Mr Chairman, colleagues, friends
Thank you for your warm welcome.
And thank you, Joanne for your kind introduction.
A constituency colleague, when I first met Joanne, she was the Mayor in these parts. Now, having served what seemed like a political epoch on the Policing Board, she is the sheriff!
Joanne is the Chair of the Justice committee at the Northern Ireland Assembly and has already been recognised for her scrupulous ability to grasp the detail, read everything but distil it down to what matters most.
Thank you, Joanne.
Almost ten years ago, not knowing that the next decade would bring seismic change to our country, I stood on this conference platform and asked you to trust me to regain East Belfast. I committed to serving my constituents, this party and our cause.
Representing my community; where I grew up, was educated, live and now raising our family isn’t a job or a sacrifice, it is an unbridled privilege grounded in one thing above all else. Service.
As a party, we lead to serve. And we serve to lead.
As your leader, in this my first leader’s speech, my commitment to you will be service ever; honesty and an up-front pledge to act to better the cause of the people we serve.
Like you, I believe in Northern Ireland, its people and this place.
We believe in the Union.
In serving our people, we will lead. And through our Leadership, will we serve all in Northern Ireland, building our Province and strengthening the bonds and ties within our United Kingdom.
Today, I want to thank you, our faithful and servant hearted membership for the privilege of leadership. Titles evolve, positions change but my commitment to you is undiminished.
Though I lead. I serve. I serve today, with a plan to chart a path for a stronger tomorrow.
I am optimistic for the future.
I know that if we harness the talent of its people Northern Ireland is one of the best places in the world to live, work and enjoy all this place has to offer.
Our challenge is to build for the future in a fair and equitable way that rewards effort and work yet recognises that Government intervention cannot solve every problem that arises.
Conference, when we meet together it offers a chance to gather and showcase our talent, to share our vision, and to set out our objectives for the year ahead.
But it also offers a time to reflect. The last six months have been difficult and challenging.
We don’t choose the challenges we face, but we do choose how we approach them.
As your new leader, I have been profoundly encouraged by the strength of good will and support within our party and community.
Both Lindsay and I want to thank all my colleagues for the support and inspiration they have been to us as I have taken up the mantle of leadership of this party.
I am humbled and privileged in equal measure to be your leader and collectively we will work tirelessly to build upon the support we secured from over 172,000 people in the General Election.
The unity of message and purpose displayed during the campaign was clear for all to see.
Whilst we secured victory in five constituencies, we suffered a difficult night at the election and we will learn and rebuild from that. I’m delighted that Carla, Jim, Sammy and Gregory are all at Westminster and are actively speaking up for their constituents as well as campaigning for Northern Ireland on the issues that matter most.
We were deeply disappointed that Ian and Paul were not re-elected in North Antrim and South Antrim and I want to put on record our collective appreciation to each of them, and their families, for their steadfast service to their constituencies and Northern Ireland. Both have given their all to public service and I know that they will continue to do what they can to champion Northern Ireland’s cause.
I also want to thank Jonathan Buckley for his campaign efforts in Lagan Valley. Jonathan stepped up for the party valiantly and campaigned energetically in Lagan Valley. From a standing start, we couldn’t have asked more from him. In football terms, he was on loan but remains very much a part of our Stormont team and as he said, is building for the future.
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To all of our voters, our candidates and their families, our activists and our wider support network I put on record my deep appreciation and thanks for their mighty efforts and sacrifice during the election campaign.
In the months ahead I will be active in listening as we work to re-engage with communities across Northern Ireland. Our party has prided itself on being on the ground and delivering, and in the coming months we will be engaging with our communities in every part of Northern Ireland as part of a new approach under my leadership.
I am determined that in the remaining months of 2024 you will see that with a new leader there will be a new approach, both internally and externally, as to how we do our business which will be people-centred and focused on getting outcomes that better the lives of all our people.
Although the next electoral test is some two and a half years away, we must use the season ahead wisely.
What we plant now, we must be ready to harvest, not for ourselves, but for Northern Ireland.
The work has already started and will continue in the weeks ahead.
If the message of Easter reminds us of anything, it’s that the darkness of Good Friday has passed; we won’t live in the shadows of yesterday but walk in the light of today and for the hope of tomorrow.
Today, our conference programme has been brimming with hope and optimism for our future.
With renewed vigour, our colleagues are building on the strong foundations laid over the last five decades.
In every constituency across Northern Ireland, our community champions, be they activists, Councillors, MLAs or MPs are drawn from their communities. They are of the people and for the people.
Comforting at times of tragedy, nurturing and developing positivity from the ground up and creating the conditions for success; we help to build our community and see it flourish.
Over the last number of months, I have visited colleagues and communities across Northern Ireland. What I find is an ambition for the future.
We should not be afraid to make Northern Ireland work. Indeed, it is imperative to our success.
No one today questions the decision to return to working institutions in Northern Ireland. The ability to deliver for the people we are proud to represent is an essential component to building a broader recognition that Northern Ireland works for you, works for your family and works for your community.
Of course there will always be pressures. So too, a desire to do more, more quickly and frustrations aplenty when that does not or cannot occur.
But as the party for Northern Ireland, comprised of people who believe in Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom, we will never simply stuff our hands in our pockets and look the other way.
This Party has always stood firm when required and fought for a better way. We have been prepared to take the short-term pain when we know where we are going and how we will get there.
It is easy to highlight problems. Politics is littered with vain glorious attempts to howl in wind hoping for a different dawn.
We don’t merely highlight problems; we work night and day to resolve them.
When some spend their time walking away and others don’t even bother to turn up, this party has put in the hard yards.
Earlier this year when we took the decision to participate in a reformed Government in Northern Ireland, we did so on the basis of the progress achieved. We knew – and were open – that it didn’t solve all the problems that befell us.
But we knew, that after 2 years of negotiation, it wasn’t possible to secure more with a government in its dying days.
We knew too, that with the likely prospect of a Labour Government in the coming months, any negotiation was not going to get better. In fact, it may have been worse.
Yes, there were some in the wider unionist family who wanted to leave all power in Westminster, with the very same people who’d let Northern Ireland down so badly.
But we knew that the cost and consequence of having no working Assembly was impacting on people in every part of Northern Ireland and our ability to take decisions locally in the best interests of Northern Ireland.
We now have a Labour Government with a historic majority. They have the strength and space to make significant and strategic change across the UK. They have the numbers and they have the power.
Regrettably, if the first two months of their tenure has shown us anything, it’s that such strength won’t always be used for good.
They had the power to protect pensioners, yet they choose to pick their pockets instead. *
They had the power to develop and enhance City Deals that we, as a party secured, yet they threw them into jeopardy.
They had the power to treat victims equally and fairly; to satisfy the pain-filled quest for truth and justice, yet they prioritised one family over the graves of many others.
For decades, we’ve suffered the lofty association between Labour and Northern Ireland; how they, unlike their rivals, basked in the glory of political progress and suggested that they, above all others, got it.
How they understood our dynamic, the need to nurture and the consequence of failure.
Hilary Benn is an honourable man. We welcome him to Northern Ireland and will work with him but if the last week has taught him anything, it’s that strength of numbers, even mixed with a dose of goodwill, is not enough.
And he has a huge task before him. A party of public service, they need to build upon the unquestioned need to rebalance Northern Irelands public finances.
They need to grasp that political progress will be maintained, when we can positively and productively impact the lives of those around us.
They complain about a £22 billion black hole, yet rarely do you hear them talk of their £25 billion splurge since coming to office.
And they need to recognise the basis upon which progress has been made in Northern Ireland.
The previous Government’s Safeguarding the Union paper represented progress to address the barriers imposed between Northern Ireland and* the rest of our country. It built upon the Windsor Framework that challenged the constitutionally outrageous Protocol and injected democratic scrutiny.
That paper did not secure all of our negotiating objectives and did not remedy a number of the long-term problems born out of the Protocol. It did however contain some important gains which were worthy of banking, including amongst other things Parliament legislating to ensure mutual recognition of standards on goods through a goods guarantee across the whole of the United Kingdom, and the creation of the UK East West Council.
The Secretary of State Hilary Benn and Labour, when in opposition, supported Safeguarding the Union. They understood the importance of it and the progress achieved.
Following the election they now have a responsibility to deliver on the commitments as set out.
We welcome the announcements in recent days by the Secretary of State to establish the Independent Monitoring Panel and Intertrade UK as set out in Safeguarding the Union.
This week, the Secretary of State also announced a delay on parcels and customs.
Taking the time necessary to honour our agreement in a way that works for industry is one thing, but on the commitments themselves, we won’t be renegotiating our position.
At every turn, we have worked to repair the harm and been prepared to bank the gains. but for us the work continues.
Going forward we will continue to campaign and building on the progress to date, we will continue to fight to fully restore Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom, including removing the* application of EU law in our country and the internal Irish Sea border it has created.
We will continue to argue the case for the full primacy of the United Kingdom internal market and we will continue to reject the undermining of its integrity.
The Government’s stated objective is to reach a new overarching agreement with the EU for the entirely of the United Kingdom.
They state that will make life easier for trade within the UK and the truth is, yes, it could.
We will not be passive in our approach to those plans as they progress and for us our guiding principle will be to view all these issues through the prism of how it assists to get rid of the remaining barriers to trade within the United Kingdom.
Whilst some will hold out the hope that a “reset of relations” between a new Government and a new European Commission may herald all the answers, I urge a degree of caution.
Any potential agreement won’t come quickly and any negotiation could take another two years or more to conclude.
It is not clear what the Government actually wants to secure or indeed how any agreement if reached would address the constitutionally improper division within our country.
Resetting relationships with the EU is laudable in itself but it cannot be an excuse for causing harm within our own country or a substitute for taking no action on the ongoing issues of concern.
Later this Autumn as part of the Northern Ireland Assembly vote on the current arrangements we will vote against their continued application. *
That shouldn’t be a surprise.
I expect all Assembly members from other Pro-Union parties who value the Union to join with us and do likewise.
As a consequence of the failures and folly of then Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the Assembly vote has been deliberately designed to drive a coach and horses through the cross-community consent principle which has been at the very heart of all political progress in Northern Ireland.
The basis of the Belfast Agreement and all subsequent agreements, has been the requirement for significant decisions to command the support of both communities in Northern Ireland.
Oh, how we were lectured about the importance of these measures to safeguard the Belfast Agreement, yet this forthcoming vote will ignore the fundamental tenant of consent.
It is an aversion to the protections attached to every other issue of significance at Stormont. Drawing upon the new mechanisms at our disposal we will continue our campaign through the inbuilt review which will be triggered immediately thereafter.
Mr Chairman, fellow members, the list of challenges before the Northern Ireland Executive isn’t short.
Its ability to deliver shouldn’t be tempered by a lack of ambition but it will be constrained until financial stability is achieved. As our panel discussion demonstrated, delivery will be the focus of the DUP members of the Executive.
I’m incredibly proud of our team. They have played a key role in providing leadership and taking decisions that have benefitted everyone.
As Deputy First Minister, Emma is confidently and passionately leading from the front. Respected and valued throughout our community, she has not only the vision and ability to lead but the resolve to do so when the going gets tough. Ably supported in the Executive Office by Pam Cameron, they are providing critical input at this time.
Paul, ably supported by Diane Forsythe, has approached the Education brief with a determination to get things done. He inherited a number of long-running strikes and disputes, but has resolved them in the interests of teachers, support staff and children.
Seized with the importance of our manifesto commitment to deliver on childcare, our team have advanced a new scheme of support across Northern Ireland that is already making a material difference to young families and their finances. 11,500 families, receiving £133 off their bill each month as a result of the DUP honouring their commitment and delivering for them.
Gordon, ably supported by Stephen Dunne, has advanced the same sense of purpose since he arrived as Minister at the Department of Communities. There has been a lot of focus in recent days on one stadium but thank you Gordon for finally advancing the sub-regional stadia strategy for football.
A commitment that was suppressed politically for years, it is now advancing as a result of the DUP honouring their commitment and delivering for clubs throughout Northern Ireland.
And there is plenty to do.
As representatives, we need to be honouring the trust placed in us and responding in kind. *
Without losing focus on our core objectives, we need to deliver for Northern Ireland.
Across our Assembly team every MLA is working hard and each one of them is valued as part of a team effort to deliver on our promises to the people of Northern Ireland.
As leader of the Party, I value the work of all our representatives, from our experienced members who represent us in the Lords, our elected team in London and Belfast, our Councillors - who work across Northern Ireland making the case for the people they represent and our collective staff teams who support us all.
Many members – one team.
We have the talent, breadth, and depth to deliver for Northern Ireland. From macro constitutional considerations to the day-to-day delivery, for families, we are committed to making Northern Ireland work.
As a showcase, today’s proceedings not only display our determination, but our focus on building for the future.
This platform has displayed a renewed, refreshed and reinvigorated team for the future. Jonny, Keith, Carla, Diane, Cheryl and Deborah have all demonstrated their insight and resolve to deliver for you.
Cheryl has shown from a standing start that when you believe in your community and are supported by our colleagues, you can and will achieve great things. Her humility masks an inner strength and determination that is recognised in Carrickfergus and will only grow in the time to come.
Anyhow who knows Diane Dodds knows she has the experience to speak powerfully and purposefully on Health.
Whether it is delivering on Begoa, wider reforms, tackling waiting lists or support for mental health, it’s a massive brief. We all need to put our shoulder to the wheel to see our NHS fixed in Northern Ireland and to deliver help for people who need our NHS. We will both challenge when needed and work collaboratively to secure health improvements.
Diane’s decades of knowledge and public service will stand us in good stead in the challenging times ahead.
Deborah Erskine has quickly established herself as a thoughtful committee chair on Infrastructure, a regular Assembly debater and a champion for the West. When she speaks of the need for investment, she knows that our Province isn’t confined to Belfast’s outer ring. She will continue to highlight and deliver for our communities across Northern Ireland.
Carla is a key member of our Westminster team. Building on her tremendous success in General Election, Carla campaigns vigorously for Northern Ireland at Westminster. She confidently represents our wider interest and is a true champion for her constituents as well as our farmers and wider agriculture sector.
At Westminster, we are proud to stand up for Northern Ireland. Whether its Northern Ireland’s inclusion in the Horizon scandal, pursuit of the share prosperity fund, standing up for victims, building our defence industry or supporting our public finances, we have led where others continue to follow.
At home or abroad, we proudly support and champion the cause of our armed forces. We will not allow a rewriting of the past in Northern Ireland and will honour those who honoured and served us.
Today we put on record our thanks to Danny Kinahan for his time as Veterans Commissioner in Northern Ireland.
Veterans throughout Northern Ireland and our party’s Veterans champions in local councils recognise the commitment he displayed during his tenure. A stoic voice, he has rightly highlighted the challenges any successor will face. They will have our support.
Internationally, we won’t shirk in our support for Ukraine.
I visited Ukraine following Russia’s egregious invasion; my colleagues and I have been formally and personally sanctioned by Putin but for our part, our resolve in the face of terrorism and tyranny will never wane.
In two weeks’ time, we will pause to mark one year since the Hamas atrocities in Israel.
Peace in the Middle East is essential, the hostages must be released and calm must be restored in Gaza and the wider region. We have no apology to make for standing with Israel, her right to exist or indeed, the right of our Jewish neighbours in Northern Ireland to live free from the fear of anti Semitism.
Closer to home, this summer showed clearly how stretched the PSNI is. They shouldn’t have had to rely on Police Scotland, but with limited numbers and strained capacity it was unquestionably necessary.
But let me make this clear. It was only necessary because of the stain of on-street violence. The spill over of tensions from mainland Great Britain were unwelcome and they were wrong. When engaged in violence, you lose the right to raise concerns.
The legitimate issues around illegal migration needs to be debated and a UK-wide solution found. I will raise those issues without fear or favour…. but what I won’t do is provide cover for base racism or violence.
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I reel against people at home who talk sweepingly about seeking a shared future but what they really mean is only offering someone like me a future if I share their view. That’s not acceptable. But we can’t expect respect for our view if we offer none in return.
As someone who supports and promotes our country, I am pleased that it is attractive and if someone wishes to come here lawfully and, in many cases, provide vital support to our public services, then not only should we welcome them, we should sign them up.
No one, least of all care workers, nurses or doctors who contribute to our society should feel fear from those who believe in this country. The hallmark of the Union is its rich tapestry and its salvation will be found in its strength of diversity. Following a challenging summer, it’s our job to show leadership and get this right.
Conference, we support Chief Constable Jon Boucher in his quest to advocate for the PSNI and the need for additional funding.
PSNI numbers are too low. We believe a fully resourced police service is essential to fighting crime and preventing harm in Northern Ireland.
It was appalling that in simply stating the obvious, the Chief Constable was slapped down in such a public way for seeking to raise legitimate issues with the Prime Minister. Thank goodness our Chief Constable is neither meek nor mild. Thank goodness he is prepared to do what is required to keep us safe.
The Chief Constable needs to recruit to stabilize his service. He wants to have the resource to smash the resolve of paramilitaries and the national security threat from dissident republicans. In those tasks, he will have our full support as a party; and in the Executive.
Since the summer, I have taken time with our MPs and MLAs to outline how we will advance as a party. Many of you have noticed, visibly, the enhanced willingness to speak up and stand up for our party, our people and Northern Ireland.
Our eagerness to deliver. Our willingness to engage.
Structurally, I will be driving change on how we operate and support one another. With a newly created Director of Party Development, Keith Buchannan, who brings a laser-sharp organisational focus, will work with us to deliver reinvigorated Associations, our Young Democrats and Councillors Association reformed and a campaigning spirit revitalised.
With your support, I will continue to build and re-new our party, our structures and our purpose.
We will do it, not for the sake of it, but because the task before us, isn’t simply mine or for any one of us. It rests with all of us. The DUP. Where it is appropriate, we will engage with and co-operate with fellow Unionists both inside and outside other parties. We should never believe we ourselves have a monopoly on wisdom or ideas.
I hope that discussions with Mike, Jim and Russell will prove more productive than what went before.
Pro-Union voters demonstrated in North Down what is possible and we look forward to continuing to co-operate with the Independent Member of Parliament Alex Easton.
The story could have been different in Fermanagh South Tyrone with an agreed candidate and in Lagan Valley, 29,000 pro Union votes were defeated by division.
This need not be the case.
For too long, too many within unionism have thrived on attacking one another. Let me say very clearly, I am not interested. Our electorate is not interested
For our part I am not prepared to be part of a cycle of Pro-Union in-fighting between people who should be working together and who say they share the same goal.
In councils throughout Northern Ireland, you can see and feel the cost of dividing our number.
In the Assembly and the Executive, it is much more pronounced. And we have the opportunity to reverse that.
The season before us is unique. The opportunity is great. But hope alone won’t secure it. Action is hope. There is no hope without action.
So, my challenge to you is this;
Are you ready for a new vision and a new way?
Do you recognise the need for delivery?
Do you have an ambition to build Northern Ireland for the next generation?
We have the opportunity to honour the legacy we were given and secure a better future for all our people;
And if we don’t grasp this moment then who will?
Together we stand for Northern Ireland, we stand for the Union, we stand for People.
Join with me and together we can, and will, make a real difference for our people, our communities and our Union
Thank You.