I would like to give a cautious welcome to the announcement by Jim Allister on Friday that a new Unionist movement has been created.
The charge has been levelled at Mr Allister that the only outcome of any new movement would be the fracturing of the Unionist vote, precipitating an over-representation of Republicans in any future election. However, while this may be a valid reason for concern, I would put forward that a far greater concern for Unionism is that a worryingly large number of Unionists at the last Assembly didn’t even vote at all. Perhaps Jim is correct when he said in his statement on Friday that “many feel they now have no one to vote for”. I would suggest that failing to engage with that problem is what most risks allowing nationalists to gain an upper-hand. If “Traditional Unionist Voice” can succeed in motivating those disillusioned Unionists into re-engaging with politics, then I believe it can only be a good thing. We should not forget either that the disillusionment of which I speak is not only refined to the “lunatic fringe”, but also plagues those who would wish to see politics in this country be based on real issues of policy and good governance, and I await with interest to see if this new movement can successfully embrace those people, who are as equally under-represented by the current arrangement.
Re-enfranchising the disillusioned is something that everyone should be trying to achieve, and in the year ahead, the first in a long time where there isn’t a prospect of an election, it seems the perfect opportunity for politicians to pursue that aim under slightly less pressured conditions. It will no-doubt ensure an interesting new year for Unionism.
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