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Was driving today … saw this … snapped it … see some potential.

The Open Unionism blogsite is hosting a series of articles of the current Leadership contest. Here is my contribution:

I am quite taken with a story attributed to Charles Handy, the influential management guru, about a particular type of South American frog. If you put this frog in a pot of cold water, and slowly heat it, the frog will die, because it did not spot the existential threat in the changing environment.

I do not wish to be the type of unionist that fails to spot the evolving threats around us. But when it comes to change, I am also the sort of person who says “be careful what you wish for.” Change for change’s sake could turn out to be as big a threat to the Party as inertia; neither is an acceptable way forward.

Prune a rose bush in the right way, at the right time, and you will see it grow. Hack it to bits and you will kill it.

The change I want to see is planned, tested, surgical in nature. I am not afraid of a little pruning back this winter, if it yields a better blossom in time for next year’s elections. But makes sure the secateurs are in the right hands!

I want a link with the Conservatives, but our candidates to stand as Ulster Unionists. That’s Tom.

I want co-operation with fellow unionists, but no unity. That’s Tom.

I want to improve the relationship between UUP Headquarters and the Constituency Associations. That’s Tom.

When I started my broadcasting career many years, I was attracted by the shooting stars of the industry, presenters and producers alike. There were other “steady Eddie” types, but I could not figure what they offered. I know now, because it is they and their organisations that survived and thrived.

In my career, I had to make a difficult decision between wanting to be liked or respected. I choose the latter, and it’s a value that informs all my big decisions today. Because earning respect in this context means listening to what your members want, making difficult decisions, and spotting when the water’s getting hot.

Two small points about what I heard Michael O’Leary say and not say yesterday.

What he did say was that we are too slow in making our decisions. He has a point. Whether it’s extending the runway at Sydenham, building a national sports stadium at Lisburn, finding a replacement for the 11-Plus, introducing the Education and Skills Authority, Water Charges, or the Reform of Public Administration, we are too slow, process-driven and risk-averse.

Every time the devolved government is faced with a major decision, the big beasts of the Executive seem to baulk. I know making a decision about a black and white issue like extending the Belfast City runway runs the risk of alienating one group or another. But the greater risk is in not making a decision at all, thus alienating both camps. The key word is delivery.

And delivery is the key word I did not hear from Mr O’Leary. Lets say the airport extends its runway, as he wishes. What guarantee has he offered that he will stick with the City Airport? As I understand the Ryanair MO, the moment they sense they can sweat an extra euro from moving their fleet to another airport, they’re off! So, how many flights over how many years did Mr O’Leary promise if he got his way and the airport invested in the runway extension?
Surely we have learnt our lesson from the numerous inward investors to Northern Ireland over the years, who were happy to take the grants, open the factories, and then disappear at the first whiff of a cheaper option abroad.

Northern Ireland being a small country, word travels fast.

The word is I have been bought. By Tom Elliott.

I hear he has guaranteed me an Assembly seat for my support for his Leadership campaign. That makes him some politician! I did not know he could do that. Probably because he cannot.

I also hear he has offered me the position of Director of Communications with the UUP. May I say to whoever started that rumour, shame on you! The UUP has a Director of Communications. He’s a friend of mine. I’ve known him for thirty years. I know his partner. I have not been promised his job. (I know no self-respecting UUP member would have sarted a rumour like that, not when it would create unnecessary tension between Party members and staff, to ther potential detriment of the Party).

I have been offered / promised nothing by Tom Elliott. End of.

I just happen to think he is the better candidate for the Leadership. Lets spend the next three weeks testing that statement, instead of peddling rumour.

Congratulations to Down’s Senior Gaelic Footballers on an historic win yesterday. 1-16 to 1-14 over Kildare may be the scoreline, but it hardly does justice to the drama as Down tried and succeeded to get back to Croke Park 50 years after their first Final success.

Why am I bothered? Well, I live in the county. In my days with BBC sports, I feel I did a little to help increase BBC NI’s coverage of the sport, not least in introducing the habit of securing post-match interviews with key players and managers on Sunday Sportsound (can you believe there was a time it did not happen on a regular basis?). I also played a support role in securing Down’s sponsorship by Ulster Bank in the 1980s, and have had the pleasure of watching my wife (a lifelong resident of County Down) looking dazed and confused at an All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final (don’t ask … no really … please).

So, good luck Down on 19th September. And good luck to those reporting on them. You will do well to beat my former colleague and mentor, BD, who told Radio Ulster’s audience one evening all about the building excitement about the “up and coming Down net minder ”

Now, bring on the anthems. Status Quo “Down Down Keeper and Down.” Yazz “The Only Way Is Up”. Robbie Robertson “Somewhere Down The Crazy River” (with apologies to the Liffey). Or lets just stick with Nicholas Parsons introducing The Price is Right from Norwich all those years ago on ITV: “Come On Down!”.

Tom Elliott’s Leadership bid for the Ulster Unionist Party is finally up and running, four weeks to the day before the members vote at the Waterfront Hall on the 22nd of September.

Introduced by Cllr Jo-Anne Dobson, and with support speeches from Sandra Overend (UUP Womens Development Officer) and Jim Nicholson MEP, Tom has set out his stall on his Vision for the Party and for Northern Ireland, on a unionism that is inclusive, non-sectarian and our best guarantee for economic and social development, on re-shaping the Conservative link so we never again stand for election as anything other than Ulster Unionists, and on the re-assurances we need before we discuss unionist co-operation (unity is not on Tom’s agenda).

Follow developments here, on facebook and on Tom’s website, http://www.tomelliottmla.net/

Tom Elliott holds his official launch for his Ulster Unionist Leadership bid tomorrow morning. If you cannot make it to the Antrim Civic Centre for 11:30, watch out for his interview with Lynda Bryans. Streaming video of Tom’s views on all the major policy issues of the day will be available on line from tomorrow.

I am not convinced Alex Kane, the UUP’s erstwhile media man, did the Party (including me) any favours during the Westminster Election Campaign, but now that Tom Elliott is about to officially launch his Leadership bid, I found this extract from one of Alex’s Newsletter articles interesting, as he compares Tom and Basil McCrea, both of whom he has worked with for longer and in closer detail than I:

I have known Basil for about five years – since he cold-called me shortly before he threw his hat into the Lagan Valley ring for the 2005 general election – and in all that time I have never managed to work out what he believes in or stands for. Yes, he is articulate, but when you strip away the platitude and the charm, there really isn’t much in the way of substance or vision. He clearly wants to be leader: my concern is that he wants it simply as an addition to his CV.

Discipline goes hand in hand with effective leadership. The UUP has a long history of being reluctant to deal with those who break rules and plough their own furrows. It likes to pretend that it is a democratic party which doesn’t want to stifle debate, but that’s a very far cry from actually telling members what is and isn’t permissible. The next leader will have to use the powers available to him (and they are actually fairly draconian) and make it quickly and brutally clear that he will not tolerate solo runs or public attacks

With the political focus so firmly on the economy, it’s a surprise to me that the third sector gets so little notice. As a percentage, the public sector is too big, being responsible for over 70% of total spend. And yes, the way to fix that is to grow the private sector. But there is a third, potentially vital sector, the social economy. Remarkably, the social economy is relatively small in Northern Ireland.

So, a pleasure to be involved in the opening of a social economy shop by FASA, the community-based organisation providing services for those directly or indirectly affected by Substance Misuse or Suicide/Self Harm. FASA started in the Greater Shankill area and has spread out to North Down and the Ards peninsula. Appropriately, the first shop is on the Shankill, in the Argyle Business Park.

So, what’s so good about it? For the customer, it provides goods they may not be able to afford through conventional, private sector retail. And for FASA, it lowers the organisation’s dependency on government grants and charity donations – part of a more solid foundation for a future where FASA’s core services will, unfortunately, remain in demand. www.fasaonline.org

Congratulations to Derry / Londonderry winning the UK City of Culture title. They are going to need a shedload of money to make it happen in 2013, so here’s a thought ….

Release a new version of “Teenage Kicks” with the likes of Feargal Sharkey, Dana, Peter Cunnah and James Galway, with all proceeds going to the organisation.

The BBC did a fantastic version of Louy Reid’s “Perfect Day” once as a promotional video. Here’s the link:

It strikes me as a pretty decent way of illustrating the breadth of talent coming out of the city across all aspects of life – a might raise a bob or two along the way.