:00:17. > :00:21.Welcome to the programme. The Ulster Unionists have gathered at
:00:21. > :00:30.the Titanic Building. It is Mike Nesbitt's first conference as
:00:30. > :00:37.leader, and we will have live coverage of his speech, and
:00:37. > :00:43.comments from Rick Wilford. Mike Nesbitt, the former broadcaster won
:00:43. > :00:47.a decisive victory six months ago. But it has been far from plain
:00:48. > :00:55.sailing since then. From disaster to try and, at the
:00:55. > :01:00.new Titanic is a symbol of success and renewal. The Ulster Unionists
:01:00. > :01:05.chose it for its annual conference. Some find it a curious choice, by
:01:05. > :01:11.party now led by someone experienced in public relations. As
:01:11. > :01:17.it left the party sinking four years in the polls on the defensive.
:01:17. > :01:23.People like yourself have a great line. But it is a wonderful
:01:23. > :01:27.building. People are interested in coming in. It was on March 31st,
:01:27. > :01:33.Mike Nesbitt won a landslide in the leadership race, having told his
:01:33. > :01:37.party to judge him by his 100 days. On his first day, his first idea
:01:38. > :01:42.unfolded during his first BBC interview as leader. Maybe what I
:01:42. > :01:46.need to do is find a family that it would adopt me the 24 hours. I
:01:46. > :01:51.would like to live in an area of social deprivation, because it is
:01:51. > :01:58.important to get a feel for what it is like. By the second day, the man
:01:58. > :02:06.who promised a better media profile found his idea marked. Crassness.
:02:06. > :02:12.Although some like the idea, some felt the pressure. High-profile
:02:12. > :02:16.member who had fallen out with the previous leader was expelled.
:02:16. > :02:22.have a cardboard cut-out for a leader, no saucepans or policies.
:02:22. > :02:27.People regret that now. And June 13th, a party veteran, Lord
:02:27. > :02:30.Maginnis make controversial remarks about gay marriage. As an e-mail
:02:30. > :02:36.issued by Mike Nesbitt ordering no one to speak to the media without
:02:36. > :02:41.clearance, was leaked in minutes. There was more bad news with a poll
:02:41. > :02:47.suggesting the party was neck and neck with Alliance. By August 28th,
:02:47. > :02:54.there was no discipline for Lord Maginnis and no unity. He had quit.
:02:54. > :03:00.We have now seen the party under the present leadership accelerate
:03:00. > :03:06.its demise. I wouldn't say he has had a lot of
:03:06. > :03:13.bad days, he has every attributable we need. He is savvy with the media
:03:13. > :03:15.and the general public. I have heard nothing in this area, and I
:03:15. > :03:21.cover a manner and South Tyrone, and there is nothing but backing
:03:21. > :03:25.for the leader. Critical support from a critical constituency. But
:03:25. > :03:31.others say he should be worried. cannot think of one-day Mike
:03:31. > :03:36.Nesbitt could have said, "yes, that is it, the beginning of the
:03:36. > :03:44.turnaround". It has not happened. Can you think of one day he has
:03:44. > :03:49.impressed? I listen to one of his radio interviews when he was
:03:49. > :03:53.speaking about the economy, and he was very impressive. There is still
:03:53. > :03:58.good will towards the good leader, but there is also disappointment.
:03:58. > :04:03.One senior party figure told me that based on Mike Nesbitt's track
:04:03. > :04:08.record so far, his speech this weekend needs to be brilliant.
:04:08. > :04:12.would probably be the first to say he has been too cautious and I
:04:12. > :04:18.think we will see a change of pace. Critics say he needs to unveil
:04:18. > :04:24.strong policies this weekend, plus work on what they say is a lack of
:04:24. > :04:30.discipline and leadership. So many summed it up, he reminded him of
:04:30. > :04:34.the dog that chased a car, finally caught it, but has no idea what to
:04:34. > :04:40.do with it. But there is time to turn the ship around before the
:04:40. > :04:45.next critical Test - the European election in 2014.
:04:45. > :04:50.Martina Purdy on the challenges facing Mike Nesbitt and his party.
:04:50. > :04:55.Mark Davenport is at the Titanic Building. Can they should be turned
:04:55. > :05:01.around with the current captain at the helm? The situation is, there
:05:01. > :05:05.is no chance of them getting another captain any time soon. Mike
:05:05. > :05:11.Nesbitt won the election with a landslide. He does have more time,
:05:11. > :05:15.and he has a bit of time until the Northern Ireland wide election,
:05:15. > :05:19.although they might be a by- election in Ulster soon. In opinion
:05:19. > :05:25.on how he is doing with the leadership, I am joined by a man
:05:25. > :05:31.who did stand for the leadership initially, FC Basle. How do you
:05:31. > :05:38.think Mike Nesbitt is bedding in? He had the falling out with 0
:05:38. > :05:44.McGuinness. The acid test is coming up now. Everyone is entitled to a
:05:44. > :05:48.bit of time to get their feet under the table and what he will be
:05:48. > :05:52.saying at the table -- conference is selling division to everybody
:05:52. > :05:57.else and the wider country. It is not a problem people have had
:05:57. > :06:03.problems. That is life. It is how you deal with them and move forward.
:06:03. > :06:06.That is what we are all looking for. On the issue he fell out with Lord
:06:06. > :06:12.Maginnis, do you think he could have handled that differently and
:06:12. > :06:17.kept him within the camp? Lord Maginnis is a character we are all
:06:17. > :06:22.familiar with. He is his own man. I am not party to the Inns and outs
:06:22. > :06:28.of things, but what is important if you talk about a clear policy
:06:28. > :06:33.stands, you don't send out unclear messages on important matters, and
:06:33. > :06:38.the leader had to deal with it, and he dealt with it. I think Mike
:06:38. > :06:43.Nesbitt will be starting his speech shortly, so back to the studio.
:06:43. > :06:47.will get more from our political editor between now and 1pm. He will
:06:47. > :06:52.give us his analysis on what Mike Nesbitt has to save. We are
:06:52. > :06:58.expecting Mike Nesbitt to appear at the podium in the next moment or
:06:58. > :07:02.two. Before that, let's hear from Professor Rick Wilford from Queen's
:07:02. > :07:07.University. What are you expecting Mike Nesbitt to say? What are you
:07:07. > :07:16.looking out for in this speech, which we think will be about 35
:07:16. > :07:22.minutes in duration? The image of him as a leader, he has to be
:07:22. > :07:26.purposeful. In terms of content, we need some direction of where the
:07:26. > :07:31.party is going. Plus detail in relation to policy. He has to be
:07:31. > :07:37.able to stand there and prevent laughing of him leading a united
:07:37. > :07:44.party. We know there are differences and there are divisions
:07:44. > :07:48.in the party about what he has failed to accomplish. He has to
:07:48. > :07:53.encourage the troops. Whatever his message is, he has to mobilise and
:07:53. > :07:56.motivate the people in the audience to go out there and secured a
:07:57. > :08:01.greater vote, a greater share of the vote and get people to vote in
:08:01. > :08:04.the first place. Presumably he will want to nail the discussion that is
:08:05. > :08:12.happening in the wings about his leadership and his leadership
:08:12. > :08:16.style? He will want to give a barnstorming performance? It is at
:08:16. > :08:24.tub-thumper of the speech he needs, telling everybody he is in charge.
:08:24. > :08:32.He comes across as being a purposeful leader is important. He
:08:32. > :08:38.has had his tail tweaked from the margins. Almost in the shape of
:08:38. > :08:42.Lord Maginnis, which has gone away, almost a flash in the pan. He has
:08:42. > :08:52.to commend himself as an insightful leader, who has a clear image of
:08:52. > :08:57.what he wants to a college -- accomplished for the party. Thanks
:08:57. > :09:02.very much. Looking at pictures of Mike Nesbitt appearing in the
:09:02. > :09:11.Titanic sweet, in Titanic, Belfast. He is walking through the
:09:11. > :09:19.membership with his wife, the former broadcaster. Shaking hands
:09:19. > :09:23.and being warmly embraced by someone, not sure who that was. I
:09:23. > :09:27.think that it was Joy Rolston who introduced him. About 50 delegates
:09:27. > :09:37.for his first speech as leader of the party.
:09:37. > :09:37.
:09:37. > :09:44.Let's see what he has to say. Foulkes, you can clap or your life,
:09:45. > :09:50.you are still going to have to listen to it. German, my Lords,
:09:50. > :09:54.elected representatives, ladies and gentlemen. -- chairman. I imagine a
:09:54. > :10:04.good few of you listening to this are expecting me to start with the
:10:04. > :10:06.
:10:06. > :10:11.words, "looking back 100 years". I want to look the other way. Looking
:10:11. > :10:16.forward 100 years, what will our descendants think of us? Will they
:10:17. > :10:22.think as kindly of us as we think of Edward Carson and of his
:10:22. > :10:27.generation? Well will be honoured, celebrated and cherished as he is
:10:27. > :10:32.with history say that we rose to the challenge the way he did to his
:10:32. > :10:38.challenge. I hope so, because it is what I want for this party, of
:10:38. > :10:45.course, but also for this country and everyone who lives here. The
:10:45. > :10:55.Protestants and Catholics, Jewish people, Muslims, men, women,
:10:55. > :10:56.
:10:56. > :11:06.Chinese, Indian, Eastern European, this appeal is to everybody.
:11:06. > :11:07.
:11:07. > :11:12.De Ulster Unionist Party is not a religious organisation. We are not
:11:12. > :11:15.a party for Protestants. We recognise more people than ever in
:11:15. > :11:20.Northern Ireland embrace the benefits of being part of the
:11:20. > :11:27.United Kingdom, which includes the freedom to practise your religious
:11:27. > :11:31.beliefs. That is us. I see us as a progressive party, but above all, a
:11:31. > :11:35.political party, and one everybody can look to for a positive
:11:35. > :11:41.alternative to what is on offer today. Because that is what is
:11:41. > :11:45.needed today, a creditor of -- credible alternative. Edward Carson
:11:45. > :11:51.did not shrink from a challenge, did not squander opportunities.
:11:51. > :11:56.What about us? We don't have to speculate if Edward Carson would
:11:56. > :12:00.approve, he told us exactly how to measure success and failure in a
:12:00. > :12:07.speech to the House of Commons in 1920. Looking forward to a
:12:07. > :12:13.Government at Stormont, he said, "they must forget section and
:12:13. > :12:18.faction. If. Does what I asked of her and hope she does what I hope
:12:18. > :12:23.she will do, set up a good Government, a fair Government, and
:12:23. > :12:30.a Government not for sections and factions, but for all, her example
:12:30. > :12:34.may be followed". I liked that vision, of the Government not for
:12:34. > :12:40.sections or factions, but for everybody. It takes us right to the
:12:40. > :12:50.heart of what I want to achieve in politics, the end of sectarianism.
:12:50. > :12:57.
:12:57. > :13:02.Sectarianism has lasted longer than the Troubles. Think about that.
:13:02. > :13:07.Sectarianism is still responsible for death and injury. Sectarians
:13:07. > :13:14.and is dictating the pace at which we move to a truly peace situation.
:13:15. > :13:18.It is holding back the economy, education, health and housing. I
:13:18. > :13:23.once the Ulster Unionist Party to tackle that enduring legacy of our
:13:23. > :13:29.troubles. If you are wondering what I believe in, it is social justice.
:13:29. > :13:34.I would like to have a leadership role that is peaceful, law-abiding
:13:34. > :13:39.and fur, where everybody gets a chance. Where we show a generosity
:13:39. > :13:44.of spirit when we need people with a different identity or a different
:13:44. > :13:49.set of aspirations. If you are wondering what I want to target? It
:13:49. > :13:54.is sectarianism, multiple deprivation and it is poverty. If
:13:54. > :13:59.you are wondering why I am in politics, I told you simply - my
:13:59. > :14:03.father was 49 years of age the day the family business was blown up.
:14:03. > :14:08.Looking back it was the last day he got out of bed with a true sense of
:14:08. > :14:12.purpose in his life. Every day I meet young people who were looking
:14:12. > :14:16.for a sense of purpose in their lives, but are denied it through a
:14:16. > :14:23.lack of employment, poor health, education and the lack of a decent
:14:23. > :14:33.home. That is the challenge of political leadership. Be in no
:14:33. > :14:33.
:14:33. > :14:41.doubt, there is a crisis that was that -- 2012, not the same as 2000
:14:41. > :14:46.-- 1912. The true inheritors of the legacy of Edward Carson. Do you
:14:46. > :14:51.think we might relax about that for a minute and concentrate some
:14:51. > :14:56.contemporary issues? There is a crisis. As the unemployed if there
:14:56. > :15:02.is a job crisis, as parents of under-achieving children if there
:15:02. > :15:06.is a crisis in education. Ask the owners if there is a housing crisis.
:15:06. > :15:11.Asked a nurse if there is a health crisis. And ask the thousands of
:15:11. > :15:14.people who don't vote any more if there is a crisis in politics. The
:15:14. > :15:24.Ulster Unionist Party says, yes there is.
:15:24. > :15:25.
:15:25. > :15:30.Edward Carson had an answer to the crisis of 1912, he made a pledge
:15:31. > :15:35.and formed a team, and that sounds like a plan to meet. Let stand up
:15:35. > :15:37.fearlessly and state what we stand for and ask every citizen in the
:15:37. > :15:42.country to join the team and fight for what is best for Northern
:15:42. > :15:47.Ireland and its people, and I mean all of its people. We need a Road
:15:47. > :15:52.Map for the way ahead for the next generations. It is a map that shows
:15:52. > :15:57.where we want to go and identify as the best route to get there. And
:15:57. > :16:02.there will be an inconvenient truth along the way. Namely, it will take
:16:02. > :16:06.a long time to get there, and that is a hard message for people at the
:16:06. > :16:11.35 years of violence and 18 years on from the ceasefire, you cannot
:16:11. > :16:15.expect anybody to be happy to be told it might take another 10, 15,
:16:15. > :16:20.20 years to fix some of our problems. But that is an
:16:20. > :16:27.inconvenient truth. So we must manage transition with a short-term
:16:27. > :16:31.steps of delivery and steps of hope. The Road Map must show how we will
:16:31. > :16:36.end up with better, like a single system of education which allows
:16:36. > :16:40.children to develop as they would in any normal society. But, without
:16:40. > :16:48.fear or prejudice to their face. Achieving that balance is a major
:16:48. > :16:52.challenge, but there are already two fundamentals we agree upon.
:16:53. > :16:57.Sharing is the first step. And if our children are educated
:16:57. > :17:02.separately and only meet in a meaningful way in their late teens,
:17:02. > :17:05.long after lasting friendships have been formed, we do little to tackle
:17:05. > :17:10.the separateness which is a breeding ground of mistrust and
:17:11. > :17:16.sectarianism. It is an inconvenient truth it will take time to create a
:17:16. > :17:20.normal society where everybody mixes, particularly in housing and
:17:20. > :17:26.in education. But I once for that and I want normal Government as
:17:26. > :17:30.well. A better Government. I have a simple request. Give us the
:17:30. > :17:40.opportunity and we will deliver better.
:17:40. > :17:44.
:17:44. > :17:48.Give us the chance and a Government that puts common sense at the heart
:17:48. > :17:52.of everything the Government does. Give us the opportunity and you
:17:52. > :17:55.will see an administration that won't waste time trying to justify
:17:55. > :18:00.the current system when you would be better served if we make the
:18:00. > :18:05.system better. I once Government that detests waste, what ever it
:18:05. > :18:09.may become a money, resources but above all, people's life chances.
:18:10. > :18:14.The greatest sin of any bad Government is it tolerates loss of
:18:14. > :18:20.opportunities for its people. I see those lost opportunities every day.
:18:20. > :18:24.So do you, 63,000 people seeking work. Children yearning for the
:18:24. > :18:34.education they deserve. The victims of terrorism, some who have waited
:18:34. > :18:34.
:18:34. > :18:40.so long, they are no longer wondering if it is possible that
:18:40. > :18:46.the Government's to do something for their grandchildren. I think we
:18:46. > :18:50.can. I want a Government focused on results. This mandate will focus
:18:50. > :18:55.administration on a better way of doing Government. As we did in the
:18:55. > :19:00.last 10 days when we called on an economic plan B in the wake of the
:19:00. > :19:05.FG Wilson disaster. My first close view of Government is when I joined
:19:05. > :19:10.the victims' Commission. It is what -- was not a pretty sight. There
:19:10. > :19:14.was an obsession with the inputs and processes of Government. The
:19:14. > :19:19.business people in this room will tell you, you don't spend money on
:19:19. > :19:22.the necessary inputs, you don't build a factory, by raw-material is
:19:22. > :19:26.and employ staff unless you think you have a decent chance of
:19:26. > :19:32.manufacturing something people will buy. And the storm and bill of
:19:32. > :19:36.goods is pretty thin. -- Stormont. If the Ulster Unionist Party were
:19:36. > :19:41.given a chance we would refocus efforts on the Abbots and incomes.
:19:41. > :19:44.We would give you a vision of what success looks like an use the
:19:44. > :19:49.resources of governments to make it happen in their area. It is a
:19:49. > :19:57.simple shift from writing strategies which sit up here, to
:19:57. > :20:07.implementing action plans which deliver on the ground.
:20:07. > :20:12.
:20:12. > :20:18.The debate has moved on. A It is not about that any more. What sort
:20:18. > :20:26.of government do you want? 18 years after BC's fire and 14 after the
:20:26. > :20:34.Belfast Agreement, I am in politics because I see political failure.
:20:34. > :20:41.Nobody talks about a peace dividend any more. We never really got one.
:20:41. > :20:46.More of our children live in poverty today and it is unexpected
:20:46. > :20:51.and deeply unwelcome. Many of those children have at least one parent
:20:51. > :20:58.in work. You cannot point the finger at the family's. If the
:20:58. > :21:02.Ulster Unionists were in charge, we would not promised to eradicate it
:21:02. > :21:07.because it is not possible but we would accept a target that is
:21:07. > :21:15.currently missing. We would agree an absolute income level, that we
:21:15. > :21:18.did not want a family falling below. We would allow specific levels of
:21:18. > :21:22.deprivation and then targets that sector. It is not the complete
:21:22. > :21:32.answer and does not tackle everybody but it does help the
:21:32. > :21:34.
:21:34. > :21:44.people most in need. It is Eclair, commonsense action plan. -- Eclair.
:21:44. > :21:50.
:21:50. > :21:57.There is no point in tinkering with the numbers if you do not also a
:21:57. > :22:07.change the culture. These numbers are inputs and frankly we could
:22:07. > :22:11.
:22:11. > :22:21.probably achieve as much as more than 100 in 1818. -- a team of 18.
:22:21. > :22:25.In 1988, -- 1998 there were various groups going forward politically.
:22:25. > :22:30.You had to create a big set of institutions that everybody was
:22:30. > :22:35.going to share. It was designed to be inclusive government. Not
:22:35. > :22:42.necessarily efficient. These arrangements were meant to be
:22:42. > :22:52.transitional. How can you justify jobs for the boys in 2012, with
:22:52. > :22:53.
:22:53. > :23:00.63,000 people? You cannot make that work. We have got too many MLAs, of
:23:00. > :23:05.course. We cannot lose 12 if we go from a reduction in constituencies.
:23:05. > :23:10.But that is just the next step, not the end game. If we stick with a
:23:10. > :23:15.team, we need to think about another way to cut numbers. But we
:23:15. > :23:20.want to improve efficiency without corrupting the principle of
:23:20. > :23:25.inclusion which underpins devolved government. We will also reduce
:23:25. > :23:32.government departments down to eight. We have analysed the
:23:32. > :23:37.situation. It has not been plucked out of thin air. But to be clear,
:23:37. > :23:41.it does not mean that we are taking a knife to the Civil Service. Fewer
:23:41. > :23:47.departments does not mean that a night of the Long knives. It would
:23:47. > :23:53.run against my opinion of good government. We want to balance the
:23:53. > :23:57.economy. If the public sector is comparatively too big, we will grow
:23:57. > :24:03.the private sector and social economy. We will create a place
:24:03. > :24:13.where people can swap jobs and not lose employment. We have already
:24:13. > :24:15.
:24:15. > :24:20.And I want to stop just to say the Ulster Unionist Party understands
:24:20. > :24:26.the social economy and the not-for- profit sector. We talk about things
:24:26. > :24:33.like child-minding. Some people, it is not because they do not want to
:24:33. > :24:38.work but because of the prohibitive cost of childcare. We have got �12
:24:38. > :24:42.million ring-fenced in the Executive budget. We can use some
:24:42. > :24:47.of that to liberate the individual trapped on benefits without
:24:47. > :24:52.damaging the private sector. We would maximise the potential of the
:24:52. > :24:56.social economy, because we understand it. We remain resolute
:24:56. > :25:01.in our opinion that the biggest single change to make Stormont a
:25:01. > :25:09.building that delivers instead of survives, is the introduction of an
:25:09. > :25:14.official opposition. Let me correct a big misconception. It is not
:25:14. > :25:17.about the Ulster Unionists looking for a return to majority rule. I
:25:17. > :25:22.can see a time when Northern Ireland will not require that kind
:25:22. > :25:26.of government. When we do have an opposition, they will work in
:25:26. > :25:31.opposition to a Coalition a cross- community government, made up of
:25:31. > :25:36.the biggest parties of the two big blocks. The other misconception is
:25:36. > :25:40.that the Ulster Unionists want money to enter opposition and that
:25:40. > :25:45.is just a cheap shot. When you go into opposition you must have the
:25:45. > :25:51.same kind of entitlements, speaking rights and research facilities
:25:51. > :25:56.available to oppositions in Dublin, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London. We
:25:56. > :26:00.want the opportunity to change government every few years. In a
:26:00. > :26:06.democracy, the official opposition is afforded the maximum opportunity
:26:06. > :26:13.to scrutinise the Government and offer alternatives. I want a normal
:26:13. > :26:17.democracy for Northern Ireland. I except our particular circumstances
:26:17. > :26:27.which dictate across Coalition community government, which is here
:26:27. > :26:30.
:26:30. > :26:36.I understand that with two big blocks at the heart of government
:26:36. > :26:39.you might argue that is close to what I am calling for but it is not.
:26:39. > :26:47.Because all they do is cancelled each other out without any fear of
:26:47. > :26:51.being replaced. That is what people voted for. And this party needs to
:26:51. > :26:57.respect that and understand that. But we have got a developing
:26:57. > :27:02.opportunity. People want more than a face-off at the heart of our
:27:02. > :27:07.government and the challenge that I had set for the party is, can we
:27:07. > :27:13.persuade people that it is time to stop voting because of what people
:27:13. > :27:23.tell you to be afraid of and it is now time to start voting because of
:27:23. > :27:34.
:27:34. > :27:42.The way forward must involve more than just keeping Sinn Fein happy.
:27:42. > :27:49.Last week's unemployment figures were a disaster and the FG Wilson
:27:49. > :27:52.disaster followed soon after. It is time for a plan B. Everybody will
:27:52. > :27:57.have had the experience or knows somebody that has a terrible
:27:57. > :28:01.feeling of not having any reason to get out of bed in the morning. Tens
:28:01. > :28:07.of thousands of our citizens denied the sense of satisfaction that
:28:07. > :28:13.comes from a good day's work. According to the Labour Force
:28:13. > :28:22.Survey of 2007 when devolution was restored, the unemployed rate was
:28:22. > :28:29.3.7 %. The lowest in the UK. 29,000 people. Five years later, I am
:28:29. > :28:39.afraid to say the rate is 0.2 % higher than the UK average. Lost
:28:39. > :28:43.
:28:43. > :28:47.opportunities. I want the Ulster And how do we do it? When the
:28:47. > :28:54.figures came out, the Federation of Small businesses recorded that 90 %
:28:54. > :28:57.of unemployed people have found work in the private sector since
:28:57. > :29:02.2008 and did that either by starting their own business or
:29:02. > :29:07.joining an existing business. We have got a solution right there. I
:29:07. > :29:13.am not against foreign investment. It is very welcome when it comes.
:29:13. > :29:19.But the fact is that our private sector, it is almost exclusively
:29:19. > :29:28.made up of Micra companies. That is the economic policy. -- small and
:29:28. > :29:38.medium companies. We will be unapologetic way, aggressively and
:29:38. > :29:49.
:29:49. > :29:58.We can have more impact than the current policies of trying to
:29:58. > :30:02.attract additional exports in the next four years. We have got
:30:02. > :30:06.funding worth �3 billion per year for procurement to buy goods and
:30:06. > :30:10.services for hospitals and resources for the public sector. If
:30:10. > :30:15.we were in charge, we would change the process and insure that the
:30:15. > :30:20.indigenous businesses get as much of that as possible. We would stop
:30:20. > :30:24.small businesses looking enviously at what the administrations are
:30:24. > :30:32.doing in Scotland and Wales and the Scots and the Welsh will ask ask,
:30:32. > :30:37.how do you do it? The unemployed in the room and watching will have
:30:37. > :30:45.noted that the current strategy is to cut 25,000 jobs in the next four
:30:45. > :30:50.years. What message does that send out? That this local and devolved
:30:50. > :30:57.government that we fought so hard to achieve cannot help over half of
:30:57. > :31:02.you in the foreseeable future. Not good enough. I offer you seven
:31:02. > :31:12.words to sum up what is wrong with our economy, seven simple words...
:31:12. > :31:18.
:31:18. > :31:23.Not enough finance, too much red We need money flowing again from
:31:23. > :31:27.the banks to the entrepreneurs. This is not a time for the banks to
:31:27. > :31:33.build up asset bases at the expense of the private sector. This is the
:31:33. > :31:37.time to get money flowing. We would not just look to the banks. Pension
:31:37. > :31:42.funds have got a part to play and so has public and private
:31:42. > :31:48.partnerships. We need to use everything that is available to
:31:48. > :31:53.increase access to finance. We have also got time to cut red tape and
:31:53. > :31:59.bureaucracy holding back businesses. If the Ulster Unionists had
:31:59. > :32:04.responsibility for the economy that would be the focus. We have led the
:32:04. > :32:09.charge on corporation tax. It is our idea. We did not claim it would
:32:09. > :32:12.be a silver bullet to the economy but it is a potential gain Changer,
:32:12. > :32:18.particularly in the face of European regulations which will
:32:18. > :32:22.force people to change how it works. The battle for devolving the
:32:22. > :32:29.corporation tax might not be lost. But nobody is arguing that it is
:32:29. > :32:36.going particularly well. I noticed the first and Deputy First Minister
:32:36. > :32:41.his way in Downing Street and again merged -- emerged without agreement.
:32:41. > :32:45.What about focusing on just the small profit rate, the business
:32:45. > :32:49.rate? Give us the power and we will help small businesses by cutting
:32:49. > :32:59.the small profit rate and helping local people continue to do what
:32:59. > :33:06.
:33:06. > :33:12.they do best, investing in and Also, we did not need to reduce the
:33:12. > :33:17.tax in one hit. It can be phased in and Prix advertised to go and
:33:17. > :33:21.attract investment on the ground. - - previously advertised. We have
:33:21. > :33:29.had reports on the discussions with the Treasury and I am not hearing
:33:29. > :33:34.any Plan B. Remember the price is lost opportunities. Creating jobs
:33:34. > :33:38.and more money to spend and fewer people needing welfare. If the
:33:38. > :33:42.problem with the tax is political and not economic, we have got a
:33:43. > :33:46.Plan C. Bring down the small profit rate across the whole of the United
:33:46. > :33:55.Kingdom. Northern Ireland will take a disproportionate advantage from
:33:55. > :33:59.such a move. But whatever happens with the corporation tax
:33:59. > :34:04.discussions between Executive and the Treasury, for the sake of the
:34:04. > :34:10.economy I urge people not to walk away without a commitment to a
:34:10. > :34:16.large scale infrastructure project. Do not leave the table without a
:34:16. > :34:20.commitment to up to �300 million per year as a short term game
:34:20. > :34:30.changer for the construction industry. There is more than one
:34:30. > :34:31.
:34:31. > :34:37.Ulster Unionists have also closed the ridiculous gap between asking
:34:37. > :34:45.for advice from experts and acting upon it. A professor was asked to
:34:45. > :34:49.review economic policy back in September 2009. He looked at a
:34:49. > :34:55.single part of the economy and today, three years later, it still
:34:55. > :34:59.has not happened even though nobody disagrees with his findings. All
:34:59. > :35:09.that is changing is that the dole queue is considerably longer than
:35:09. > :35:10.
:35:10. > :35:13.it was three years ago, with lost Earlier this month, the chair of
:35:13. > :35:19.the economic Advisory Group, set up by the Department of Enterprise,
:35:19. > :35:28.said it was time to hold the Executive potholes feet to the fire.
:35:28. > :35:34.It is time for action and not strategy. -- Executive's. Let's
:35:34. > :35:38.generate apprenticeships. Up to 40,000, according to the department.
:35:38. > :35:45.We need investment and not to have to hand back tens of millions of
:35:45. > :35:50.pounds. It is easy. If you have got a plan A, form a Plan B. Let me
:35:50. > :35:55.assure the farmers in the room, they can rest easy. I can
:35:55. > :35:59.appreciate your contribution to the economy. Constant over 100 years
:35:59. > :36:04.and more. I asked an entrepreneur if there was a limit to how far he
:36:04. > :36:09.could expand his business. He told me about McCain's chips. We have
:36:09. > :36:14.all seen them in all the frozen compartments of supermarkets. The
:36:14. > :36:21.family were farmers in Canada forced by necessity to diversify.
:36:21. > :36:27.To find a market. Today, their annual turnover is measured in
:36:27. > :36:37.billions of dollars. That is the potential for this agricultural
:36:37. > :36:42.
:36:42. > :36:47.And let's think bigger in tourism as well. I acknowledge we have had
:36:47. > :36:54.success from this time. But the fault lines remain. Too many
:36:54. > :37:00.tourists come to this island flying into Dublin instead of Belfast. We
:37:00. > :37:05.would back a route Development Fund. 5 million in three years to look at
:37:05. > :37:10.routes including to the Middle East. We could also claw back for failure
:37:10. > :37:13.to deliver. We would bring a new strand to the industry, human
:37:13. > :37:21.heritage. Celebrating and promoting the incredible number of people in
:37:21. > :37:24.Northern Ireland that have made a global impact. 17 US presidents,
:37:24. > :37:30.their roots can be traced to Northern Ireland. Neil Armstrong,
:37:30. > :37:37.first man on the moon. A philosopher. And for the great
:37:37. > :37:42.summer of sport we have just enjoyed, what about the sports
:37:42. > :37:51.people? George Best, Mike Gibson, Mary Peters and the Olympians and
:37:51. > :37:55.Paralympians? Berry but Wigan, Fred Daly, Darren Clarke. -- Barry
:37:55. > :38:00.McGuigan. The list is not quite endless. But the marketing
:38:00. > :38:07.opportunity is. It is a lost opportunity to market the greatest
:38:07. > :38:17.tourism assets. The Ulster Unionist slogan would not be our place, our
:38:17. > :38:23.
:38:23. > :38:27.time but our place, our time, our By the way, a thought on joined up
:38:27. > :38:31.government which is something that we need to be better at. We are
:38:31. > :38:35.getting major sports teams, they are getting millions of pounds to
:38:36. > :38:40.improve their facilities and that is great, but they will move their
:38:40. > :38:46.headquarters to Windsor Park where a stadium is redeveloped. Why do we
:38:46. > :38:53.not have a look at the current premises? The old home of Thomas
:38:53. > :38:58.Andrews. Look at what we have covered up behind us. It can be
:38:58. > :39:02.part of Titanic Belfast. It can also become the much needed
:39:02. > :39:12.footballer museum that we need to celebrate and commemorate what we
:39:12. > :39:22.
:39:22. > :39:26.Let me turn to the future of the Union. Charles Handy tells a story
:39:26. > :39:32.about a particular type of fraud and that if you put it in a pan of
:39:32. > :39:36.cold water and bring it to the boil, the creature will die because he
:39:36. > :39:41.does not spot that the environment is changing and not in a good way.
:39:41. > :39:45.That is a lesson for Unionism in 2012. Having seen off the threat of
:39:45. > :39:49.Irish nationalism, it would be careless to say the least, to
:39:49. > :39:53.ignore threats emerging from elsewhere. I can give you an
:39:53. > :40:00.example of how the union is changing. In 1939, Neville
:40:00. > :40:06.Chamberlain took the UK to war with Germany. Neville Chamberlain was a
:40:06. > :40:13.Member of Parliament for Birmingham. In 2012, Birmingham and Edgbaston
:40:13. > :40:15.was represented by somebody of German origin. A German-born member
:40:15. > :40:21.of the Labour Party and democratically elected by the
:40:21. > :40:24.people of Birmingham. Nobody saw that coming in 1939. They did not
:40:24. > :40:29.see a situation where the population of England second city
:40:29. > :40:35.would move rapidly to a position where the majority of non-white
:40:35. > :40:37.people would have their roots in other ethnicities and would be
:40:37. > :40:42.comfortable defining themselves as British rather than English. The
:40:42. > :40:47.implications of this environment will evolve as the debate on
:40:47. > :40:50.Scottish independence developed. As good citizens we need to find
:40:50. > :41:00.meaningful ways to engage with that new generation of British
:41:00. > :41:02.citizenship. A generation with whom and military history. People that
:41:02. > :41:07.do not necessarily born with us because of our contribution to the
:41:07. > :41:13.armed forces in the world wars. People that understand little about
:41:13. > :41:19.the Ulster Division's. The 36 Ulster Division was defined by men
:41:19. > :41:24.willing to lay down their lives for Ulster. That was part of their
:41:24. > :41:27.solemn covenant. But in 1912 they had little idea that the
:41:27. > :41:34.environment would change quickly and drastically and that they would
:41:34. > :41:39.end up laying down their leads, fighting alongside so many people
:41:39. > :41:44.in the 16th Irish division. We need to connect with a new generation of
:41:44. > :41:48.Britain. We need to engage with them and tell them our story and
:41:48. > :41:52.understand how they view the Union. And inform them that his party has
:41:52. > :41:56.got more than 100 years in delivering this sort of government
:41:56. > :42:06.that they seek. A government fair, tolerant and respectful of all
:42:06. > :42:12.
:42:12. > :42:17.I was born as a unionist. I remember waiting for the national
:42:17. > :42:21.anthem at the last show of the cinema. I was brought up to believe
:42:21. > :42:27.with the importance of honouring obligations and responsibilities
:42:27. > :42:34.instead of just my rights. Earning money, contributing and not just
:42:34. > :42:42.taking. Republicans tried to brand unionism as reactionary. Not all
:42:42. > :42:47.stay Unionism. It is open, liberal and progressive. -- Ulster Unionism.
:42:47. > :42:54.Let's look back further than 100 years. Look at the values of
:42:54. > :42:59.Frances Hutchinson born in 1864. One of the most forward thinkers in
:43:00. > :43:03.Western civilisation. He promoted the Enlightenment, supported the
:43:03. > :43:10.individual and encouraged the individual to focus on his or her
:43:10. > :43:14.responsibilities as well as their rights. His thinking formed the
:43:14. > :43:20.French Revolution, American independent and the United Irishmen.
:43:20. > :43:26.Andrew Jackson, 7th President of America and one of their most
:43:26. > :43:31.influential. His parents came from Ireland in the 17 60s and he led
:43:31. > :43:36.the drive that brought America the Democratic Party and with it, and
:43:36. > :43:46.end of the elite. It is a political philosophy that I can support.
:43:46. > :43:49.
:43:49. > :43:54.Are want to cover two areas, dealing with the past and education.
:43:54. > :44:00.Both are keys to enable our society to move forward with all boats
:44:00. > :44:04.rising. In education, I believe we have a choice. Allow the debate to
:44:04. > :44:09.stay focused on the contested ground up post primary transferred,
:44:09. > :44:14.or move on to a bigger debate. Some have heard me say in the past, we
:44:14. > :44:18.need to start asking a different question of our children. Instead
:44:18. > :44:24.of asking our intelligence are you? And measuring it in academic
:44:24. > :44:29.ability in English and science, we need to ask in what ways are you
:44:30. > :44:34.intelligent? And in embracing the full range of talents, it is
:44:34. > :44:39.thinking inspired by Professor Ken Robinson in Liverpool. Since I
:44:39. > :44:47.started talking that way, I have heard others using the same phrase,
:44:47. > :44:51.although some substitute the word clever for intelligence. There is
:44:51. > :44:58.more room for agreement than we might think, superficially. You
:44:58. > :45:03.have heard Danny on opposition paper in education. Every year,
:45:03. > :45:09.some children, our children, leave school without basic numeracy and
:45:09. > :45:13.literacy skills. Lost opportunities, conference. How on earth do we
:45:13. > :45:18.expect them to fulfil their potential, get the job they are
:45:18. > :45:23.worthy of, seek the lifestyle of their choice, without the ability
:45:23. > :45:28.to read and write? One small suggestion, there is a scheme we
:45:28. > :45:32.can import from the USA, it is called Baulk buddies. Primary
:45:33. > :45:37.school children spend time with older children, under controlled
:45:37. > :45:47.conditions, they talk and read to youngsters. The outcomes, which are
:45:47. > :45:49.
:45:49. > :45:52.measured up show literacy levels blossom and they have found a new
:45:52. > :46:02.sense of purpose in their lives. It is a winning situation.
:46:02. > :46:07.
:46:07. > :46:12.Ice sends the details to the Education Minister months ago. -- I
:46:12. > :46:22.cent. I am still waiting for a reply. If we have responsibility
:46:22. > :46:23.
:46:23. > :46:28.for education we would look at education. We would argue for funds
:46:28. > :46:35.including the �18 million in the Social Investment Fund and Europe.
:46:35. > :46:37.I don't think anybody takes a university degree and then take a
:46:38. > :46:42.postgraduate certificate in education because they expect after
:46:42. > :46:47.four years in the classroom they can retire as millionaires. They do
:46:47. > :46:52.it because they believe in it. Let us read them up from this
:46:52. > :47:02.increasingly high accountability and notice the environment, let
:47:02. > :47:10.
:47:10. > :47:14.And their teachers teach, and let children learn, not least about who
:47:14. > :47:24.they are and what they might become an do for the new Northern Ireland.
:47:24. > :47:28.
:47:28. > :47:33.The Troubles had caused lost opportunities. With weak are to
:47:33. > :47:38.tackle the issues of the past, we must realise there is much more to
:47:39. > :47:42.the challenge of truth and justice. There are those lost opportunities
:47:42. > :47:46.with education, employment and health, savings and pensions, in
:47:46. > :47:53.short - for quality of life. The legacy of the past is everywhere
:47:53. > :47:59.and it emerges most poisonously in sectarianism. If we are going to
:47:59. > :48:05.deal with sectarianism, we must build a sure -- shared future. It
:48:05. > :48:15.does not mean you have to lose your identity or where you're sports
:48:15. > :48:17.
:48:17. > :48:21.team top to the pub. But it is all team shirts are welcome. It is
:48:21. > :48:26.about generating the spirit of generosity we saw from the Royal
:48:26. > :48:31.Black Institution. It is the spirit of generosity that Cardinal Sean
:48:31. > :48:36.Brady demonstrated when he spoke to us at the Ulster Unionist
:48:36. > :48:42.headquarters. The cardinal chose the Queen and her visit to Dublin
:48:42. > :48:47.as an example of generous, open leadership. That leaves the
:48:47. > :48:51.narrower but important round of truth and justice. What we have yet
:48:51. > :48:58.to agree is what we are trying to achieve and for whose benefit.
:48:58. > :49:04.Currently, we examine specific incidents in forensic detail. We
:49:04. > :49:09.have public inquiries, ombudsman, coroners courts. It adds up to an
:49:09. > :49:15.incomplete and in perfect set of processes. Worse, as the files that
:49:15. > :49:24.get open our state files and the witnesses called 10 to beat state
:49:24. > :49:34.representatives, it is in ballast and often rewriting history, and I
:49:34. > :49:37.
:49:37. > :49:43.say no to that, conference. That is a red line for us. I say, Ulster
:49:43. > :49:53.Unionist Party has no problem saying thank you to the RUC and
:49:53. > :50:04.
:50:04. > :50:14.What ever needed fixing in this country in 1968, or 1969, no one
:50:14. > :50:14.
:50:14. > :50:21.needed to die. The legacy also leaves Republican ex-prisoners at
:50:21. > :50:26.the heart of Government, while the loyalists have left them behind. I
:50:26. > :50:30.will help any ex-prisoner and any associated prisoner group, if they
:50:30. > :50:35.are genuine about using their commitments and energy positively
:50:35. > :50:40.for the benefit of their community. I want the paramilitary groups to
:50:40. > :50:45.go away, and I want ex-prisoner groups to go away to become
:50:45. > :50:50.community groups. I do acknowledge this journey has begun. I question,
:50:50. > :50:54.how healthy is it for someone to define themselves primarily as an
:50:54. > :50:59.ex-prisoner, 18 years after the ceasefires? I want them to tell me
:50:59. > :51:04.what they want to be, not what they were then. I also hear what ex-
:51:04. > :51:07.prisoners say about not being able to go away. Politicians make it
:51:08. > :51:12.commitments in the Belfast Agreement and some linger,
:51:12. > :51:19.unfulfilled in 2012. I promised to work to close the gap and there is
:51:19. > :51:29.a Rover apiece. We must grow the capacity of our community to move
:51:29. > :51:33.
:51:33. > :51:39.So, in conclusion. I am drawn to the words of Isaac Newton, he of
:51:39. > :51:45.the fallen apple. He said, "if I have seen further it is by standing
:51:45. > :51:50.on the shoulders of giants". Next weekend we all have the opportunity
:51:50. > :51:55.to stand on the shoulders of the giants of Unionism. Please do not
:51:55. > :52:02.waste the chance to revisit the thinking of 100 years ago that
:52:02. > :52:12.resonates in Northern Ireland today. So, as I finish, do not applaud me,
:52:12. > :52:13.
:52:13. > :52:19.I applaud the giants who offer us their shoulders. A colossus and
:52:19. > :52:26.efficient Government, and Carson, the leader. Let me repeat his
:52:26. > :52:30.vision, the vision of a Government at Stormont. Let me pitch it as an
:52:30. > :52:36.imitation for the pro-union citizens who currently seek no one
:52:36. > :52:41.or no party to vote for. If this is their vision, then together we can
:52:41. > :52:46.change this Government, change it forecasts and's vision for Stormont
:52:47. > :52:52.to set up a good Government, if their Government and an honest
:52:52. > :52:57.Government. A Government, not for sections or factions, but a
:52:57. > :53:05.Government fall. That was his vision then, that is my vision
:53:05. > :53:15.today. And that is the Ulster Unionists vision, always.
:53:15. > :53:18.
:53:18. > :53:24.Mike Nesbitt's first speech as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.
:53:24. > :53:34.We have lost the applause for a moment or two. His wife embracing
:53:34. > :53:41.
:53:41. > :53:45.him. John McCallister, his deputy applauding. Sir Reg Empey. And
:53:45. > :53:50.obviously the audience pleased with what they heard. Rick Wilford is
:53:50. > :53:55.with me. We will talk over these pictures. He is speaking to people
:53:55. > :54:00.in the audience. The delegates are on their feet. They seem pretty
:54:00. > :54:05.enthusiastic. There wasn't an almost amount of applause to rugby
:54:05. > :54:10.almost 45 minutes he spoke for? you measure his speech by the
:54:10. > :54:16.number of times audience applause enthusiastically, then on that
:54:16. > :54:23.measure it has not been a successful speech. Let's talk to
:54:23. > :54:28.Mark Davenport, your impressions? It was a smooth delivery, as you
:54:28. > :54:34.would expect from a former broadcaster. The question is,
:54:34. > :54:38.whether it impassioned the audience. He sketched out various ideas, but
:54:38. > :54:48.we were looking for the coherence, unique selling point. I'm joined by
:54:48. > :54:48.
:54:48. > :54:52.a couple of Ulster Unionists. It Jim Nicholson, Joy Rolston who was
:54:52. > :54:56.elected last time round. Mike Nesbitt at fell out with Lord
:54:56. > :55:03.Maginnis, what do make of what you heard just now? I think it has been
:55:03. > :55:09.an excellent speech. Tremendous delivery as we would expect from
:55:09. > :55:12.Mike Nesbitt. But it is the content and that it is were not only the
:55:12. > :55:16.Ulster Unionist Party is looking at the past, yes we have been involved
:55:16. > :55:21.in the past, but we are looking for the future because that is the
:55:21. > :55:28.challenge ahead for all of us in politics. We are rolling out a new
:55:28. > :55:35.ideas all the time. Joy Rolston, you still have a long way to go
:55:35. > :55:42.before you clawback from the DUP, the dominant party. Has he got the
:55:42. > :55:45.support? Uley have to listen to the party this morning. Mike is a
:55:45. > :55:48.fantastic leader, he is the leader of the party chose and I have
:55:48. > :55:53.confidence in what he is doing with the party to rebuild the confidence
:55:53. > :56:03.and the confidence of the people. Those are the people we are voting
:56:03. > :56:03.
:56:03. > :56:07.for us. I have all confidence in him. Back to the studio.
:56:07. > :56:11.It is interesting to pick up on what they were saying. Obviously
:56:11. > :56:17.they were pleased, you wouldn't expect them to say anything other
:56:17. > :56:21.than that. What about the Colonel of the policy changes Mike Nesbitt
:56:21. > :56:27.wants to drive through. Was there anything left out from that
:56:27. > :56:32.substantial speech? It was a long speech. Broad sketches rather than
:56:32. > :56:38.detail. But that is fair enough. In terms of the detail we did get, it
:56:38. > :56:43.sounded to me like a man in favour of sound economics, encouraging
:56:43. > :56:48.local business, that will be the saviour of Northern Ireland's
:56:48. > :56:53.economy. He conceded the point on corporation tax, it does not look
:56:53. > :57:02.like it is going anywhere. He has nailed his colours to the mast on
:57:02. > :57:10.that. PCS the solution in small businessmen and women? -- he sees
:57:10. > :57:15.the solution. In France, a century ago, you rely on small businesses,
:57:15. > :57:22.the local manufacturer at the end of the street. That seemed to be
:57:22. > :57:27.his view, you stimulate the local economy by investing in them. We
:57:27. > :57:32.need a bigger vision than that. It is a modest vision, it is rather a
:57:32. > :57:37.parochial vision. The party faithful were leap to their feet
:57:37. > :57:42.and applaud, but is it something that will inspire and motivate? I
:57:42. > :57:46.am not sure about that. Did it surprising he did not talk more
:57:46. > :57:50.about the Department for regional development, which is the Ministry
:57:50. > :58:00.his department controls. He talked about infrastructure and the need
:58:00. > :58:00.
:58:00. > :58:03.for change. But then he went to it to talk about education?
:58:03. > :58:10.thought the regional development minister's Collor would be felt. He
:58:10. > :58:18.did talk about plan B, but regional development is a department, if not
:58:18. > :58:23.the department responsible for infrastructure and Investment. I
:58:23. > :58:32.find that most peculiar. He said he wasn't going to talk a lot about
:58:32. > :58:37.history and 100 years ago, but talk about the future. We had a lot of
:58:37. > :58:42.history? We started with the past, we ended with the past and that
:58:42. > :58:46.contradicted about what he said about the next 100 years. That it