THE INTERIM leader of the UVF-associated Progressive Unionist Party has said a great deal of work remains to be done in loyalist communities to establish peace and social justice.
Dr John Kyle stepped into the leadership following the sudden and unexpected resignation of East Belfast Assembly member Dawn Purvis, who had succeeded the late David Ervine as leader of the small unionist party.
She quit the leadership following the murder of Shankill Road loyalist Bobby Moffett (43) who was shot dead on May 28th. The PSNI believes elements within the UVF, which is on ceasefire, were behind Mr Moffett’s murder.
Ms Purvis said she could no longer lead the PUP as she was “severely restricted because of its relationship with the UVF”.
Dr Kyle has told The Irish Timesthat her dramatic resignation was unexpected and says he will remain in post until the party's next annual conference, which is scheduled for October.
He said there was no defence for the murder, but added that the PUP project of conflict transformation, community transformation and social justice still needed to be addressed. The conflict had been transformed but the job remained to be completed, he said.
Those requirements were now “greater than they ever were”.
“For most of us, Dawn’s resignation came as a bolt from the blue,” Dr Kyle added. “I certainly didn’t see it coming. I thought the party was going quite well, we had made some significant progress in terms of our supports in working-class areas. We had done some good work, we were highlighting some issues, turning the debate, especially on the loyalist side.
“We were conscious just what a huge amount of work there is to do there. We felt we were beginning to make some inroads. Dawn’s resignation clearly threw everything up in the air and that has given us reason to sit down and take stock.”
Dr Kyle denied his party was in the process of an orderly wind-down. “I think there is clearly a need for [our] project to continue. The dual core goals of social justice and community transformation are still as relevant today as they ever were.”
He said Mr Ervine’s “charismatic presence” had helped bring a focus on the needs of loyalist working-class communities.
“The challenge that faces us is can the current political vehicle – the current party structure – that we are using, achieve those goals. Many of us want it to but some serious questions have been posed and we are now working our way through those.”
Citing the murder of Mr Moffett, Dr Kyle said each member of the Progressive Unionist Party needed to “think their way through” the implications of recent events.
He admitted: “Turbulence is part of politics. A political party has its times of questioning and re-evaluation. This is one of those times for the PUP. It has come through a number of those times in the past.
“David’s death was one of those times. I’m not hopeless as regards the future. I think we have a lot of really good people in the party.”
The loss of the prominence and resources associated with Ms Purvis’s Assembly seat was a problem. “We will now have to look at the whole issues of funding and staffing.”