Lords’ inquiry into health of Union

be an inquiry into the health of the Nation State.

DUP MP, Gregory Campbell, this week also dismissed attempts to change the city’s name as nothing more than “skirmishes around culture and identity issues”.

“Whilst the forces of nationalism have attempted to advance in Scotland, here in Northern Ireland they are struggling, and in Wales they are equally moribund.

Praising the decision to have an enquiry, he said: “The efforts of Lord Lang of Monckton and other members of the House of Lords in establishing a constitutional committee to examine the impact of devolution throughout the UK upon the country is a welcome step. The DUP will seek to put forward a full and active submission of evidence to the committee to aid its work.

The reasons for different attitudes to the Union are wide-ranging and some have little to do with the devolution settlement at all; many are to do with the economy and job creation, and I trust the committee will examine those issues in full.

Turning to the issue of Sinn Fein’s latest bid to change the city’s name to ‘Derry’, Mr Campbell dismissed the Party’s attempts as “skirmishes around culture and identity issues”.

“In Northern Ireland nationalism is fighting a rearguard action,” he said.

“Having lost the battle to dislodge Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom, they now engage in skirmishes around culture and identity issues. We have seen this in the last few days.

“Sinn Fein have once again sought to raise the issue of the name of Londonderry. They know the Londonderry and Strabane council has no authority on the matter, but have decided to raise it anyway.

“They know that the previous Council consulted widely on it and the responses were against the proposed name change.

“It appears that when controversial issues seem to be settled Sinn Fein seek to resurrect them. Such tactics are designed to cover their monumental failures on the constitutional issue and welfare reform. People understand when such tactics are deployed because they show just who won the debate on the future of the country.

“More and more people are happy to support Northern Ireland remaining part of the United Kingdom.

“People recognise that this Nation State, with its status in the world and its contribution to spreading democracy is a construct that is worth keeping, and building on for the future.

“The enemies of the UK in this part of the country recognise that and thus, engage in the sort of Unionist-baiting we have seen in Londonderry recently.

“Our place in the Union is secure and the DUP looks forward to playing its part in establishing further ways of binding the country closer together over the years that lie ahead,” he said.