What has happened over the past seven years of peace process is that ... the unionist community has walked further and further away and presented the agreement as a betrayal of their rights and freedoms.
Quotes about unionist (16 Quotes)
In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.
For the first time in Ireland within my recollection, Catholic and Protestant, Unionist and Nationalist, landlord and tenant, priest and parson, all work hand in hand in the interest of Ireland's life and intellectuality.
If I felt we had alienated the Unionists, it would worry me because we've spent a great deal of time trying to open up discussion and dialogue with the Unionist Parties.
The most conservative man in this world is the British trade unionist when you want to change him.
There is a great deal of work that can be done between the SDLP representing the Nationalist population and the Unionist Parties, and I believe we should set down to do that.
The psychological mindset that is required for peacemaking is absent from Unionist thinking,
Continuing negative leadership from unionist leaders serves only to further demoralise their own community. Unionist communities deserve better,
The Protestant community is essentially quite conservative and the unionist leadership seems to have been unable to explain changes to them.
I've had very good meetings with Unionist leaders, Democratic Unionist Party, Ian Paisley and his team.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist.
There were two mentalities, and both mentalities had to change. There was what I called the Afrikaner mind set of the Unionist politicians, which was holding all power in their own hands, and discriminating, and their objective was to protect their identity.
I'm a passionate trade unionist.
Those responsible must be brought to justice. I will support the police in any action they take to do that and in the meantime I think everybody from unionist communities will be absolutely appalled at the way paramilitary groups are really acting in a gangster type way.
We want to see the British government recognizing the rights of all the people in this island, Catholic and Protestant, unionist and nationalist, to self-determination. ... It is quite clear the British government and leaders of unionist parties are afraid to negotiate that.
The reality is that the nationalist community in Northern Ireland were treated almost like animals by the unionist community. They were not treated like human beings. It was like the Nazis treatment of the Jews.