ANDY Allen spoke for unionism as a whole when he lamented the flying of the flag of Palestine over City Hall.
The East Belfast UUP MLA said: “At a time when people across Belfast are facing real pressures with council services, it is deeply disappointing that some councillors chose to use City Hall to pursue global politics rather than focusing on the job they were elected to do.”
And of course there is a core of an argument there. You don’t have to be Andy to believe that local fora are not the place for international politics. You don’t have to be a unionist to believe that the only cause served by grandiose statements on global matters is that of virtue-signalling.
Sadly, Andy had not consulted with older, wiser heads within his party on the issue of international politics, otherwise he’d have learned that not only is the UUP actually very much in favour of throwing itself headfirst into the roiling waters of foreign affairs, they’re four-square behind making world politics a template for local democracy.
For in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the straight-talking Christian family man/far-right racist demagogue (delete as appropriate), Loyal Ulster’s thoughts on Charlie rang out loud and clear from every true-blue hamlet, village, town and city where men still treasure the cause of freedom; and from every democratic chamber, from the humblest tin-hut gospel hall to the neoclassical splendour of Stormont, God-fearing men stepped forward to add their voices to the chorus of anger and sadness.
I don’t know if Andy knows Robert Carruthers, the East Derry Ulster Unionist Association Chairman, but if he doesn’t it’s time he did. Because Robert has a message for him.
“Humankind was my business,” wails Jacob Marley to Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol as the wretched chain-rattling spectre contemplates the grim undead future he has forged for himself by turning his back on his less fortunate neighbours. “Global politics is not my business,” Andy tells us, but shadow of Robert Carruthers falls across his face as he speaks.
“Whilst Charlie Kirk’s assassination happened many thousands of miles away from Northern Ireland in Utah,” said Robert, “the Christian values for which he died, and especially his love of the concept of freedom of speech, also resonate with many folk here in Northern Ireland.”
And in a passionate rebuke to Andy and his ilk, Robert added: “Sadly, Charlie Kirk may be dead, but we who believe passionately in the ideals which he lived for, and was assassinated for, must ensure his legacy continues to be defended for the sake of the future of democracy especially in Northern Ireland, which has suffered so much from violent terrorism over the generations.”
Perhaps Andy disagrees with Robert. Perhaps Andy doesn’t believe that it is the job of the UUP to defend the legacy of Charlie Kirk for the sake of democracy. Perhaps Andy remains of the opinion that party reps should ignore global affairs and concentrate on matters local. If so, maybe he should let us know. Robert deserves that much at least, doesn’t he?
Which brings me to the TUV and Jim Allister, who more than any other elected rep brings the spirit of the season into politics. That’s the spirit represented by Scrooge’s counting house in the first scene of the Dickens classic. Give Jim a top hat, a big overcoat, fingerless gloves and an ankle-length scarf and central casting’s Christmas worries are over.
But as he warms his fingers by a candle in his Ballymena office this Christmas, Jim’s got a problem he needs to sort out. And that problem is that his two main men are as split on the matter of Gaza as the UUP’s Andy and Robert are.
Councillor Ron McDowell, who’s battling North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston for the role of Jim’s Right-Hand Man, is unequivocal in his determination to keep international matters out of City Hall. Speaking to Mark Carruthers on BBCNI’s The View, Ron said of the division in the chamber over the Palestine flag issue: “It’s causing division over an issue we can’t change, nor can we influence.”
Jim is so convinced in his belief that Belfast City Council can’t change or influence events in Israel-Palestine that he’s just back from a trip to Israel, paid for by Israel. Presumably he was there to tell the Israelis, “Sorry lads, I can’t change or influence your issue, so don’t be inviting me back again.”
More perplexing, however, even than Ron going to Israel to sort out an issue he says he admits he can’t change or influence is the TUV man’s position on the Charlie Kirk thing. Not only was Ron a big fan of Kirk, he told a rally outside City Hall shortly after the shooting that “his cause was our cause”.
“People ask why would an American so many miles away resonate with us?” Ron added. “Well, unfortunately, we live in a day of global politics.”
So let’s see here. Ron’s all for global politics when it means a trip to the Middle East paid for by Israel. But he’s not so hot on global politics when people show an interest in Gaza. Ron’s for global politics when it comes to a public show of grief and support for a bloke who got killed in America. But he’s rather cooler on global politics when it comes to others making a public show of grief and support for tens of thousands of people who got killed in Gaza.
Ron McDowell’s not the only elected rep in the TUV who disagrees with Ron McDowell about Loyal Ulster being powerless in relation to global affairs. Timothy Gaston’s so thumpingly in favour of matters foreign being brought into the chamber that he took full advantage of Assembly standing order 24 to get Speaker Edwin Poots to agree to let him make a passionate and moving statement on the death of Charlie in the Stormont chamber.
Put down that quill and sort these people out, Jim, for god’s sake.
The DUP, meanwhile, has maintained a refreshing clarity on the Gaza issues, adhering rigidly to the line espoused by the party leader on Belfast City Council that getting mired in international divisions brings the risk of deepening divisions here.
"Belfast City Hall represents everyone in our city,” said Cllr Sarah Bunting. “Flying the Palestinian flag would draw us into a deeply contested international conflict and risk creating further division here at home."
That clear and simple statement has won the support of everyone in the party, with just a few awkward exceptions.
Jonathan Buckley, currently in a fight to the death with the UUP’s Jon Burrows for the title of Most Likely to Eat Himself if He Were an Apple, took to his feet in the Assembly chamber to take Sarah to task. In an impassioned assertion of the need to draw ourselves into the deeply contested international matters that Sarah is urging him to avoid, Jonathan took to Facebook to pay a filmed tribute to Charlie, refusing to be silenced even when somebody out of shot refused to stop playing the piano.
TRIBUTE: Jonathan Buckley made an emotional speech after the death of Charlie Kirk
“May Charlie’s legacy endure,” said Jonathan, his voice quivering with emotion. “May it ignite a bold courage in the hearts of those he inspired. And may we honour him, not be retreating into silence, but by speaking truth with even greater clarity and strength than before. There is no better way to honour this extraordinary life. Thank you, Charlie Kirk.”
Worrying enough that Jonathan – a bloke unencumbered with the weight of high office – should part company with Sarah on the need to keep it local. But when the Education Minister departs from the Belfast line too to throw himself head-first into international politics then trouble’s afoot.
“To those of the next generation,” said Paul Givan, “may his [Charlie Kirk’s] spirit and endeavour and fearless approach live on as we take forward the cause that we shared with Charlie Kirk.”
Good grief. There’s the Education Minister not only disagreeing with Belfast City Hall Command when they order that international conflicts are off-limits, here’s the man in charge of our schools making common cause with a poster boy of the American right.
Could have been worse, I suppose. Paul could have gone to Israel with Ron.
No, wait...
