The Billion Pound Party - Stacey Dooley Investigates The DUP

well there you go look I haven't even finished the sentence it were the dup after the general election one political party became the most Googled in [Music] Britain many people were alarmed at what they found out the dup are anti-abortion and anti-am seex marriage and now Theresa May's government is relying on their votes to stay in power here in Northern Ireland they are an established party they are the the biggest party I've come to Northern Ireland to try and get inside the minds of dup voters the dup was founded by the Reverend Ian Paisley in the 1970s and it has stayed true to his strict [Applause] Christianity today it's a growing party most 18 to 24 year olds in Northern Ireland didn't vote in the last election but of those that did more than 30% voted dup right now I am on my way to go and have a chat with a young girl called Ruth Ruth is a dup supporter um I think she actually campaigns for them as well so heavily involved um she's 19 so just started voting really hello Hi how are you I'm Stacy tell me why you support the dup because I'm a Christian and I agree with all their views what are your thoughts on on gay couples I believe it's wrong there's no easy way about that um but I have been called a homophobe for it which is not true because you I have simply said there that I disagree like um I know I read your Twitter I do know that you're Pro gay gay marriage and stuff like that um but um you know we just we disagree tell me what is so wrong when a man kisses another man or has sex with another man it's it's you you can't have sex like um you can't have children uh with two males um you can't have children with two women and you're studying aren't you in Belfast at the minute you're studying drama yes there must be gay Lads in Belfast are you friends with them there's a transgender uh woman there and um I have talked to them but she's not really in my class so it's not really I'm not trying to avoid her I would never do that to someone like if I'd avoided everyone I disagreed with I'd avoid my own mother this is my life brother he's with arene Foster andle J my dad is imple junor elction Agent oh uh so this was in 2010 when uh Dr piy was helping Ian uh canvas I think it's harder to describe yourself as being right-wing and a prolifer and anti-abortion and anti- samex marriage if you're younger mhm yeah definitely like in University and stuff minority yeah is I'm definitely one of the only ones in the entire University that is the same opinions like um because that is entire Union for example like all of them are very much different to me because that is the case do you do you ever think actually maybe I have got this wrong uh no you know there are always going to be people that disagree with me but that doesn't mean that I think I'm wrong you know a what a lovely little room yes uh Ed sure when you at Ed yes yeah the only concert I've ever been allowed to go to oh really like even things like the cinema if I went to the cinema too often my mom got a little bit like you know my minister is quite uh he he's quite strict he's very strict and he called the ca Minister yeah he called the cinema the S pit of iniquity oh um so my parents were not a fan oh wow how' you do I'm Stacy how's things I'm jie yeah nice to meet you nice to meet you too do you ever feel for Ruth because her opinions are sometimes seen as being very extreme or radical controversial do you think it's difficult for Ruth at 19 to sort of stick I it probably is because I think there's an expectation amongst people in general and particularly for young people that they should be liberal in their out look but I think you have to do what's right especially if you you feel you're standing before God um that you have to be right before him and I don't think being very conservative with a small C necessarily means um that you you know there's there shouldn't be a hatred towards people that don't you don't agree with whereas I feel that's coming the other way at the moment really probably well I think that's the reason possibly why you're here because there is that feeling that the dup are extreme I haven't forced my opinions on her I try to sort of um guide her as a mother yes and and to see what's right and wrong over here especially you know I grew up during the troubles I know what Shen Fen are um I to try and kind of give a sense of History to the children so that they know and that that you know I remember thinking as a young girl we could could get on fine if the IRA would stop killing us the troubles refer to 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland starting in 1968 it began with peaceful protests demanding an end to State discrimination against Catholics at its heart was where the northern Island should be part of Britain or part of a United Island on one side the IRA or Irish Republican Army which was largely Catholic fought for a United Island the IRA also bombed Targets in England whilst Protestant paramilitaries believe Northern Ireland should remain British they also use Terror against Ordinary People the violence ended when the IRA called to ceasefire in 1997 allowing their political Wing shinan to enter a devolved government alongside the dup if you ever told me some time ago that I have be standing here to take this office I would have been totally [Music] unbelieving but Goodwill between the political parties doesn't always transfer to the streets Council housing here here is either Catholic or Protestant and in Protestant areas they are building bonfires to commemorate a 320 year-old battle won by a Protestant King I've come to the ker estate to understand more about the dup vote just want to show you these boys Building the bonfire because I've got to say it does feel quite celebratory and um there's a real kind of sense of community and before the camera came out they were in good form and as soon as I saw the camera and heard that was from the BBC Tommy's going piss off so let's see I just want you to see the scale of it you see all the boys many people in Northern Ireland hate these bonfires and the anti-catholic message they can carry people around here blame the BBC for stirring up the opposition [ __ ] you [ __ ] you [ __ ] [Music] you BBC's G BBC's gag what' you say he's so Larry that one oh if I could just get rid of him I think the others would talk I mean you get the gist of it you get the feel now it's very much part of their culture it's a tradition it's been going on for hundreds of years it's huge everyone's involved everyone's very emotional and I think tomorrow night will be for them the icing on the [Music] cave as well as the bonfires young unionists in Northern Ireland show their loyalty to Britain by joining local bands they marched the day after the bonfires on the 12th of July it's like a football team represent your own area so they all competing against each other who's got the biggest B who looks the best who plays the best like the bonfires the Marchin celebrates the victory of protestant King William of Orange over Catholic King James II I just joined the B because was I had no social life so it was just it was a way just to express myself and join him a bunch of men [Music] really I'm here to talk to some dup voters how do you think the dup are being perceived back in England pretty much is a h figure they're being made out except they're like so against gays and they're really against abortion and all but it's it's it's it's the inner beliefs of the party and that's really to me anyway that's what I see it as it's just values that they have and I think they're entitled to them values and sometimes it look like they're being made to look like the bad people because they have them and that's not fa do you blame the D for turning to screw on thre no that's politics I I don't blame arene Foster for saying right you want to play ball you need our seats that's we need something a few the's feet or shoes they have done the exact same thing 1.5 billion that be hopefully poured into your I hope the government stays as long as the can like CU for play D I brought up being British I don't know anything else you I mean I don't want to be anything else where they sh and you say the others are Catholics no they want just to wipe us from the the map basically would like just to be Ireland nothing to do Protestants no bonds no nothing no lodges they' happily see it gone tomorrow well when they say they want the British arand Bally they're talking about [Music] us I need to meet the other side that seems so threatening to these unionists in parts of Belfast there are peace walls separating Protestants from Catholics where are you from from Czech Republic Czech Republic yeah oh this one has become a tourist attraction but it's still deemed necessary to prevent violence what is your right with [Music] love on the Catholic nationalist side instead of red white and blue the streets are decorated green white and orange it feels like a totally different country the second largest political party in Northern irelands is Shin Fang thank you I'm meeting Dominic and Tam two of their supporters at shim fain's West Bell fast office does any part of you feel British don't the failure and any way British like even my everyday life it's my first language isn't even English like I'm a I'm a fluid Irish speaker that is my language I would speak that in my home with my parents it's they've said you know with with every inch of themselves they would never ever in a million years entertain the idea of not being British and not being part of Britain as far as I'm concerned a United island is inevitable and I think the more they sit down and engage round about it and actually discuss what it would be like within it rather than you know a blinker approach that never never never the way I say this Unity is it's inevitable it's I don't think it's a p dream it's something that I definitely will see in my life time it's this faith that Ireland will become United that worries dup voters bonfires under attack from Shin Fane Ira nationalist front and these are all shinan politicians I'm guessing I'm back on the ker estate Gwen Gwen is the community worker who was in charge of safety at tonight's bonfire it's massive is it isn't it it's much taller than I thought it was going to be don't start me they wanted a taller n we that do at the top I could cry I could actually cry cuz I love it so much absolutely love it so much what do you love about I love it see with all these kids and they're really working hard hello they just you right it's it's for them let let me ask you this Gwen do you think how useful how helpful do you think it is to put these posters on the bonfire because they are our enemies they are the enemies they are the ones you say bad words tell me why tell me why cuz they're s it's because they can see they can see for themselves at the end of the day they do this every single year every single year they're here and it takes so much pride on it and you have Shen are interfering in what they're doing it's very easy for me to say this because I understand that I'm not emotionally involved and I haven't lost loved ones but if if we're all saying you know what we want to move forward I don't know how helpful it is to be burning the faces of the opposition how can you move for when they want to change we belong to Britain we are British we are British subjects I hold a British passport I am proud to say I'm British right we are British Shin Fe want to the United Ireland that is their that's the why they brought the war to this country that is their main aim and they will do it through any means and Irish language is not just an orbit but we're holding on to what we have we are holding on here by by maybe fingernails I actually believe that we're more British than what the English are to be quite honest are you encouraging the kids to hate not H well not hit we have to keep them on their toes remind them who these people are and what they're done why do so many people vote for the dup here we were sort of forced to vote for dup so bring together so we help the majority do you agree with everything the dup stand for absolutely not no absolutely not we same sex marriage and things we have people care we have people in here that are G don't have a problem family members G do annoy me do you know what I sort of get it not all of them are socially conservative I think so much of the time it's a tactical vote and it's about you know being a unionist and it's about being a loyalist and it's about protecting what you [Music] know but the britishness I'm feeling here is not like home burning pictures of politicians is aggressive and offensive and the fires themselves are often dangerous I'm on my way to visit one of the bonfires that Belfast City Council has deemed unfe [Music] should I bring the camera no no wait here 2 [Music] minutes she's happy for us just to get a couple of shorts you see on the wall [ __ ] the BBC you see that there nowhere on Earth that you'd be allowed to do this in English you'd be in so much trouble but I mean are there concerns with those businesses they're not that fast this one the see you've had the conversation see the fire service for the skill of it have a bit of concern see mainly for the r yeah tell me why it's so important that you burn the Irish flag is burn na flag live under the Irish flag and that's what it was performance killing here so you feel like that's a fair comparison yeah the Irish flag and the Isis the and Isis are the exact same both kill innocent people for it feels to me like your community are hugely protective of of these bonfires in this night definitely everybody in this community wants this B don't but yet again we won can keep try but we're always going to win we're always going to have our B tell where who is where's one of the P up there you up there didn't you with Mommy yeah one niage is this his first experience this is his first experience on fire experience are you coming as you can see he's black and what is important for you to involve your kids I think it's great the kids growing up around up cuz I was brought up around up and I can't wait to see all the kids Mar to March it's like history repeating itself history just repeating itself and repeating itself yep so you see where that um that teddy bear is with the helmet on that's apparently where the two-year-old was it was up with his mom some of the views were predictable but some of them were quite shocking you know the comparisons with the flags you know the Irish flag and the Isis flag that was very uncomfortable but um he believes in his mind that that's that's Justified I want to hear how the other side feels about the bonfires I felt uncomfortable seeing this young lad going up with the Irish flag yeah I mean it is he can dress up his culture but really what it is it's about Protestant loyalist unionist asserting what they believe to be their Supremacy over Catholic nationalist Republicans in this state that's where the actual culture of it goes at the window becomes hit yeah I've heard the views of both sides and I feel I need to see the bonfires for myself I'm on my way to craer estate when I spot the police so I'm not entirely sure what's going on here but it's not yet midnight police have cornered this off there's a fire being put out it's understandable that some people have concerns it's totally fair enough because you know there are businesses nearby houses but as I get closer I realized they aren't actually putting the fire out instead they are calling the neighboring buildings it seems a bit ridiculous because it's so close to the buildings just an accident waiting to [Music] happen it's nearly midnight the moment everyone has been waiting for I'm going to watch the bonfire getting lit with Gwen I need to finden [Music] oh it's nice to see you it's really good to see you again I'm looking for Gwen come with me we're speaking to Gwen listen listen listen just ignore we're not filming you not happy not we're going to go we're going to go a back off and watch the bonfire from a [Applause] distance Tina Turner [Applause] wow what an experience it's just mind blowing no where El Brit do this no we don't do this in England it's a cultural thing right that's what it is [Music] were will 1690 169 what about 2017 what's going to happen now still be the same never change what this will never change our her never change I have these boomes here doing what the the people want around here that's what we want to [Music] do the morning after the bonfires is known as the 12th when thousands of wellwishers line the roads of Northern Ireland to greet the Bands then we coming down this way yeah this way yeah as we wait I meet a woman who is known as orange Li my eldest daughter is in the same sex relationship oh really so your daughter's a lesbian yeah and she got a partner yeah so if they wanted to get married would you begrudge them there no but I think here in Northern AR work what is the dup doing for the likes of us on the road you tell me because you're here nothing did you vote for them yes why did you vote for them tell me because they are one of well it was the am fan but will you continue to vote for the dup yeah yeah can you see how to some people that doesn't make any sense it may sound stupid yeah I vote for the dup always have done and I personally think they need to move forward with abortion and same same marriage if they they would get a lot more [Music] [Music] votes never end this goes on and on and on here they are are you come we're going to come with you Northern Ireland has the worst poverty levels in the UK and higher than average unemployment the unionist Nationalist battle here squeezes most of the other issues out but there is cause for Hope thanks to negotiations between Marchers and local Catholics the 12th of July is the most peaceful for years it's been so amazing and I'm so delighted that you allowed me to come along so thank you so much for talk to me I want to get my culture right there are no people that's been demonized for years and it's it's a beautiful culture like we can't help that we want the ble Ruth is also celebrating the 12th in County Anri I catch up with her the ing day hey R are you all right good thanks it's good to see you again and where are we off to the gardens yeah so botanic gardens I put to her that the dup voters i' met didn't necessarily agree with the party on same-sex marriage and abortion there are getting less and less of the ones who kind of vote like me and who do agree with them all all issues like whenever you're out canvasing you know the main issues that are brought up are like the you know shin getting Devolution up and running the legacy of the troubles like those are the main issues and I mean does that does that frighten you that there are fewer and fewer people agreeing entirely with what you believe and the old school dup believe um to a certain extent but it won't properly frighten me until that starts affecting their vote I suppose I came here assuming that I'd be spending time with people who were intolerant towards samesex relationships samesex marriage abortion actually on the ground so many people here aren fussed by those issues but some of them in my mind do seem intolerant towards their neighbors the nationalists and I think that's a real shame as I was leaving I got news that some of the bonfires have been reported as hate crimes to the police because she's relying on the dup it's hard for Theresa May to be seen as truly neutral between the two sides here I'd like to know that her deal with the dup won't deepen northern islands bit a divide [Music]

Channel: BBC Three

Views: 584,792

Keywords: stacey dooley, investigates, bbc, three, bbc3, documentary, politics, bbc politics, northern, ireland, dup, unionists, republications, british, irish, arlene foster, eleventh night, bonfire, abortion, lgbt, rights

Id: DBNY8rhng6E

Length: 28min 15sec (1695 seconds)

Published: Mon Aug 07 2017