Spokespeople
FOR A UNITED NI IN A BETTER UK
Media interviews, comment & information
Uniting UK spokespeople are available for media interviews and comments.
In addition to those spokespeople listed below, Uniting UK can connect you to other pro-UK and Unionist spokespeople.
“We set up Uniting UK, to help provide a civic unionist, non-party political case for the Union. Our analysis is that political unionism is too focused on short-term tactics to make a strategic pro-Union case.”
Philip Smith
“The Union is a great product; poorly marketed. Uniting UK was founded in 2020 to change that.”
John Hanna
“The pro-union group makes the case for Northern Ireland as an integral component of the United Kingdom and does so with slick graphics and refreshing honesty. Unafraid to acknowledge the failures associated with unionism, and with a clear aim of appealing to the growing middle ground, the fledgling group is effective in its efforts, and a welcome addition to Northern Ireland’s political landscape.”
Emma de Souza in The Irish Times
Philip Smith
Co-founder of Uniting UK, senior manager in the university sector, councillor on Ards and North Down Council and former MLA for Strangford.
Philip has represented Uniting UK on TV, radio, podcasts and in printed media. He has also written extensively on behalf of Uniting UK.
“For anybody who is pro-union, you want to ensure that Northern Ireland works.”
Philip Smith in The Financial Times
John Hanna
Co-founder of Uniting UK, project and change manager in the third sector, trade unionist and former field organiser for Britain Stronger in Europe during the 2016 EU Referendum.
John was in primary school when the Good Friday Agreement was signed. He believes that the principles of the Agreement should shape how we talk about Northern Ireland’s future.
“No-one was effectively articulating my brand of Unionism – a Unionism that celebrates diversity, a Unionism that is UK-wide not NI-specific, a Unionism that is future-focused – simply put, a Unionism that unites.”
John Hanna in The Currency
Trevor Ringland MBE
Senior lawyer, former rugby international (British and Irish Lions, Ireland and Ulster) and former Special Envoy to the US on Northern Ireland.
Trevor is known for his public profile on issues of reconciliation, cross-community activity and charity work. He was an important voice in The Yes Campaign during the 1998 Good Friday Agreement Referendum.
“Over the coming year those who appreciate Northern Ireland’s place in the world should promote policies and ideas setting out how we should actively and constructively enjoy the benefits of the current constitutional position. They should reflect our diverse and inclusive identity, the opportunities of our economic situation and the variety of our culture, as well as setting out how we can meet the challenges of issues like poverty, educational underachievement, crime and health reform.”
Trevor Ringland in Slugger O’Toole
The Team
Philip Smith, John Hanna and Trevor Ringland
NI
IN
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