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Northern Ireland Bill

I am pleased to speak, if only briefly, in this debate. I wish to take the opportunity to make a few comments, but I shall begin by welcoming many of the speeches that have preceded me, not least the speech by the right hon. Member for North Antrim (Rev. Ian Paisley). All the speeches so far have been characterised by courage and leadership. I represent a constituency with no historical affinity or great links with Northern Ireland—although I have spoken regularly on Northern Ireland matters—but the contributions have filled me with great optimism. While a long journey remains to be made, I and other colleagues are greatly encouraged. There are enormous reasons in Northern Ireland politics for the long history of distrust on all sides and they are measured in the incidents of violence and the atrocities that have been perpetrated, which we all condemn. Even recently, there are reasons to extend that distrust further, such as the recent history of bank raids and the failure to sign up properly to the changes to policing and the criminal justice system. Even in the welcome report by the IMC today, we see paragraphs on the dissident republican groups and loyalist paramilitarism. Despite that, as the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington) mentioned, we are today considering a leap of faith. However, that leap will not be taken completely in the dark: it is based on evidence. We can begin with the IRA statement on 28 July, in which it clearly signalled the end of an armed campaign. The history of Northern Ireland suggests that we should view that with distrust, but it is a significant issue on its own. The IMC report noted, despite reservations in certain areas, a sea change in Northern Ireland politics and the willingness of groups to lay down the gun and subscribe to the democratic process. Indeed, the greater peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland is illustrated by the story of Belfast itself. My wife now regularly travels to Belfast for her ““away day”” with fellow wives, but only 10 or 15 years ago that would have been almost inconceivable. Belfast is now one of the destinations to which people aspire to travel to spend time in, not least because of the welcome received and the friendliness of the people there. The Bill is a question of faith, and that also applies to the Government. Ministers have the strong belief, which I share, that if they pass the ball firmly across to the politicians of Northern Ireland, they will run with it and deliver. I am encouraged by this debate and I believe that the ball will not be fumbled or dropped. There is every hope that in the ensuing months we will see not simply an Executive, but—despite the worries about a talking shop—a fully functioning democratic institution with a mandate, so that Assembly Members can deliver their promises and make their judgments, instead of that being done by the MP for Ogmore and others like me. That is what I hope for today. There will always be thousands of reasons to hesitate about making progress in Northern Ireland. The only reason for making progress is that that is what will benefit the wider population there. Politicians—whether they belong to the Assembly or the Opposition—know that what happens to them is less important than delivering peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland. The Bill is an essential step in that endeavour. I hope that members of the DUP, the UUP, the SDLP and other parties will use the proceedings of today and tomorrow to take matters forward. History will not say that they sold out or that they were backsliders; they will be remembered as statesmen and stateswomen with courage and vision in difficult times. These difficult questions are not for political journeymen, and the right hon. Member for North Antrim was correct to say that we must look beyond the horizon. I have every hope that we can move forward today. It would be unfair of me to finish my brief remarks if I did not pay tribute to those who have brought us to this point. Former Secretaries of State, both Labour and Conservative, have made important contributions, and members of the UUP, the DUP, the SDLP and other parties have taken incrementally courageous and painful decisions to get us to where we are today. I look forward to the day when my right hon. Friend the Member for Torfaen (Mr. Murphy) can celebrate a very good birthday, when his present will be that the political institutions in Northern Ireland are in place and running effectively, led by Northern Ireland politicians.