THE DUP Assembly group yesterday endorsed First Minister Peter Robinson to remain as party leader.
The future of Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Sir Reg Empey remains decidedly precarious, however, with a party executive meeting called for next Saturday to discuss his future.
DUP Assembly members by acclamation and applause made clear at Stormont yesterday that the political future of Mr Robinson, despite losing East Belfast to Naomi Long of Alliance in the Westminster election, is solely for him to determine.
With the British Labour Party now in talks with the Liberal Democrats and Gordon Brown preparing to stand down it is also clear that Northern Ireland MPs could have a pivotal role in any Labour-Lib Dem pact.
Mr Robinson by remaining as DUP leader and First Minister would be central to any such discussions. He and other senior DUP members have stated they would have no “ideological” problem with dealing with Labour “if it were in the interests of NI”.
Mr Robinson was applauded by his colleagues at the Assembly group meeting yesterday. In a “unanimously agreed” statement issued after the meeting the DUP MLAs said they wanted to dismiss “idle speculation” about Mr Robinson’s future.
The team focused on the fact that the DUP held eight of its nine seats on a strategy of supporting devolution devised and driven by the First Minister.
“DUP Assembly members stand four-square behind our party leader, Peter Robinson. Peter is the architect of the party’s remarkable victory in the general election. Peter Robinson’s strategic vision and strong leadership is reflected in the renewed and strengthened mandate the DUP has received from the unionist electorate,” they said. “Peter Robinson is the foremost strategist within unionist politics and he has shown true leadership as the First Minister of Northern Ireland. He retains the full support of his friends and colleagues as we continue our project to keep Northern Ireland moving forward.”
DUP Minister for Finance Sammy Wilson said that while Mr Robinson had “personal difficulties in East Belfast as party leader he has successfully taken the party through what was supposed to be a difficult election for us and we have come out relatively unscathed”.
Mr Wilson added: “We have seen off our rivals. The TUV is now imploding. The Ulster Unionist Party is left without an MP.”
Asked would Mr Robinson lead the DUP into next May’s Assembly elections, he replied, “I think he will.” Mr Wilson also indicated Mr Robinson would be central in further likely negotiations between the DUP and the UUP over a possibly realignment of unionism ahead of the Assembly elections to try to stop Sinn Féin winning most seats, and therefore being in line for the First Minister post.
Sir Reg Empey met his Assembly team yesterday to discuss how the alliance with the British Conservatives through Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force failed to win a single House of Commons seat.
While there were no calls for his resignation there was a growing consensus among party members at Stormont that Sir Reg is likely to stand down. The Assembly group decided to hold a special meeting of the UUP’s 110-member executive on Saturday which will examine how the party can proceed.
No one has so far put himself or herself forward as a leadership contender although the main names in the frame at the moment are deputy leader Danny Kennedy, Minister for Health Michael McGimpsey, Fermanagh MLA Tom Elliott, and Lagan Valley MLA Basil McCrea.
Any leadership contest would likely to be fought on whether the UUP should seek some form of realignment with the DUP, with Mr Kennedy and Mr Elliott viewed as sympathetic to the idea and Mr McGimpsey and Mr McCrea opposed. Whether to continue or ditch the link-up with the Tories also would be a key issue.