A founding member of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and leading evangelical Protestant has said there is an “inevitability” about some form of Irish unity and that unionism needs to “talk to people” about it.
Wallace Thompson, a fervent supporter of the late Rev Ian Paisley and member of the independent Orange Order, has described unionism as a philosophy that was “probably always in many ways doomed” because of “Ireland’s nature, the fact that the north was carved off from the south”.
A former special adviser to DUP MP Nigel Dodds and NIO civil servant who drafted a key speech for the Queen in 2000 when she awarded the George Cross to the RUC, Mr Thompson said he is aware of unionists thinking privately about the possibility of a united Ireland “but there are so few people willing to say that publicly”.
In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, the 70-year-old warned of unionism “closing our eyes and pretending there’s no problem. This is the problem with unionism – we’re in denial; constant denial”.
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He expressed his willingness to talk with groups such as the civic pro-unity organisation Ireland’s Future.
“There’s an inevitability in my mind that we are moving towards some form of new Ireland. Hopefully, new and not absorption ... but we need to ask the questions and we need to ask for answers and we need to talk to people,” he said.
“That shouldn’t mean then you’re thinking that we’re suddenly going down that road. We might not. We might decide [based on] all the evidence that we don’t want to go down that road.
“To talk to these groups that are calling for a new Ireland to me is not an indication of weakness; it’s an indication of strength.”
Political commentator Alex Kane said Mr Thompson’s comments are important given the high regard in which he is held within senior DUP ranks and the influential role he once played in the party.
“He isn’t a household name in certain unionist circles but all those who know Wallace will know that this is someone who ‘thinks through’, he doesn’t just leap to conclusions. He’s not knee jerk. Certainly the ‘big beasts’ of the party, like Nigel Dodds and Sammy Wilson, will not dismiss him.
“Wallace was someone who stood shoulder to shoulder with Paisley and his advice was sought at the time when the DUP was considering going into government with Sinn Féin in 2007 – which was a much more difficult decision back then than the decision they have now.
“Sometimes he will say things that will make life a little uncomfortable for his friends. I wasn’t entirely surprised by the comments [on Irish unity] as he’s said things in the past which show he’s thinking about the future, where Northern Ireland will be and particularly where unionism will be.”
Mr Kane, a former director of communications for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), said he supports Mr Thompson’s view that unionists need to have discussions about how Irish unity will affect them.
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“The notion that you don’t talk about a united Ireland is just plain stupid ... and even if unionism sees it as some sign of weakness to talk to others about it, at least unionism should talk to itself. What would we do? And what happens if we lose this and we lose that?,” he added.
“The only people who will criticise Wallace are the people who criticise everyone. But there are people in the party who respect him, they won’t regard his views as piffle.”
