A Unionist Response to Westminster Fails
Photograph courtesy of A Force For Good 15-6-17.
We ask, "Where does Unionism stand when some occupants of the Westminster Parliament behave badly, or when the Parliament falls short of expectations?"
The SNP and the opponents of the Union often portray Westminster as some kind of den of sleaze and bad behaviour and inept politicians. Of course, it serves their purpose to do so. Mostly their claims are exaggerated, but sometimes they might be exploiting a fair point.
They will always do this. After all, there is not a parliament in the entire world which is made out of "perfect" human beings. We only need to look at Holyrood itself to see the truth of that!
But where does Unionism stand when some Members of the British Parliament behave badly, or when the politicians and Parliament falls short?
This point occurred to us when a journalist in The Times (17-1-22) examined the present state of Westminster and in his opinion he said that it "begs the question of what being a unionist party actually means when Westminster's reputation has been so badly scarred."
Let us give him an answer.
We Hold to the Permanent Things, not the Passing Things
As Unionists, we believe in holding the Union Parliament to high standards.
We certainly want to see politicians and parties performing professionally and competently at Westminster. Naturally, that helps to esteem the UK in its own eyes and in the eyes of the world.
But Unionism – the belief – is not based upon the ever-shifting, ever-changing, good or bad behaviours and performance of particular politicians and parties at Westminster.
If a belief in the United Kingdom had to depend for its existence upon the behaviour of particular politicians and parties from day to day, then the whole idea might have collapsed long ago!
Thankfully it is not dependent upon such random personal or party failings or successes.
Rather, our pro-UK, pro-British position is built on permanent things, not day-to-day passing things.
It is built on first principles!
It is built upon the belief that there is such a thing as the British people, and that there is such a thing as Britain the Nation, and that we have a destiny to be united as a people, and to work together for the good of all.
It is built upon our values of unity and solidarity; it is built upon the belief that we have more in common than what divides us; and it is built upon the belief that it is for our political institutions to reflect that fact – that it makes sense for us to have united political institutions.
The Union Parliament represents those ideals, and so it is our job to constantly hold it, and its occupants to such higher values.
It is for us to help them live up to our ideals; to help them aspire to all that is best about Britain!
We make this point in the above video, excerpted from our weekly show "Good Evening Britain!", broadcast on Wednesday 19 January 2022.
Further Reading
We develop these ideas in our 40-page magazine Do More Together: 102 Ways to Keep the UK United and in our Wee Book for the Union which can be bought together for a discount here, or separately via this page.
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