achieved
:24:54. > :24:59.
:24:59. > :25:04.in the parliament. But also for the work she has done up and down the
:25:04. > :25:08.country with individuals and with groups. Her NP's work complements
:25:08. > :25:13.everything our Assembly team is doing at Stormont and when it comes
:25:13. > :25:19.to friendship and loyalty, I suspect that nightmares but and
:25:19. > :25:29.Alastair Macdonald could only dream of the level of support I can rely
:25:29. > :25:36.
:25:36. > :25:40.on from Nigel Dodds. Our MPs are making their mark. Doing a valiant
:25:40. > :25:46.job in the House of Commons and with the Commons arithmetic as it
:25:46. > :25:50.is at the present time, we are in a very strong position. Stormont, we
:25:50. > :25:54.have undoubtedly the largest and strongest team and that makes
:25:54. > :26:04.choosing Executive ministers one of the toughest jobs I have. I want to
:26:04. > :26:05.
:26:05. > :26:14.pay tribute to the work of our ministerial team. Sammy, Arlene,
:26:14. > :26:19.Jonathan, thank you for the work you give to our problems. --
:26:19. > :26:23.province of Northern Ireland. Together as a party, we have done
:26:23. > :26:27.extraordinary things over the past 10 years. For almost a decade now,
:26:27. > :26:31.this party has been entrusted with the leadership of Unionism and in
:26:31. > :26:36.that time, we have transformed the political map, restored devolution
:26:36. > :26:41.and put Northern Ireland back on the right track. Even the undoubted
:26:41. > :26:47.economic problems don't alter the fact that at long last we can look
:26:47. > :26:52.towards a better future. I don't need to remind you what it was like
:26:52. > :26:57.just a decade ago. Stormont stumbling from one suspension to
:26:57. > :27:03.the next, Unionists divided and dispirited, the IRA still aren't an
:27:03. > :27:07.active, despair was commonplace. But today we have the confidence of
:27:07. > :27:11.knowing that a majority of Protestants and Catholics alike
:27:11. > :27:21.support a constitutional position within the United Kingdom. They
:27:21. > :27:25.
:27:25. > :27:29.know they are better off with Britain. The one party that seems
:27:29. > :27:35.oblivious to the shifting sands of opinion is Sinn Fein. One of the
:27:35. > :27:40.most bizarre developments in recent times has been the Sinn Fein called
:27:40. > :27:44.for a border poll. I know opinion polls are not a perfect gauge of
:27:44. > :27:47.public opinion but when the last one showed that fewer than 10%
:27:47. > :27:53.wanted a united Ireland now, republicans really should take the
:27:53. > :28:03.hint. Republicans asking for a border poll makes turkeys voting
:28:03. > :28:07.
:28:07. > :28:11.for Christmas look like a carefully considered strategy! As a unionist
:28:11. > :28:14.sure of the outcome of such a vote, it would be easy to support a
:28:14. > :28:18.referendum but that wouldn't make it the right thing to do because of
:28:18. > :28:22.the heart of the St Andrew's Agreement, there was the knowledge
:28:22. > :28:25.of strength that what was agreed about politics in Northern Ireland
:28:25. > :28:29.to move away from issues about the existence of the border will stop
:28:29. > :28:33.what Sinn Fein is doing only drives us back into that sterile and
:28:33. > :28:36.divisive debate. Republicans needed to except Northern Ireland's
:28:36. > :28:41.constitutional status within the United Kingdom and lead the play
:28:41. > :28:45.acting aside. Just as unions have had to accept the present
:28:45. > :28:49.arrangements at Stormont, because power-sharing is not something the
:28:49. > :28:53.many Unionists would have placed as their first preference but the
:28:53. > :29:01.reality is, that government has increased support for the
:29:01. > :29:05.constitutional status quo in It does not mean that every aspect
:29:05. > :29:08.of the present arrangement should be sacrosanct. It means that any
:29:08. > :29:13.new structures have to be able to command support across the
:29:13. > :29:18.Community. Not just my view, that is accepted by virtually every
:29:18. > :29:23.Unionist politician. I get frustrated when every time I
:29:23. > :29:26.suggest changes that could make Stormont are better, nationalist
:29:26. > :29:30.and republican politicians accuse me of wanting to return to majority
:29:30. > :29:36.rule, as if they believe and hatching a plan to return to the
:29:36. > :29:42.1930s. I have been around long enough to know about if any
:29:42. > :29:45.significant part of the community is disaffected, no-one wins. I,
:29:45. > :29:50.nationalists who are fearful of change to look freshly at our
:29:50. > :29:55.political structures and ask themselves, what would best deliver
:29:55. > :30:00.for the people that we represent? I say to them, even if you do not yet
:30:00. > :30:04.feel ready to create a voluntary coalition government, surely there
:30:04. > :30:11.cannot be any reason not to provide for a credible voluntary
:30:11. > :30:15.opposition? I don't fear opposition, why should I? The DUP has by far
:30:15. > :30:21.the best ministers and there is no better ideas, from any other party
:30:21. > :30:25.or member in the Assembly. In truth, I would prefer the Ulster Unionist
:30:25. > :30:30.Party to work alongside us in harmony and partnership. But I'm
:30:30. > :30:34.prepared to facilitate them or any other party if they feel they
:30:34. > :30:39.cannot make a positive contribution in the executive and wish to opt
:30:39. > :30:43.for opposition. Let's be honest. Being in the executive has not
:30:43. > :30:49.prevented some of them from positioning themselves in
:30:49. > :30:55.opposition when it suited. I forced myself to listen to Alasdair
:30:55. > :30:59.McDonnell's speak to his party faithful and some not so it will.
:30:59. > :31:04.He attacked the Executive for what it had done, attacked the Executive
:31:04. > :31:08.for what it had not done, criticised the executive for its
:31:08. > :31:13.ideas and the executive for not having any ideas. What bemused me
:31:13. > :31:20.most was not just the nonsense he was muttering, but he appeared to
:31:20. > :31:24.be completely unaware that his party is in the executive. In the
:31:24. > :31:28.SDLP's world, they are in the executive when positive
:31:28. > :31:38.announcements are to be made but they are found head in the
:31:38. > :31:41.
:31:41. > :31:46.opposition charge when hard decisions have to be taken. Let me
:31:46. > :31:49.make it clear - as the party that has consistently sought to improve
:31:49. > :31:53.the Assembly structures, the DUP remains willing to support
:31:54. > :31:56.additional resources and speaking time for a genuine opposition as a
:31:56. > :32:03.modest first step towards normalisation of the democratic
:32:04. > :32:07.structures. Look, covering is never easy. And governing during a
:32:07. > :32:10.recession is particularly challenging. There are those who
:32:10. > :32:15.have nothing to contribute other than attacking others and
:32:15. > :32:19.attributing blame. But criticising the banks, the national government,
:32:19. > :32:24.the executive or global capitalism does not amount to a strategy for
:32:24. > :32:27.recovery. Some politicians seem to think that their finest hour and
:32:27. > :32:32.achievement will be to pass the buck to save their jobs. Rather
:32:32. > :32:39.than taking the difficult decisions necessary to get the economy moving
:32:39. > :32:43.again and thereby saving others. This party, sometimes virtually
:32:43. > :32:48.alone, has taken the difficult decisions while others have
:32:48. > :32:53.preferred to play politics. Make no mistake, although we shall be
:32:53. > :32:56.really work with others, Bowers is the only party capable of giving
:32:56. > :33:02.leadership to Northern Ireland and giving leadership to unionism
:33:02. > :33:06.through the years that lie ahead. We can only do that if we retain
:33:06. > :33:11.the confidence of those whom we serve. That means challenging
:33:11. > :33:21.ourselves again and again because we're not just the largest party
:33:21. > :33:28.
:33:28. > :33:32.within Unionism, we are the party for Northern Ireland. So, as
:33:32. > :33:36.Unionists, we cannot afford to push and narrow agenda, we must embrace
:33:36. > :33:39.the whole committee because it is our responsibility to make Northern
:33:39. > :33:44.Ireland work. That means winning the battle of ideas and making hard
:33:44. > :33:48.choices. Not just popular ones. It means being able to compromise when
:33:48. > :33:53.the need to. In order to reach agreements. And standing firm when
:33:53. > :33:58.matters of principle are at stake. Above all, it means representing
:33:58. > :34:02.the whole community and not just one section. In a society that is
:34:02. > :34:05.as politically divided as our own, that isn't always easy but I would
:34:05. > :34:09.argue that feeling isn't the real crime when striving for a
:34:10. > :34:16.worthwhile goal. The real crime isn't having the guts to try in the
:34:16. > :34:21.first place. I admit, it is still a challenge to reconcile the future
:34:21. > :34:25.with the past and reconcile one committee with another. Some double
:34:25. > :34:31.still wonder, after all that has happened, how we can work with Sinn
:34:31. > :34:37.Fein. The answer is simple. It is really not about us. It is about
:34:37. > :34:44.making life better for the people that we represent. It isn't always
:34:44. > :34:49.easy. But it is absolutely the right thing to do. Northern Ireland
:34:49. > :34:52.is stronger when we work, here at home and abroad. Because working
:34:52. > :34:57.together means working for every citizen of this province and
:34:57. > :35:00.getting things done, attracting foreign investment into Northern
:35:00. > :35:05.Ireland and opening up new markets for the local businesses.
:35:05. > :35:10.Presenting a united face abroad, whether in America, India or China,
:35:10. > :35:16.is a sure sign that the political stability exists for investment. It
:35:16. > :35:19.is a demonstration that as society, we're moving forward. A signal for
:35:19. > :35:23.the world that politics works and the peace we have achieved is here
:35:23. > :35:27.to stay. An indication that Northern Ireland is a place in
:35:27. > :35:31.which international business can safely place its money. And it is
:35:31. > :35:36.far better to have all the main political parties in Northern
:35:36. > :35:39.Ireland committed to exclusively peaceful and democratic means.
:35:39. > :35:43.Working together does not mean agreeing on everything, it is about
:35:43. > :35:48.working through issues and finding the maximum degree of consensus
:35:48. > :35:52.that is possible. But while politics has made huge strides
:35:52. > :35:57.forward in Northern Ireland, every so often we are confronted with the
:35:57. > :36:01.horror of what was once an everyday occurrence. While I welcome calls
:36:01. > :36:05.for the leadership of Sinn Fein to bring dissident murderers to
:36:05. > :36:11.justice, there are still some of their members that are stuck in the
:36:11. > :36:14.past. I see it as real progress but I reject absolutely that there is
:36:14. > :36:24.any more will difference between those murdered by dissident
:36:24. > :36:31.
:36:31. > :36:35.republicans and those murdered during the Troubles. There has
:36:35. > :36:40.never been the slightest justification for 40 years of
:36:40. > :36:45.terrorism. None of the problems in our society required one single
:36:45. > :36:49.life to be taken. And we will not permit Sinn Fein to erase those
:36:49. > :36:55.parts of history that are inconvenient for them. We will not
:36:55. > :36:58.allow them to engage in revisionism. Declan Curry, under the banner of
:36:58. > :37:01.reconciliation, recently claimed all the sins in Christendom on
:37:01. > :37:07.everyone other than republicans. You would have thought the IRA
:37:07. > :37:11.never existed, his personal and better Unionist hating rant exposed
:37:11. > :37:16.his intention to use the worthy goal of reconciliation to airbrush
:37:16. > :37:20.the evil acts of republican terrorists from history books. It
:37:20. > :37:30.would be a betrayal of the legacy of all he has suffered if history
:37:30. > :37:36.
:37:36. > :37:41.were to be written to solve the consciences of the perpetrators.
:37:41. > :37:48.Our goal is to craft a better future for Northern Ireland. But we
:37:48. > :37:53.will not allow history to be rewritten. I seek true and genuine
:37:53. > :37:58.reconciliation, but it will not be happening on the basis of spending
:37:58. > :38:02.a false or sanitised version of the past. We all right at this point by
:38:02. > :38:07.different routes, but I believe we all have a part to play in building
:38:07. > :38:11.better relationships. I am increasingly impatient to publish
:38:12. > :38:16.our good relations strategy, which is ready to go to party leaders. It
:38:16. > :38:22.does not contain everything that every Labour would want, but it is
:38:22. > :38:26.a hugely positive step. I take a very dim view of any political
:38:26. > :38:30.party that 60 used as sensitive issue like this because it will
:38:30. > :38:34.cause division to garner votes. We have to move forward with the
:38:34. > :38:40.highest level of agreement possible, nobody gets everything that they
:38:40. > :38:44.want. But even so, let us be clear about one thing. Ultimately,
:38:44. > :38:49.reconciliation will not be brought about by the words of any document.
:38:49. > :38:53.But by changing people's attitudes. And in this current year, I have
:38:53. > :38:57.sought to reach out to those with whom we would not traditionally
:38:57. > :39:04.have been associated. It is a slow process but politics is changing
:39:04. > :39:08.here and the small steps taken today soon become the new norm. Mr
:39:08. > :39:12.chairman, the electorate is turning its focus increase in May on the
:39:12. > :39:15.search for solutions to their everyday problems. And the DUP is a
:39:15. > :39:20.party that can provide the answers and it will do so by seeking
:39:20. > :39:23.support across the Community. I am realistic enough to know that it
:39:23. > :39:27.will be a slow process but our direction of travel must be clear.
:39:27. > :39:31.The critics who doubt that we can achieve this goal are the same
:39:31. > :39:36.critics who once scoffed at the thought of the DUP becoming the
:39:36. > :39:41.Northern Ireland's largest party. And the reality is that the far-
:39:41. > :39:44.left policies of both nationalist parties leave many Catholics are
:39:44. > :39:49.effectively disenfranchised. As a litre of a party that seeks to
:39:49. > :39:59.represent the whole community, I am not prepared to write off over 40%
:39:59. > :40:06.
:40:06. > :40:10.of the population as being out of reach. And I know that building
:40:10. > :40:14.this new constituency will require as much of a just and from us as it
:40:14. > :40:18.will require some lip of faith from those whose votes we seek. And the
:40:18. > :40:22.exact same disconnect also applies to our rapidly emerging communities
:40:22. > :40:24.from Eastern Europe and further afield. These are people who have
:40:24. > :40:30.come to Northern Ireland in search of a better life and greater
:40:30. > :40:35.opportunity. The DUP's policies are perfectly tailored to their hard-
:40:35. > :40:37.working culture of aspiration for themselves an aspiration for their
:40:37. > :40:42.families, our aggressive economic policies offer them the right sort
:40:42. > :40:47.of deal, one that boosts inward investment and creates jobs and is
:40:47. > :40:53.geared to generating prosperity. We should not be afraid to strive for
:40:53. > :40:56.any and all these votes. Conference, despite the economic difficulties,
:40:56. > :41:01.the past 12 months have offered a tantalising glimpse of a better
:41:01. > :41:05.future for Northern Ireland. Despite what you might see in the
:41:06. > :41:09.media, it isn't all arguing and Pickering. No-one knows better than
:41:09. > :41:13.myself just how frustrating operating a multi-party coalition
:41:13. > :41:18.government can be. And that is the price for an executive that
:41:18. > :41:22.commands such widespread support. As First Minister, it frustrates me
:41:22. > :41:25.to hear some commentators and politicians taking every chance
:41:25. > :41:29.they can get to talk Northern Ireland down. You would think
:41:29. > :41:34.nothing good had ever happened in the last five years. Or that
:41:34. > :41:37.devolution had not made any difference. Because that defeatism
:41:37. > :41:41.is all the people here about the executive and politics, it is
:41:41. > :41:45.hardly surprising that for many, they are cynical about Stormont.
:41:45. > :41:50.Let me highlight some of the achievements that have made a real
:41:50. > :41:55.difference. Because the executive deferred water charges and froze
:41:55. > :42:00.original writ, we have the lowest household taxes in the entire UK.
:42:00. > :42:07.And for people over 70 living alone, we have provided a 20% discount on
:42:07. > :42:12.their regional rates bill. Northern Ireland has the most attractive
:42:12. > :42:17.business rates in the UK. We have retained industrial de rating and
:42:17. > :42:21.our extending the small business rate relief scheme to make the most
:42:21. > :42:28.extensive every -- anywhere in the UK. We have the most generous free
:42:28. > :42:34.travel policy than anywhere in Great Britain and we delivered at
:42:34. > :42:37.�225 million rescue package for Presbyterian Mutual savers. We
:42:37. > :42:42.negotiated a �20 billion for a part-time reserve police officers.
:42:42. > :42:47.And we ensure an end to the discriminatory 50 - 50 police
:42:47. > :42:51.recruitment policy. We have ensure that higher education is open to
:42:51. > :42:54.all by freezing student fees in real terms for Northern Ireland
:42:54. > :43:00.universities and we will ensure the survival of grammar schools to
:43:00. > :43:05.retain the adoption of academic selection. My top priority is more
:43:05. > :43:08.jobs this term. We cannot block worldwide trends but we can make a
:43:08. > :43:12.difference an executive ministers have mounted the most ambitious
:43:12. > :43:15.campaigns ever to attract investment from abroad. Of a goal
:43:15. > :43:20.is to create an economy which will allow our young people to make
:43:20. > :43:25.their lives here and attract many back who have previously left for
:43:25. > :43:29.foreign shores. We would be enormously assisted in that task if
:43:29. > :43:33.we had Corporation Tax setting powers and we have made further
:43:33. > :43:38.progress on this on Tuesday with the Prime Minister. I believe it
:43:39. > :43:45.would help to rebalance the economy and reduce our economic reliance on
:43:45. > :43:47.the Treasury. Remember, before the Troubles began, over 90% of all
:43:47. > :43:52.expenditure by the Northern Ireland government was meant by money
:43:52. > :43:56.raised here. That should be the goal again. No longer relying on
:43:56. > :44:01.the central Exchequer but the engine of economic prosperity for
:44:01. > :44:06.our own right. Once the existing leavers are limited, we have still
:44:06. > :44:10.been able to make a difference. Earlier this year, the Assembly
:44:10. > :44:14.agreed aware ten-year strategy and earlier this month, the Executive
:44:14. > :44:18.agreed a short-term economic stimulus plan. We have listened to
:44:18. > :44:23.business and we have sought to respond. We're moving forward on an
:44:23. > :44:27.agreed basis and pursuing the 83 commitments set out in our
:44:27. > :44:30.Programme for Government. These targets represent a real and viable
:44:30. > :44:35.business plan to move Northern Ireland forward. Grow the economy
:44:35. > :44:38.and achieve the social changes that are necessary to ensure our
:44:38. > :44:42.community is a single unified Committee that moves from strength
:44:42. > :44:46.to strength. The targets we set our spread across all departments and
:44:46. > :44:56.although they are ambitious and will stretch ministers, we are
:44:56. > :44:59.
:45:00. > :45:04.In spite of the downturn, we're on course to meet our commitment
:45:04. > :45:09.against the key economic target of supporting the promotion of over
:45:09. > :45:13.25,000 new jobs. Despite the economic challenges, the Executive
:45:13. > :45:16.is starting to change the face of the Northern Ireland economy. We
:45:16. > :45:20.have gone across the globe, bringing back foreign investment
:45:20. > :45:23.and opening new markets to our local business. None of this would
:45:23. > :45:29.have been possible without the peace and prosperity that has been
:45:29. > :45:39.achieved. Today Belfast is gaining an impressive reputation as an IT
:45:39. > :45:44.hub and key financial trading centre. Belfast is now among the
:45:44. > :45:49.world's top 10 cities for financial technology investments ahead of
:45:49. > :45:54.Dublin, Glasgow, Toronto and even Bangalore. Outside London, Belfast
:45:54. > :45:58.is now the UK's most attractive city for foreign direct investment.
:45:58. > :46:04.Not only did we attract each be owed to come here to film their
:46:04. > :46:07.most successful television series ever, we invested in the future by
:46:07. > :46:11.contributing to the building of a second gun studio and such is a
:46:11. > :46:15.conference in the sector that we are currently in negotiations to
:46:15. > :46:22.build a third studio as well. This year, Titanic Belfast opened its
:46:22. > :46:26.doors. 100 years after the ship's first and final journey. It is rare
:46:26. > :46:29.visitor attraction that will rival anything in the world and makes
:46:29. > :46:34.Belfast a must-see tourist destination. In less than six
:46:34. > :46:40.months, it has already exceeded its annual target. The project was made
:46:40. > :46:44.possible because the Executive invested �37.5 million in it. This
:46:44. > :46:49.year we also opened the Giants Causeway visitors' centre where the
:46:49. > :46:53.Executive invested over �9 million and both facilities are heading
:46:53. > :46:57.towards � -- 1 million visitors this year and both have over 60% of
:46:57. > :47:01.visitors coming from outside Northern Ireland. For the first
:47:01. > :47:05.time in many years because of invective investments, Northern
:47:05. > :47:10.Ireland hosted the Irish Open golf tournament and brought record
:47:10. > :47:13.European attendances across the four days of the championship. In
:47:13. > :47:16.years to come I hope we was the other major golf tournaments come
:47:16. > :47:22.here and I can guarantee you that we are working very hard to
:47:22. > :47:27.accomplish that. Northern Ireland also played its part in this year's
:47:27. > :47:31.truly national events, the Royal Jubilee. The Olympics and the
:47:31. > :47:37.Paralympics. They all showed that United Kingdom is at its very best.
:47:37. > :47:47.For many of us, the absolute high point of the year was Her Majesty's
:47:47. > :47:53.
:47:53. > :47:57.visit to Northern Ireland as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
:47:57. > :48:00.It was another tangible sign of how things have changed. For the first
:48:01. > :48:05.time in decades, we were able to invite tens of thousands of people
:48:05. > :48:10.to Belfast and Enniskillen for a celebration of that in this most
:48:10. > :48:14.royal occasion. The Queen has been an ever steadying hand at the helm
:48:14. > :48:18.of British life over six decades. In the best and worst of times, she
:48:18. > :48:24.has been an inspiring example of Stead assonance, tradition and wise
:48:24. > :48:28.counsel. On this jubilee year, let this conference sent a message on
:48:28. > :48:38.behalf of the people upon whose loyalty and support she can always
:48:38. > :48:56.
:48:56. > :49:00.depend, long may you reign over us! It did not take the Diamond Jubilee
:49:00. > :49:05.or the Olympics to make us proud of our nation. But there is no doubt
:49:05. > :49:09.that for many, it was a reminder of what we have to offer. Ours is a
:49:09. > :49:12.nation that is made up not just of those from England, Scotland, Wales
:49:12. > :49:16.or Northern Ireland, or those for whom English is the language of
:49:16. > :49:21.their birth, but for those who have come to live here and to share our
:49:22. > :49:27.values and ideals. I am proud that Britishness is about diversity and
:49:27. > :49:32.InterCity. That is why the story of no fire was an inspiration to us
:49:32. > :49:36.all. Born in Somalia, he moved to the UK when just eight years old.
:49:36. > :49:41.He ran for Britain and became a national hero overnight, winning
:49:41. > :49:47.two gold medals in the Olympics. When asked by a journalist whether
:49:47. > :49:57.he would rather have run for Somalia, he replied, Look mate,
:49:57. > :50:04.
:50:04. > :50:08.this is my country. His story epitomises the spread of this
:50:08. > :50:12.nation and just as he has done it, so, too, can any of the new
:50:12. > :50:17.settlers who have come to these shores to build their lives. Next
:50:17. > :50:21.year will be another great year when a Londonderry will be the
:50:21. > :50:26.United Kingdom's City of Culture and Belfast will welcome the world
:50:26. > :50:29.peace and Fire Games. Next June when Northern Ireland hosts the G 8
:50:29. > :50:34.some out on behalf of the United Kingdom, we will take our place on
:50:35. > :50:37.the world stage and we will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
:50:37. > :50:41.market the province to an international audience. None of
:50:41. > :50:44.this would have been remotely possible just a few years ago. None
:50:44. > :50:48.of this would have happened without the political progress that has
:50:48. > :50:52.been made. None of that progress would have occurred it republican
:50:52. > :51:02.paramilitaries and dissidence or Unionist political dissidents had
:51:02. > :51:08.
:51:08. > :51:11.got their way. Northern Ireland is being put on the international map,
:51:11. > :51:14.ensuring just as we have had the confidence to take Northern Ireland
:51:14. > :51:19.forward, others have shown confidence in us by bringing the
:51:19. > :51:22.most significant major events here. I believe we have in this
:51:22. > :51:27.generation, made a really positive difference and when they gather
:51:27. > :51:31.again in 12 months, will be facing into a fresh electoral challenge
:51:31. > :51:35.and we are ready to meet it. Let us not squander the opportunity that
:51:35. > :51:39.is before us, to reshape politics in this province for future
:51:39. > :51:43.generations. Let us rise to the challenge, as did our forefathers
:51:43. > :51:48.and let us leave the legacy of Northern Ireland as an assured
:51:48. > :51:52.society at the heart of a permanently United Kingdom. Someday,
:51:52. > :51:58.long after this generation of Unionists has passed, let it be
:51:58. > :52:02.said that when our time came, we, too, give or best. Let giving our
:52:02. > :52:07.best be the goal that motivates us in all that we do in the months
:52:07. > :52:11.that lie ahead. It was H G Wells he said, the past is but the beginning
:52:11. > :52:16.of a beginning and all that is and has been his but the twilight of
:52:16. > :52:20.the Don. We have the opportunity to make tomorrow a better day. In so
:52:21. > :52:24.doing, it must be a better day for everyone. That is the task that
:52:25. > :52:29.faces us. Let us never lose sight but the people democratically
:52:29. > :52:33.conferred upon his party, the honour and responsibility to
:52:33. > :52:38.provide leadership to move Northern Ireland forward. Our task is to
:52:38. > :52:41.harness and direct the potential, the promise, the group is a bar
:52:41. > :52:45.people and to leave Northern Ireland into a future based on our
:52:45. > :52:50.vision of a peaceful, stable, united and shared community. May
:52:50. > :53:00.God grant us strength and wisdom and give us favour with the people
:53:00. > :53:14.
:53:14. > :53:17.to empower us to bring about that better day.
:53:17. > :53:24.Peter Robinson accepting the applause of his party colleagues
:53:24. > :53:30.their act the La Mon Hotel. Arlene Foster, Sammy Wilson and shaking
:53:30. > :53:40.his hand. He spoke for 42 minutes. We had been told he would speak for
:53:40. > :53:42.
:53:42. > :53:48.25 or 30 minutes. There were periods of enthusiastic applause.
:53:48. > :53:54.In many senses, a classic DUP speech, wasn't it? It was. I kept
:53:54. > :53:59.waiting on the edge of my seat, perhaps there would be some policy
:53:59. > :54:07.announcements but there was not. We are only a year or so in two the
:54:07. > :54:11.current mandate, but it was a speech crime rate for the party
:54:11. > :54:17.faithful rather than for a wider audience, which seems a bit odd to
:54:17. > :54:25.me. To reassure them that the union is safe in the DUP's hands, but
:54:25. > :54:29.they have a vision and also to some extent, it was a bit of a lecture
:54:29. > :54:35.about the trials and tribulations of running a multi-party Executive
:54:35. > :54:39.and a difficult that is. There are always contradictions in a speech
:54:39. > :54:43.like this. He started off criticising other parties for
:54:43. > :54:48.criticising partners in government but he didn't himself resist the
:54:48. > :54:54.temptation to have a pop at Alastair Macdonald and others in
:54:54. > :55:03.the Executive. A Gerry Adams, who he described as a zombie who
:55:03. > :55:08.travelled the globe articulating his cause. He also was firm in his
:55:08. > :55:14.rejection of recent speech by that Sinn Fein chairman. At the same
:55:14. > :55:17.time, there was talk of a shared society. Quite a difficult trick to
:55:17. > :55:23.pull off? I'm not sure he did put off because he cannot have his cake
:55:23. > :55:27.and eat it. He cannot say on the one hand, I can stand here as First
:55:27. > :55:32.Minister and criticise my other Executive members, but for them to
:55:32. > :55:35.criticise him seems to be rather out of bounds. He cannot do that
:55:35. > :55:40.but what I think he was trying to do was to encourage the audience
:55:40. > :55:46.and I think it was primarily a party audience he was addressing.
:55:46. > :55:49.Which is what a party conference is all about. That is true but it is
:55:50. > :55:56.also an opportunity for party leaders, whoever they may be, to
:55:56. > :56:02.reach out and say, this is a party proposing to do these things for
:56:02. > :56:10.the future. But it was a policy light speech, there was no beef in
:56:10. > :56:16.it. Let us hear the thoughts of our political editor, Mark Devenport.
:56:16. > :56:21.You listened to the speech. Rick Wilford said it was policy light,
:56:21. > :56:25.you may have a few guests were few who will have a view as well. Were
:56:25. > :56:31.you surprised anything he had to say? Not particularly surprising,
:56:31. > :56:39.it was a positive speech but that reflects the dominant position of
:56:39. > :56:47.the DUP in local politics at the moment. I have with me now Diane
:56:47. > :56:51.Dodds and Jeffrey Donaldson. Putting the by election to one side,
:56:51. > :56:54.you will be one of the first politicians to face the electorate,
:56:55. > :56:59.how would you sum up the mood of the party at the moment? The mood
:56:59. > :57:03.at the moment is buoyant, confident, we are up for the challenges that
:57:03. > :57:07.are facing Northern Ireland and I think that was the drive of the
:57:07. > :57:12.speech. It was a challenge about our economy, about improving the
:57:12. > :57:15.everyday lives of our constituents and of taking Northern Ireland for
:57:15. > :57:21.it. Do you think you have enough support out there that you could
:57:21. > :57:24.run together with a running mate in the Euro elections? But well before
:57:24. > :57:28.the party to decide at a later stage but the party is building on
:57:28. > :57:32.its support. This conference is growing every year and we are
:57:32. > :57:38.confident about the future, we want the people of Northern Ireland to
:57:38. > :57:45.be confident about the future and I think this conference and this
:57:45. > :57:49.speech has demonstrated that. aspects of the speech they're still
:57:49. > :57:55.pushing the central direction, supporting the union in both the
:57:55. > :58:04.Protestant and Catholic community. He reached -- hinted at reaching
:58:04. > :58:06.out to both communities. We are proud of our unionism and our
:58:06. > :58:11.Britishness and we are confident and that and I think it comes
:58:11. > :58:14.across very clearly in Peter's speech but we also recognise that
:58:14. > :58:18.right across the Community more and more people are becoming
:58:18. > :58:23.comfortable with their Britishness. This year has been a wonderful year
:58:23. > :58:27.with the Royal Jubilee and the Queen's visit and the Olympics,
:58:27. > :58:31.giving people a real sense of pride in their identity and I think that
:58:31. > :58:35.is something the DUP is recognising and we are reaching out. I see it
:58:35. > :58:40.in my own constituency, more and more people from the Catholic
:58:40. > :58:44.community embracing unionism. hinted that the DUP will be
:58:44. > :58:48.prepared to see some changes at Stormont, to make room for an
:58:48. > :58:52.opposition of some kind - how soon do you think as likely to come?
:58:52. > :58:56.That could happen as soon as others wanted to. We are up for it and we
:58:56. > :58:58.have made it clear that we want to normalise politics in Northern
:58:58. > :59:01.Ireland. We will continue to provide good government but if
:59:01. > :59:05.there are people who feel they themselves can be part of the
:59:05. > :59:15.government, that they cannot make a positive contribution, led the
:59:15. > :59:17.
:59:17. > :59:21.opposition is the place for them. Back to the studio now.
:59:21. > :59:28.Peter Robinson talked about Northern Ireland being 90% self
:59:28. > :59:35.financing in the future? He drew a comparison between the 90% of
:59:35. > :59:43.dependency and he wants to see a future where the land becomes self
:59:43. > :59:47.reliant but actually, that is a huge ambition. Even if it was to
:59:47. > :59:51.happen, it is not going to happen in the foreseeable future but
:59:51. > :59:55.nevertheless it signals an aspiration and ambition, I think he
:59:56. > :00:03.was also concerned to try and demonstrate that this is a cultural