James Brokenshire, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, speaking today (Tuesday) at the Conservative Party Conference at The ICC, Birmingham, set out his political stall on how he envisioned Northern Ireland to move forward.
He said: “It’s a huge privilege to serve as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. And one of the reasons for that is because … as all of us in the Conservative Party appreciate Northern Ireland is such a very special part of our United Kingdom.
“It’s a great place to live, to work, to visit, to invest and to do business … and as Secretary of State I will never tire of talking up Northern Ireland as a place of opportunity.
“And in doing so I am fortunate to have a great team … my ministers Kris Hopkins and Lord Dunlop, our whip, Steve Brine, and my PPS Oliver Colville.
“As this Conservative Government strives to build a country that works for everyone … I’m committed to building a Northern Ireland that works for everyone.
“That means building a stronger economy … as the foundation for hope, aspiration and all that we seek to achieve.
“And as a result of the tough decisions we’ve taken, the Northern Ireland economy continues to recover from the disastrous condition we inherited from Labour.
“Employment is up 55,000 since 2010 … while unemployment is down by over 40 per cent from its peak.
“We’ve cut income tax for over 700,000 people and taken 110,000 of the lowest paid out of tax altogether.
“And Northern Ireland remains one of the most popular destinations in the UK for foreign direct investment outside of London.
“That’s Conservative action delivering positive results for Northern Ireland. But we know there’s more to do.
“hat’s why … in line with the requirements on financial stability that we have set out … we remain fully committed to the devolution of corporation tax powers to the Northern Ireland Executive …
“And why we will be championing Northern Ireland as a great place to do business.
“This requires stable political institutions. Today I can report that under a Conservative Government Northern Ireland is enjoying the longest run of unbroken devolved government since the 1960’s.
“That hasn’t always been easy … and let me here pay tribute to my predecessor Theresa Villiers who secured both the Stormont House and Fresh Start agreements that prevented the likely collapse of devolution.
“She left Northern Ireland stronger and more stable … and we in this party owe Theresa a tremendous debt of gratitude.
“So this Government will take no risks with that hard won political stability … and will stand faithfully by the agreements that have helped to bring it about.
“We will also continue to discharge our responsibility to keep people safe and secure … tackling the threat from terrorism and working to rid society of the scourge of paramilitarism.
“That’s why we will continue to give the fullest possible support to the brave men and women of the
“Police Service of Northern Ireland and our security services who do such an amazing job. And it includes our prison officers who also work under constant threat … as we saw tragically in March with the murder of Adrian Ismay.
“Our clear message to those terrorists who continue to pursue their objectives by the bullet and the bomb is clear … you will never succeed.
“Northern Ireland’s future will only ever be determined by democracy and consent … never by violence.
“Tackling paramilitary groups remains a key part of this agenda.
“I realise that this is easier said than done … and these groups use intimidation, control and paramilitary labels to instil fear and line their own pockets.
“But let’s be clear about our objective. There was never any justification for these groups in the past. There is none today.
“We need a concerted effort across society to put them out of business for good. We also need to provide better outcomes for victims and survivors of the Troubles.
“They are the people who suffered most and we have a duty to support them. Our manifesto committed us to delivering the Stormont House Agreement including the new bodies designed to address legacy issues.
“We’ve made good progress on the detailed work required to do that. But let me be clear. There will be no amnesties.
“Their work will be fair, balanced and proportionate.
“And we Conservatives will never be party to any re-write of history that seeks to legitimise terrorism … or undermines the vital contribution to peace made by our brave soldiers and police officers.
“Building a Northern Ireland that works for everyone also means making a success of the UK’s democratic decision to leave the European Union. And I am in no doubt that we can and will.
“Northern Ireland has some world beating businesses, a hugely talented workforce, and a great entrepreneurial spirit.
“We will work to ensure that Northern Ireland’s unique interests are protected and advanced.
“That’s particularly the case when it comes to the land border with the Republic of Ireland and the Common Travel Area which has served the UK and Ireland well for many decades. No-one wants to see a return to the borders of the past.
“As someone who worked alongside Theresa May for six years at the Home Office, I can testify to the Prime Minister’s commitment to all parts of our United Kingdom.
“As she made clear on entering Downing Street we must preserve the special bonds that unite England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
So we should approach this with optimism and a positive view of what we can achieve for Northern Ireland inside the UK but outside the EU.
“That’s what we will continue to do as we seek to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous Northern Ireland … a Northern Ireland that looks to the future with confidence… a Northern Ireland that works for everyone.”
