Willie Hay calls for inclusive unionism and says devolution favourable to 'unaccountable' direct rule

The senior DUP politician was speaking during a debate in the British House of Lords on Tuesday.

"As a devolutionist, I want devolved government to succeed in Northern Ireland. I want to see decisions taken on education, health, the economy and many other issues.

"Decisions that impact the lives of people are best taken at local level in Northern Ireland,” he said.

The cross-bench peer decried direct rule, saying it does not work for the people of the North.

"We all know how direct rule worked in the past. We were there. Direct rule Ministers flew into Northern Ireland, flew out of Northern Ireland, and made decisions over the heads of the people of Northern Ireland with no accountability whatever.

"Direct rule did not work and was not best for Northern Ireland. I know from speaking to many Ministers in those days that they really did not want to take the decisions. They were continually saying, ‘These are decisions that should be taken by local Ministers’, and rightly so,” he said.

The former Derry mayor said that if unionism is to prosper in future it must be inclusive.

"For unionism to prosper in the decades to come, it must be inclusive. Unionism must maximise its potential. We can get there by making Northern Ireland work as a full and equal part of this United Kingdom. For Northern Ireland to work, our Government need to work as well.

"The system of devolution in Northern Ireland is far from perfect. In many areas, there needs to be improvement, but it must always be on a basis that can command cross-community support. When they are operational, for all their problems—and there are many problems that this Assembly and Executive are going to have—the Stormont Assembly and Executive are accountable to the people of Northern Ireland.

"They are there to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland. That is an important point. They should now get on with the job and deliver for the people,” he remarked.

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