Billy Hutchison has told The News Letter that his killing of two Catholic men on their way to work helped prevent a united Ireland. He talks vaguely about ‘intelligence’ but provides no evidence that these men were members of the IRA. Billy is the leader of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP). Imagine if a parallel statement had been made by Gerry Adams or Martin McGuinness – “My murder of two Protestants helped dismantle the Orange state”. Can you imagine the uproar? The newspapers would be thick with condemnations that a politician, let alone a party leader, could say such a thing.
So why did Billy say a thing like that? Presumably because he believes there is a constituency out there who will approve of what he’s done. That’s almost more saddening than his making the statement. Although to be fair to him, it was the policy of the loyalist paramilitaries at the time to target innocent Catholics, in the hope that this would force their communities to turn against the IRA. What he says he did was what loyalist paramilitaries generally did at that time.
Maybe the third piece of sadness is that there was a time when the PUP was a shining light in working-class unionist areas. People who’d been neglected by the larger unionist parties were being given, it seemed, an authentic voice by people like David Ervine and, yes, Billy Hutchison. Now the effort to attract their vote is being reduced to a semi-boast about the killing of Catholics.
A final thought: Billy says that his party provides ‘political advice’ to the UVF. Isn’t the UVF supposed to be illegal (as well as decommissioned)?
Is that not what Gerry did think though? Killing Protestants would persuade them of the benefits if a UI?
Both reprehensible.
If I could read Gerry’s mind, Sean, I’d give you an answer to your red herring.
Far from a red herring Jude they played a leading role in an organisation that killed Protestants.
As for Billy Hutchinsons comments well what did you expect from somebody like him he is no better than Gerry Kelly.
The truly sad thing is that he still is not in prison
You’re quite right, Neill. I think I would differ from you in the thinking behind the killings. I believe the loyalist/unionist paramilitaries were terrorist – i.e., they used violence to terrorise the civilian population. The IRA, with several notable exceptions tended to use violence against crown forces – RUC, UDR, British Army. I’m not sure what your point is about Gerry Kelly but it looks suspiciously like a fast-moving red herring again
Both of them were at some stage were MLAs for North Belfast an interesting comparison?
Yes the Loyalists were terrorists were the IRA terrorists? Yes they were using the fig leaf that they attacked the crown forces to place them in a different position to the loyalists is demeaning to the innocent catholics and protestants that they killed.
Unionists have a misplaced sense of entitlement and the arrogance of Hutchinson proves it.
However arrogance like ignorance is a generator of stupidities.
‘Helped prevent a united Ireland’ Oh boy !
Patrick Kelly.[2.35] Hutch is getting ahead of himself, with that brazen nonsense, surely he’;s familiar with logic. A UI hasn’t defeninively been prevented as the NI demographic time bomb is still waiting in the wings to be activated and that will determine, [and no earlier than the outworking of the end of his wee country takes to complete] what form the UI will finally take. BH may or may not be around to be made aware of the stupidity of his statement, but it will eventually happen regardless
Really because you say so?
Nobody can see into the future and perhaps that is no bad thing
another is a long line of double standards. DUP councilorcalls for SF to be wiped out, no consequences.
Where are theresa Villers and her cronies with the condemnations? Oh I forgot, that only happens when it’s a republican. sad but true
Bertrand Russell he is not…
I do n’t believe the man had an original political thought In his life, nor a moral compass worth a damn.He, like many other street thugs during the Troubles , was a hater who became a killer and then made the best fist of that notoriety that he could. He parlayed a career out of it.
People like him could not distinguish between republicans, communists, Catholics or whatever, so they adopted the anyone who isn’t one of us will do attitude. The same sick sociopaths who asked “Are you a Protestant or a Catholic atheist?
Most of it isn’t politics at all. It’s just hate and hatred inspired. The Civil Rights movement was not about a United Ireland but those marchers were beaten off the streets by hatred.
unionism and this more virulent strain never could figure out that this was something completely new but they soon turned the idea back into something they could understand and hate.
People like Billy like things in neat black and white. it’s much easier to deal with when it ‘s just them and us.
Now that compromise is required there is confusion again. If we can’t have it all our way we’ll look weak so we have to look more like strong arm bullies like Putin and act like hard men.
A certain kind of uneducated follower likes that kind of macho bullshit.
Who better to follow than a killer who’s prepared to put his mouth where his money is?
He could be rite the nationalist/Catholic population seem to be brow beat into accepting Partition with there support of gfa that excludes nationalists from voting on a united Ireland vote
God bless Billy but if he is prepared to dress up like the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to celebrate the Mutiny of 1912 onwards, then he will certainly not flinch from sectarian waffle. He is a political wannabe who must be really annoyed that Gerry Kelly is an elected representative Same way John McMichael was jealous of Danny Morrison. Robinson and Nesbitt and co. will never mention loyalist terrorism, sure it was the IRA that killed everyone. As for Ms Villiers, the less she says the more intelligent she sounds.
Moderate unionism no matter how hard they try can never distance themselves from violent unionists like billy hutchinson. When these state sponsored thugs were terrorising the entire catholic community their fellow unionists’ silence was deafening. Taking in part in ‘peace people’ marches etc does not count as a blind man could see these were aimed at republicanism. ‘Moderate ‘ unionism conveniently used violent unionist militia as another tool to take on the IRA. I would say they still use these thugs today to do their threatening. Thats why there is no urgency to disband these gangs. As a noble gesture why doesnt these moderates lobby their MP’s and Lords to ask the queen to issue a public statement{xmas message?} urging her loyal subjects to tone it down a bit. Why doesnt she state she doesnt condone this fascism by her flag wavers? And dont tell me she doesnt interfere in politics of her state-she wasnt shy giving off about abu hamza when he was fighting extradition.
Of course we know she wont condemn these militia as their actions suit the british state too….some would even suspect they are run by the state???????
Methinks Billy when he was an MLA proclaimed during a debate in Stormont that he was sorry he didn’t kill more Catholics. You can take the man out of sectarianism but you cant take sectarianism out of the man
It’s nothing more than appeal to his base. Hutchinson knows that the Unionist Vote is spread out amongst 5 or 6 parties at present; however the loudest of these are the flag protesters and Ubber brits. The PUP want to be taken seriously as a party and this is where he thinks they will get the votes