Ritchie: Time to deliver new era of politics

SDLP Leader Margaret Ritchie has said the upcoming general election is an opportunity for the people of Northern Ireland to dismiss tribal, sectarian politics and embrace a new political era where they seek help on fundamental social issues and their politicians deliver.

Thu 15th April

Ms Ritchie made the keynote speech as the SDLP launched its general election campaign in Belfast on Thursday.

 

The text of her speech is below.

 

Thank you, and thanks to each of you for coming here this morning for the launch of the SDLP Westminster campaign. 

 

Westminster is important. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It sets the total Northern Ireland budget and decides on many other crucial social and economic issues which are not devolved. And it negotiates for us in Europe.

This Westminster election is going to be different from all the ones that have gone before. The global economic and financial crisis and the real consequence of unemployment and hardship means that people are looking to politicians for answers. For help. They want political leaders who can find solutions and deliver outcomes that will allow them to stay in employment and stay in their homes. For firms its about staying in business.

 

That is why those who are offering little more than a reaffirmation of tribal identity are actually missing the point. There is a genuine cry going up in Northern Ireland for new politics – not the outdated sectarian bickering of the past - but politics of consensus-building and partnership focused on problem solving.

And in this election campaign and beyond the SDLP will offer that kind of political leadership.

The politics of the future rather than the politics of the past.

And it is not just that we will fight every constituency with strong candidates and refuse to participate in the sectarian dogfights and sordid deals favoured by others.

It is not just that we will take up the seats the voters entrust to us and work hard for all of the people we represent.

It is new active leadership based on the fact that we have the ideas and the personnel to deliver at Westminster and in any other forum where we have the privilege of representing our people.

I’ll come back to the personnel in a moment – but first to the ideas….

 

There is a dismissive narrative alive and well in the media that the SDLP has either served its purpose or is indistinguishable from its main rival. While this is utter nonsense it is a media paradigm which sometimes results in our ideas going unheard.

So let me spell it out loud and clear: Our job is nowhere near completed:

Yes we secured Civil Rights and Equality; We got the IRA to see the futility of its campaign and yes we got everyone to see that a powersharing devolved Government was essential. All basic SDLP  objectives – all delivered.

But we are now targeting the next set of fundamentals which affect peoples lives. We are going to set the political agenda for the next generation by focusing on creating prosperity, building a Shared Future and planning, credibly, for Irish Unity

And let me spell this one out too – we could not be more different from our political opponents – on these three basic questions of Jobs and the economy, a new reconciled Society and a credible approach to the future politics of the island. The things that really matter to people.

Turning to the Economy first…

We have already shown in devolution that we have stronger ideas for developing our economy – both in the North and throughout the wider island. And clear thinking to bring our region out of recession. But we have bigger plans: we want more economic independence from Britain –  and ultimately our own taxation and welfare regimes. Northern Ireland needs to be able to control more economic levers and retain the gains made through better economic management. We believe in devolution so we want more of it. Broadcasting Telecoms and Fisheries and Pensions too.  

At the same time we want to deepen our North/South economic integration. And get serious about tourism and the green economy as a source of competitive advantage and jobs.

As a first step we will campaign for an all-island independent Environmental Protection Agency and a single all-island Regulator for Energy.  You will see more of our policies at the Westminster manifesto launch next week.

We are brimming over with ideas. The SDLP will show people that we, as modern social democrats, are trailblazers on Jobs and the economy. Our opponents can continue to pursue their outdated economic mix of  begrudgery and class warfare.  

We not only want a strong economy - we also want a strong Society

A Shared Future is a cornerstone of my agenda as Minister for Social Development and a foundation stone for my leadership of the SDLP. The mutual tolerance and co-existence we currently have are just not enough. We will aim higher. Not just by aspiring to genuine sharing and mutual respect, but by applying radical new ideas things happen in Housing, Education, Regeneration, Community Funding and Cultural Expression.

The so called Cohesion, Sharing and Integration strategy cobbled together recently by OFMDFM after three years of bickering is nothing short of an insult to the intelligence. It is the worst policy document I have ever read. It contains no serious or specific proposals whatsoever.

Again the SDLP is brimming over with ideas on building a Shared society. Not least because of the 14 public meetings I held right across the North absorbing the best aspirations and suggestions from people on the ground. 

Again, although most people want a shared Future – our opponents do not even believe in it. Another big difference.

 

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[United Ireland]

The SDLP believes in a United Ireland.  Unambiguously.

We will work every day to lay the foundations upon which a United Ireland can be built – mutual trust, respect and protection for minorities.

We will take our unique ideas for achieving unity to the heart of decision-making in Dublin and London. We will press every party in Westminster to engage around the SDLP’s radical thinking on unity and our work will present people with the first detailed view of what Unity would look like - ever produced.  

 

Further, we will not promise something unrealistic like Irish Unity by 2016, simply because it is the anniversary of the Easter Rising! Unlike others, we will be credible on Irish Unity.

 

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So overall we offer a hugely different approach to politics from that of our opponents. A prosperous increasingly independent economy that lifts the lives and wellbeing of all.  A genuinely shared society And in time, a United Ireland.

We alone can deliver this vision. And Westminster has a key role to play.

We have the people who can turn these ideas into realities. And to do so they will have to be there.

Those who claim that Westminster doesn’t matter or that there is no need to actually be there are simply wrong.

And the living proof is Mark Durkan. He has on numerous occasions made interventions in the Commons that have persuaded or forced the Government to change direction or change the law.

Thousands of Desmonds pensioners in Northern Ireland are better off today because Mark tackled the Government’s legislation in the Commons with a series of amendments – won support for his arguments - and carried the day.

Mark will continue to be an outstanding achiever at Westminster because he is an outstanding politician.

There is no-one of his calibre among his would-be opponents in Foyle and I believe the people of Derry recognise that.

And we can say the same of Alasdair McDonnell in South Belfast. He has served a brilliant first term with some exemplary work on the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee and trojan work on the ground for all of his constituents. He is by far the best candidate in the field. He is a formidable campaigner (no-one knows that better than me!) and I believe he will win.

Modesty forbids that I present my analysis of our offering in South Down – so let me move quickly on to Fermanagh South Tyrone. This is where the new politics faces its sternest test in the presence of a widely held view that the tribal contest is all that matters.

Fearghal McKinney has had the courage and skill to point out the hollowness of this prejudice. And how dare our opponents suggest that Fearghal – again, by far the best candidate in the field – should stand aside to facilitate a sectarian headcount in favour of someone who doesn’t even intend to take their seat.

My message to Fermanagh South Tyrone is move on to the new politics – vote for Fearghal McKinney!

I could tour all the constituencies where we have many more fine candidates but I think I have made my point.

This election is about grown-up, bread and butter politics and coming forward with the ideas that will improve peoples lives in very difficult times.

We will not enter a tribal contest with unionists or a slanging match with other nationalists.

I read in a newspaper yesterday that the President of Sinn Fein had made a speech making unkind references to the SDLP - some 25 times! That’s about one for each year he has been the MP for West Belfast.

I would humbly suggest to him that before he runs up to Derry to pontificate about the SDLP, that he sorts out a few issues in his own back yard. And you people might even some day get round to asking him what exactly he has delivered for West Belfast in the quarter of a century of being the big Boss there.

He can continue to call us names and try to include us in the choreography of his election stunts but we will not be responding in kind.

The SDLP will continue to move forward. No going back. No looking back.

We are standing on our record. Taking our seats. Being where it matters when it matters.

Driving forward our ideas on jobs and the economy; on a shared Future; on Unity.

And delivering for all our people in this new era of politics.

 And always, always ..ahead of our opponents – stronger on jobs and the Economy; genuine about a Shared Future; Credible on Irish Unity.

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