Northern Ireland may continue to lack a devolved government at Stormont, but local councils have continued to function as normal. Ahead of the local government elections on 2nd May, Northern Slant wants to give our readers the opportunity to (virtually) meet candidates from across the political spectrum. The one thing they have in common is that none of them have been elected before. In today’s interview Julia Flanagan speaks to Jason Docherty, the Ulster Unionist Party’s candidate to represent Oldpark on Belfast City Council.

 

Hi Jason, could you tell us about yourself and your life before entering politics?

I grew up in the west of Scotland in a town that, like Belfast, was once a centre for ship building and has suffered from post-industrial decline. One of my earliest memories was visiting Govan Shipbuilders in Glasgow, where my father worked as a joiner and later a draughtsman. So I know the experience of a town that has faced economic hardships.

My brother was disabled. This means that I am aware of disability issues from a practical and emotional point of view, the stresses it places on parents and families – as well as the good times.

I was always interested in conservation, restoration ecology and the natural world and this is what led me to study biology at the University of St. Andrews. At the same time I was always interested in history, national identities, regionalisms, religions, spirituality and philosophy – basically beliefs and what motivates people.

This led me to the stage where I moved to Belfast to do a PhD in politics at Queen’s, where I did research into the regional identities of unionists and loyalists in Northern Ireland and how culture impacts politics here. I have now lived in Belfast for over 20 years and have mainly worked in office jobs, in administration. Like many blow-ins I ended up staying here because I grew to love the city and its people.

 

What was it that attracted you to politics?

I’ve been interested in politics since I was at school. What inspired me most were the people of Central and eastern Europe, who threw off Soviet Communism, demanding democracy, human rights and freedom.

Some of the hopes of that time have faded and the world is full of uncertainty with many people having no real enthusiasm for the future. I think it took me to get a bit older and recognise the limitations of politics, to calm down, to stop being outraged at all sorts and develop a greater empathy with people, and then, I felt I could usefully get involved in politics with a view to making things better – not by weak-minded, simplistic populism – but by practical action.

One thing that caught my attention has been the regions in Europe where different parties work together in regional governments and create prosperous, stable regions. These examples, as well as city governments that transform their cities for the better, have inspired me to get involved in practical politics.

I want to see Belfast as a prosperous, inclusive city, as the regional capital of  Northern Ireland within the UK.

 

Why the Ulster Unionist Party?

Basically, I believe in equal citizenship across the UK and, at the same time, I am a regionalist. So the UUP is a party that supports both full membership of the UK and also devolution, so that is the foundation.

The UUP is a more diverse and inclusive party than many imagine. We are a broad church. This may not be obvious looking in, but you often find people who are quite different working together towards common goals. I value this. Do I want to be more inclusive? Have more people of all backgrounds join the party? Yes, of course. I want the UUP to be *the* party for Northern Ireland.

The UUP allows debate and members have the right to be heard at the grass roots and leadership level. And, unlike some parties, I can hold to my own conscience on a variety of issues and know that, even if someone disagrees with me, they are sincere people and I know where they stand. It’s not just someone saying what the party tells them to say in public.

Vitally, we are dedicated to doing what is right for Northern Ireland and all its people.

 

What are the most important issues facing the Oldpark area of North Belfast?

Many of the most important issues should be dealt with by the Assembly – lack of housing, of adequate housing, run down areas, green spaces not properly maintained, derelict land, high levels of unemployment and the high rates of suicide in this part of the city.

While the Assembly is not doing its job, public services suffer. The Ulster Unionist Party has called for talks to get Stormont working. Failing this, someone has to take responsibility, and while it may not be popular, we may need direct rule ministers so someone takes the helm and deals with the funding crisis faced by schools, difficulties faced by the NHS and so on. And if that means our Assembly Members lose their jobs… so be it.

Council can only do so much of this work, but I want to see support for those groups, charities and so on who are working on these issues on the ground. Council also needs to make sure that those areas it is responsible for are given priority. Leisure centres need to be maintained and improved. Land owned by Belfast City Council needs to looked after properly. Dog fouling, litter and graffiti need to be addressed. These things will make people’s day-to-day lives better and, at the same time, make it clearer where Stormont is failing.

 

What would be your message to those thinking about not voting in the upcoming election?

I hear a lot of people say they’re not voting because they’re so angry Stormont hasn’t been working for the last two years. And I’m angry too – I want to see Stormont working. I would respond with three points.

Firstly, we see what has happened in Stormont. Councils are the last functioning, democratically accountable part of government in Northern Ireland. We know which parties are not working together and we need to ensure the Stormont deadlock is not transferred to City Hall.

Secondly, this is an opportunity to vote for parties that will work for better local government. Local government must perform better, further powers – and financial resources – should be devolved from Stormont so that more day to day issues are brought closer to the local level, to allow voters to hold elected representatives to account.

Thirdly, while local councils don’t deal with devolved issues, if you want a change at Stormont, this is where it starts. You can kick start change on 2nd May. If you don’t vote, you are asking for more of the same. And if you ask for more of the same, that’s what you’ll get.

 

Is there a politician outside Northern Ireland that you admire?

I admire a number of innovative city mayors who are working to regenerate, reimagine and redevelop their cities for the better. For example, the Mayor of Porto, in northern Portugal, Rui Moreira. He has sought to regenerate his city by emphasising liveability, quality of life, regeneration of the city centre and social integration. I’ve visited Porto (at my own expense) and it seems to be combining the best of its heritage with regeneration on a human scale.

Another politician I admire is also a Mayor, Rachida Dati. She’s the Mayor of Paris’s Seventh Arrondissement (District), as well as being an MEP for Ile-de-France and a former French Minister of Justice. She is the child of migrants – a Moroccan father, an Algerian mother, one of twelve children in a poor household, a Muslim woman in a centre-right party and she has, through sheer effort, come to serve her country at the highest level. She could just as easily have listened to those who believe Muslims, women, minorities, North Africans and so on will never come to anything, especially in the world of politics, but she didn’t. I think that is a great example to everyone, not to be held back by negativity, by your background or the criticism of detractors.

 

So, you’re on the doorstep and you have to sum up ‘Why vote for Jason Docherty?’ What do you say?

I’ll bring a fresh eye to local issues, I’m serious minded, I enjoy work that many find boring, I hope to be an ambassador for unionism, but also for Belfast as a whole. I want a Belfast that is inclusive regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. I will focus on day to day quality of life issues, promote the interests of Oldpark on City Council and work to make Belfast a city we can all be proud of.

 

Voting will be open on Thursday 2nd May between 7am and 10pm. You can find the full list of candidates standing in each council area on the Electoral Office website here. No matter your persuasion, we encourage you to weigh up the options and head to the voting booth on 2nd May. Make your voice heard.

Check out the rest of our #MeetTheCandidate series here, featuring interviews with candidates standing for Alliance, the SDLP and the Green Party. We also approached candidates standing for the DUP and Sinn Féin, but they did not take up our invitation to participate.