Jan
10
After my mini-rant last month on what I see as a fundamentally broken approach to UK modus operandi it seems logical to follow up on how this wrong should be righted. In fact Cameron has quite admirably sought to bring this ‘limbo’ to a decisive end with his legally binding independence vote. It’s a tactic …
Dec
22
Since David Cameron became Conservative leader in 2005, he’s done a lot of backtracking. Yet one project he’s stuck with through thick and thin: breaking the Conservatives into Northern Irish politics. From employing full-time party staff to negotiating a fragile alliance with the Ulster Unionists, the party has put a lot of work into a …
Dec
13
Continuing OU’s occasional series on the various unionist youth movements in Northern Ireland, we present the Northern Ireland regional branch of Conservative Future. Northern Ireland Conservative Future (NICF) is the organisation for those under the age of 30, and those in institutions of higher/further education, who are members of the Northern Ireland Conservative Party. NICF …
Oct
05
“The Young Unionists invite you to an evening of debate on the merits of formally federating political conservatism across the 4 countries of the United Kingdom. The event is in the context of the current Scottish Conservative Party leadership contest and Murdo Fraser’s proposals to reconstitute the Scottish Conservative Party as a new renamed and …
Oct
04
“This party has to stick together or it is nothing!” Murdo Fraser MSP, being ironic. To my delighted surprise, the hustings was a really good event. Candidates had to outline their vision in short speeches, then take questions, then summate at the end. The candidates drew lots on the speaking order, and Murdo Fraser went first. This …
Oct
03
It was hard enough to achieve Conservative Party organisation in Northern Ireland in the first instance, back in the 1980s. On the ground it might have seemed mad to set up Conservative branches in Northern Ireland at the end of 10 years of Thatcher Government and in the wake of the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Despite the …
Sep
21
CONSERVATIVE FUTURE NORTHERN IRELAND DISCUSS CENTRE RIGHT POLITICS AND THE FUTURE OF NORTHERN IRELAND Next Thursday, Conservative Future Northern Ireland will host an event to discuss the social and political future of Northern Ireland and the place of Conservative and centre-right politics in that future. The meeting will mark the launch of CFNI’s website and …
Sep
18
Murdo Fraser has launched his leadership bid for the Scottish Conservatives by suggesting they disband. The idea is not, as pointed out on ConHome and elsewhere, without precedent. Before 1965 the Unionist Party represented the Conservatives north of the border and were, on national issues, essentially indistinguishable. Nor is the idea without international precedent. The …
Sep
15
I want to use this opportunity to introduce readers to a new organisation, albeit the campaign aims are anything but new, which I hope you can support. I am actively involved with the setting up of a non-profit organisation called One Dynamic Nation, which once established will campaign against Scotland leaving the United Kingdom and …
May
12
Northern Ireland Conservatives have appointed Owen Polley as their new campaign manager. Below is a short interview with Owen on the nature of his role and what he hopes to achieve with the party over the coming months.
Twitter: @openunionism