The leadership of the Orange Order is pressing the man expected to become the next Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to address “challenges to the Union”.
Mr Burnham, as the only candidate in Labour’s leadership process, is expected officially to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as premier next Monday.
Grand Secretary of the Orange Order Rev Mervyn Gibson also lambasted the current Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, as a “huge disappointment”.
It comes amid political turbulence at Stormont where the multi-party Executive has been unable to agree a budget for this financial year, while recent elections saw nationalist First Ministers returned in Scotland and Wales.
Speaking to a July 12 parade gathering in Kilrea, Co Londonderry on Monday, Rev Gibson urged “better promotion of the strengths and benefits of the Union”.
“We need to share those realities with ethnic communities, undecided voters, apathetic voters, non-voters, the younger demographic who identity as constitutionally neutral, those of differing faiths or none, and even soft nationalists,” he said.
“Those Unionists who thought that the Alliance Party was the answer need to be welcomed home.
“Many of those we need to engage with may not enjoy the sound of the Lambeg or don a sash, but that’s the attraction of true Britishness, it embraces the principles of the Glorious Revolution and practises ‘Civil and Religious Liberty for all – special privileges for none’.”
He went on: “We plan to write to Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister in waiting, to outline what we believe is best for Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom.
“Yes, there are challenges for the Union – we have three nationalist leaders in the devolved administrations and there are obvious political issues here in Northern Ireland.”
Rev Gibson said the answer to challenges at Stormont “can’t simply be the Sinn Féin mantra: ‘Blame it on the Brits”.
“We deserve better, we deserve mature and sustainable solutions, we deserve politics which works,” he said.
“Will Andy Burnham listen? We don’t know – but Manchester is closer to Northern Ireland than Downing Street and his attitude could not be any worse than the current Secretary of State.
“Hilary Benn has been a huge disappointment and our initial hopes for a fair hearing, and at least some action, were soon dashed.
“He has been so inactive and aloof, he has almost been invisible.”
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