‘Not all Protestants hate Abba’: DUP leader shows fun side, but no hiding his election fears
DUP leader Gavin Robinson is attempting to revitalize his party's image with a more lighthearted approach following a period of political scandal and electoral decline. Despite the festive atmosphere at the party conference, the DUP faces significant challenges ahead of upcoming elections.
Why it matters
The DUP's internal stability and electoral performance are critical factors in Northern Irish politics and the broader debate on Irish unity.
On the eve of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) conference, party leader Gavin Robinson asked members if there were any Derry Girls fans among them.
“You mean Londonderry Girls,” replied MP Sammy Wilson at the Friday night dinner.
Introducing the evening’s entertainment – an Abba tribute band – Robinson quoted a line from the “blackboard scene” of the sitcom, which addressed some apparent differences between Catholics and Protestants. Saying he wanted to dispel a myth, Robinson joked: “Not all Protestants hate Abba.”
Wilson proceeded to lead a conga line through the ballroom of La Mon Hotel in Belfast to Dancing Queen.
It was, as one DUP stalwart was overheard saying in the same ballroom the following day, an “insane” evening.
“But it was very much in Gavin’s image,” he added. “It was fun.”
Before training as a barrister, Robinson worked as a children’s entertainer, clown and magician.
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