Alistair Lexden has criticised the Government in the Lords for failing to counter the serious Nationalist threat in Scotland with a vigorous and determined presentation of the case for the Union (Read more).
On 30 November, he called on the Northern Ireland Office to play its part in championing the Union, in accordance with manifesto commitments given at the general election a year ago.
His comments came during a brief discussion of the very significant measures taken by the Government to protect jobs in Northern Ireland during the pandemic. Some 327,000 people have benefited from the Government’s employment support package.
Hardly anyone knows this. The Northern Ireland Office is unaccustomed to publicising such achievements for fear of displeasing the non-Unionist minority.
Alistair Lexden asked: Is there not a “need for the Northern Ireland Office to stop giving the impression that it is neutral on the Union and start making clear what it is doing, in conjunction with the devolved Assembly, to help shape a modernised, inclusive Northern Ireland with a flourishing economy assisted by the job-preserving measures we are discussing?”
He added: “In Northern Ireland, as in Scotland, is there not a danger that this Government will be seen as paying mere lip service to the Unionism that they ought to be expounding with commitment and vigour?”
