:00:12. > :00:22.Beginning and welcome to the conference. The austere Unionists
:00:22. > :00:22.
:00:22. > :00:26.have gathered this weekend in Armagh. Emmitt the discussion of
:00:26. > :00:30.rebuilding, our political cross but none has been looking at an idea
:00:30. > :00:39.that seems to have had hope and despair for the Ulster Unionists
:00:39. > :00:46.almost indecent -- equal measure in recent years. It is the Ulster
:00:46. > :00:50.Unionist Party Conference. Where is the Crown? This is as far as we
:00:50. > :01:00.could come. The Secretary of State showed up even though he was trying
:01:00. > :01:01.
:01:01. > :01:11.to play down his presence. I wanted to have a word with Tom and his
:01:11. > :01:11.
:01:11. > :01:17.colleagues. Andrew farming is in discussions between the two parties.
:01:17. > :01:21.What is actually happening? That is a question for the party chairman.
:01:21. > :01:24.David Cameron and die a quite clear that we would like to bring
:01:24. > :01:28.Northern Ireland into the mainstream of politics. We have
:01:28. > :01:33.been quite clear about that. How we go about that is subject to
:01:33. > :01:38.discussion, but I have responsibilities which don't
:01:38. > :01:45.include running the Conservative Party. It wasn't quite the heady
:01:45. > :01:50.days of of before, but Owen Paterson got a warm welcome. Who
:01:50. > :01:56.better to ask what was going on than this man was not why is he
:01:56. > :02:01.here? His presence today will keep alive the speculation that there
:02:01. > :02:07.are those who still want a formal links between the two parties.
:02:07. > :02:11.have always felt it was sensible. We are a Unionist party and
:02:11. > :02:17.therefore why would we wish to cut ourselves off from national
:02:17. > :02:23.politics? In the House of Lords, it is not the front line, but whenever
:02:23. > :02:26.it comes to a vote, it is how many people you can get into the lobby.
:02:26. > :02:31.The Conservatives in House of Lords are looking for support and they
:02:31. > :02:41.take their whip and I do support them. I know I have saved them at
:02:41. > :02:44.
:02:44. > :02:50.least twice personally, so in -- I think it makes sense. But mention
:02:50. > :02:58.of the Tory link still causes nervousness. I believe there should
:02:58. > :03:01.be some sort of co-operation with the Tories. I never was a great fan
:03:01. > :03:10.in the form that we have previously, but there has to be understanding
:03:10. > :03:20.and I think we could work at that. Way you're a fan of the Tory link?
:03:20. > :03:21.
:03:21. > :03:26.No, I was concerned about it. were you were found? They cannot
:03:26. > :03:29.stay where they are. They have got to give people a reason to vote for
:03:29. > :03:36.them again. But how do they do it? That is what a sizable number of
:03:36. > :03:39.delegates packed into this room want to know. They discussed the
:03:39. > :03:44.question of going into opposition and repositioning the party on the
:03:44. > :03:48.centre right. It is the use for thing that people like us come to
:03:48. > :03:58.rooms like this and hold up politics in the open. -- used for
:03:58. > :04:02.
:04:02. > :04:07.failing. We do it in the light. We do it where it can be seen. And we
:04:07. > :04:15.do get good general instinct of what that party really years -- it
:04:15. > :04:21.would we get good general instinct of what this party really is? We
:04:21. > :04:25.need to set out a vision. Where are we going? What is the future? I
:04:25. > :04:35.think the opposition will be was the pivot. A member of the audience
:04:35. > :04:36.
:04:36. > :04:43.was concerned that the media would misinterpreted it as a split.
:04:43. > :04:46.People don't go out and splashed out across the headline. I accept
:04:46. > :04:54.your concerns but to an extent it is a risk that goes with the
:04:54. > :05:02.territory. Perhaps it was a debate which should have been held on the
:05:02. > :05:08.main stage, maybe next time. will hear from the party leader Tom
:05:08. > :05:16.Eliot in a moment. First, a flavour of one of the platform speeches. It
:05:16. > :05:22.contained criticism of both Westminsters attempt to mark the
:05:22. > :05:27.troubles, and a complaint about senior party figures attending the
:05:27. > :05:30.funeral mass of Ronan Kerr. David Campbell told the conference that
:05:30. > :05:36.Northern Ireland and its place in the United Kingdom could not exist
:05:36. > :05:41.without the efforts and sacrifices of his party. It is increasingly
:05:41. > :05:46.important that we all act to ensure that no Unionist is allowed to
:05:46. > :05:51.forget those sacrifices, even if many Unionist voters have
:05:51. > :05:56.temporarily forgotten to vote for us. I say this because they have
:05:56. > :06:03.been to events recently that have caused me much anger and annoyance.
:06:03. > :06:13.Firstly, as an Ulster Unionist Party member and then orange ran
:06:13. > :06:13.
:06:13. > :06:15.for over 30 years, are as a shame to that they tried to discipline
:06:15. > :06:21.Our Leader and allow ministers because they had paid their
:06:21. > :06:31.respects on behalf of his party to a young police officer murdered by
:06:31. > :06:37.
:06:37. > :06:47.They exhibited a greater Christian charity Band lodge members can ever
:06:47. > :06:50.
:06:50. > :06:57.hope to. But the Unionist leaders before them... I welcome the
:06:57. > :07:02.dismissal of this issue by county lodges, but this should never have
:07:02. > :07:07.been an issue in the first place, and that Belfast last -- Lodge has
:07:07. > :07:15.brought Parrott institution into serious disrepute. Secondly, in
:07:15. > :07:20.three weeks' time, 14th November will mark 30 years since a member
:07:20. > :07:26.of parliament for South Belfast, the Reverend Robert Bradford was
:07:26. > :07:31.brutally murdered two serving his constituents. Last week in
:07:31. > :07:36.Parliament, a plaque to his memory was unveiled in the Chamber of the
:07:36. > :07:45.House of Commons. Ladies and gentlemen, not one member of this
:07:45. > :07:49.party, the Reverend Bradford's party, was invited to attend. I
:07:49. > :07:59.discovered this upgrade just over said the day before. From A the P M
:07:59. > :07:59.
:07:59. > :08:06.P, who showed me his invitation, assuming I would be present -- one
:08:06. > :08:11.of the DUP's MPs. To add insult injury, on contacting the Speaker's
:08:11. > :08:20.office in Parliament, I was told that they understood that the
:08:21. > :08:28.Reverend Bradford was one of the DUP MPs. We know which parties took
:08:29. > :08:38.the casualties during the Troubles. We know which party's members
:08:39. > :08:39.
:08:39. > :08:47.formed the backbone of our security services.I both know which Unionist
:08:47. > :08:52.Party took all the risks for peace. We cannot allow this party's
:08:52. > :08:56.sacrifices to be airbrushed from history. David Campbell concluded
:08:56. > :08:59.his speech by saying it was time for an end to what he called the
:08:59. > :09:05.kicking of his party and its representatives. He said he wants
:09:05. > :09:15.to see his achievements applauded and that recovery starts now. Tom
:09:15. > :09:18.
:09:18. > :09:22.Elliott, how do you think the I am pleased there has been such a
:09:22. > :09:27.good atmosphere at the conference. It shows you the enthusiasm of the
:09:27. > :09:32.party to move for work and deliver things for the people of Northern
:09:32. > :09:37.Ireland. And it is not just about our party, it is about the people
:09:37. > :09:43.of Northern Ireland. What were the results of the
:09:43. > :09:46.review? There was not a review as such. We
:09:46. > :09:51.are working with constituency associations are hoping to manage
:09:51. > :09:56.them better and build a rapport. It is all about better management of
:09:56. > :10:03.the party. If we want to achieve results we need a better management
:10:03. > :10:07.process. Is that what went wrong last time?
:10:07. > :10:13.There are a number of things you could point the finger that. But I
:10:13. > :10:17.was only a few months in office. I wanted to build a party that will
:10:17. > :10:25.deliver for the people and I must say that it is amazing the number
:10:25. > :10:29.of people now who are voting. Much less than a number of years ago. In
:10:29. > :10:34.the Westminster elections for the first time ever the Northern
:10:34. > :10:39.Ireland vote was a law than the rest of the United Kingdom. That is
:10:39. > :10:44.depressing. There is a combination. Some people voting for other
:10:44. > :10:49.parties and some people staying at home. But all parties will accept,
:10:50. > :10:54.looking at the figures in detail, the figures are going down. We need
:10:54. > :11:00.to make politics and politicians are relevant to the people.
:11:00. > :11:06.David Campbell talked about what sounded like electoral pacts. Is
:11:06. > :11:09.that the way forward? We are putting forward policies and
:11:09. > :11:13.proposals and will hopefully implement them on behalf of the
:11:13. > :11:19.Ulster Unionist Party. What I am saying now is that it is between
:11:19. > :11:25.the party and the people. You said you would like to see
:11:25. > :11:30.Minister these are reduced from 12 to eight. Which of four would go?
:11:30. > :11:40.I said that now is an opportunity to reduce the burden on the
:11:40. > :11:40.
:11:40. > :11:47.taxpayer of knob of Ireland. So, at least eight. -- Northern Ireland.
:11:47. > :11:53.But if we do not take that opportunity now we cannot leave it
:11:53. > :11:58.until the future. Each department seems to have a
:11:58. > :12:08.distinct job to do. How would you amalgamate? Would departments
:12:08. > :12:09.
:12:09. > :12:12.disappear? I am just interested in how that would work.
:12:12. > :12:17.It would happen automatically if the number of constituencies are
:12:17. > :12:26.reduced along with Westminster boundaries. Many departments were
:12:26. > :12:35.divided some years ago. I am not claiming these are hard and fast
:12:35. > :12:39.but you can look at D T L -- look at it in detail. There are a number
:12:39. > :12:43.of options that can be fairly worked out if you accept the
:12:43. > :12:49.principle. Talking about the image of the
:12:49. > :12:53.party - it is difficult to assess if you are left or right wing.
:12:53. > :12:58.Where do you stand, what is your distinctive of vision for the
:12:58. > :13:02.future in terms of the left - right divide, or the centre ground in
:13:02. > :13:07.politics? We have always been that right of
:13:07. > :13:11.centre and as far as I N unconcerned that is not changing.
:13:11. > :13:17.But we want to make sure that the population can live and work
:13:17. > :13:22.together, not apart. That is a crucial issue. We want to see a
:13:22. > :13:28.much better society. Whether that is through education, work,
:13:28. > :13:33.employment, cultural aspects. But we must respect each other and that
:13:33. > :13:37.is where there is often a failure. I have talked about trust have been
:13:37. > :13:42.lacking. There has not been enough moves towards that building of
:13:42. > :13:49.trust. You brought the Secretary of State
:13:49. > :13:59.of to the platform. Why? He was in armour for a number of
:13:59. > :14:01.
:14:01. > :14:05.engagements. -- Armagh. There is no problem with our party been close
:14:05. > :14:10.friends with the Conservatives. We are pro-union and make no bones
:14:10. > :14:15.about that. If there is a centre- right party in Westminster we can
:14:15. > :14:19.work with, why not? Does it not send out a mixed
:14:19. > :14:22.message? You do not want an electoral pact but at the same time
:14:22. > :14:27.you are happy to bring a Conservative to the platform and
:14:27. > :14:31.have him by your side at the annual conference.
:14:31. > :14:40.Let's not forget it was the Secretary of State for Northern
:14:40. > :14:46.Ireland. He works with all parties. He is no stranger to meeting with
:14:46. > :14:56.the SDLP, D u p, Sinn Fein, or the Ulster Unionist Party. We were more
:14:56. > :14:58.
:14:58. > :15:03.than happy that he said a few words. Water charges, a future policy?
:15:03. > :15:07.There are a number of issues that need to be looked at particularly
:15:07. > :15:12.around the raising of finance and the overall financial position of
:15:12. > :15:15.Northern Ireland. These issues must be debated and discussed but in
:15:15. > :15:20.before coming years you will see the Ulster Unionist Party produce a
:15:20. > :15:25.number of ideas. I am not saying that they will be water charges but
:15:25. > :15:32.a number of innovative ideas will come through.
:15:32. > :15:38.But you will not rule it out? I am not ruling anything in or out.
:15:38. > :15:44.Community halls, churches, farmers, are already plain water charges.
:15:44. > :15:51.The only people not paying is the domestic household or, al though
:15:51. > :15:55.they pay through the rating system. Fuel poverty is the big concern
:15:55. > :15:59.approaching the winter of many. Are you in support of a winter fuel
:16:00. > :16:06.payment? We need to ensue are that people
:16:06. > :16:10.can heat and eat. Many people will not be able to.
:16:10. > :16:14.Independent research suggests there are more people dying in the United
:16:14. > :16:19.Kingdom from cold and the home than in the road accidents.
:16:19. > :16:23.I have talked to a number of people around that issue and the Ulster
:16:23. > :16:27.Unionist Party will certainly do anything we can to help the
:16:27. > :16:33.vulnerable in this society live a reasonably comfortable life, we
:16:33. > :16:38.will certainly help in that respect. Thank you very much for joining us,
:16:38. > :16:44.Tom Eliot. Another big issue is the precarious state of the local
:16:44. > :16:48.economy. High on the agenda at this conference. Mike Nesbitt told
:16:48. > :16:51.delegates about the importance of rebalancing the economy but
:16:52. > :16:58.questioned whether Northern Ireland is open for business. He set out
:16:58. > :17:06.his own vision for the future. People accuse us of not having a
:17:06. > :17:14.strategy, vision, policy for the future. I will give you mind. As we
:17:14. > :17:20.look to our second century here is an economic vision. We become net
:17:20. > :17:28.contributors to her Majesty's Treasury. We go hour private sector
:17:28. > :17:34.so that it is so big, powerful, profitable, that we no longer need
:17:34. > :17:42.the block grant. It is a big ask, aspirational, but why not go for
:17:42. > :17:52.it? Why not? Net contributors. If you want to CQ of the union that is
:17:52. > :17:54.
:17:54. > :18:02.a good way to start. If you want to secured the union.
:18:02. > :18:10.I am joined now by Our Political Editor.
:18:10. > :18:15.In terms of recovery things may be a little too optimistic. The party
:18:15. > :18:20.are beginning to talk about some individual policies - corporation
:18:20. > :18:25.tax, a have passenger duty, policies in relation to social
:18:25. > :18:31.matters. But in terms of the general direction there are still
:18:31. > :18:38.unanswered questions. In particular the party's relationship with the
:18:38. > :18:46.Conservatives. That is key. It confuses the MH
:18:46. > :18:50.having the Secretary of State here. -- confuses the image.
:18:50. > :18:55.Yes we were told that that force was dead and obviously the
:18:55. > :19:01.electoral experiment was a failure. But at the same time they still
:19:01. > :19:06.maintain a relationship. That still makes them vulnerable to charges
:19:06. > :19:12.from the other parties at Stormont that they are somehow culpable for
:19:12. > :19:16.coalition cuts. So they must decide, are they for it, or leaving the
:19:16. > :19:21.partnership completely behind? We could not leave you without a
:19:22. > :19:28.bit of humour. The best one-liner came from the self- deprecating
:19:28. > :19:38.Robins one. Thank you very much. I have been
:19:38. > :19:38.