'Irish MPs', green ties, can Lady Sylvia really have been offended?

The Belfast Telegraph claims to have insight into Lady Sylvia Hermon's disgruntlement with the Conservative and Ulster Unionist pact. It cites, as instances of insensitivity to Ulster issues, a senior Tory referring to ‘Irish MPs’ in a meeting with the North Down Member and David Cameron wearing a green tie to a unionist event!

Without accepting the paper’s interpretation as gospel truth, if the MP was influenced by such petty nonsense, she ought to be ashamed.

Lady Hermon should be delighted to identify herself as an Irish MP. She should be proud to be part of a continuous tradition of Irish representation in the House of Commons stretching back more than two centuries. She is privileged to represent the part of Ireland which did not secede from the Union. If an ‘understanding’ of Northern Ireland entails dancing around the Irish component of unionists’ identity, then it is refreshing to approach our politics with less ‘understanding’.

As for the green tie, which event was this at? Did anyone else notice? Are unionists really offended by the colour green? Should Sylvia give up politics and seek to replace either Trinny or Susannah? What tie would she have selected for David Cameron to wear, had he asked? One sporting a Union flag? An orange tie with a Rangers’ pin?

I sincerely hope that the BT was embroidering its article a little, in the absence of more meaty comment to discuss.

Comments

Mr Green said…
It's a beautiful image- Lady H seething with anger at the site of DC's nice green tie. What happened during all those years of Green shirts and uniforms worn by the RUC? Does she close her eyes driving past the manicured lawns of her North Down constituents? I would believe it if this from some nutjob tractor driving DUPer, but surely the BT are writing fiction? Wouldn't be the first time!
Timothy Belmont said…
My Rover 75 was a lovely shade og green called Arden Green; some thought it was black.
Many of my country cloths are dark green, or olive.
The only emerald green colour belongs to the Dowager's Emeralds and the lawn!
I don't possess a green tie.
Owen Polley said…
Glad to hear the Dowager's still on the go. I was afraid to ask after the incident with the German lasy. ;-)
Timothy Belmont said…
German lady? Refresh my memory.
About wearing ties: I suppose tie designs, colours and patterns can be highly symbolic. There's not much harm in wearing a plain, coloured tie. The US President always wears a green tie on St Patrick's Day, I think.
Perhaps I'm not as patriotic as I think; I wouldn't dream of ever wearing a coloured tie to signify an allegiance with a State or country. It is subjective, though. Were I in, say, Wales, I'd never think of wearing a red tie. Why should I?
Owen Polley said…
I spent most of my time on the beach, reading P G Wodehouse, basking in the sun and taking the odd dip. I did meet a Bavarian lady on the beach from Munich. We got on well and chatted - she spoke good English. I might have seen more of her, though she was leaving in two days. I asked her out for a drink in my bashful way; she politely declined. Nothing lost, nothing gained. Perhaps, unlike me, she didn't fancy a one-night stand!
Timothy Belmont said…
Ha ha! Oh, that. The Dowager wouldn't mind that. Pleased for me and all that. :-)
Timothy Belmont said…
BTW, "asking her out for a drink" was meant to be a euphemism, as she detected when she asked me where we'd go! (I was thinking more of either her hotel bedroom or mine). :-)
Anonymous said…
I just don't belieeeeeeeeve it.

Politics is reduced to the colour of a tie, has she really lost the plot...
Owen Polley said…
I think I have been misinterpreting your relationship with the Dowager! :-D
Timothy Belmont said…
Fed me, watered me, wiped the noble posterior...enough said. :-D
Anonymous said…
Prior to saying she didn't like the Tories: "wonderful MP, real hard worker, grieving widow"

Post saying she didn't like the Tories "mad bitch, useless air-head, hypocrite"

Yeah boys, Sylvia Hermon is the hypocrite.....

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