DUP Leader Arlene Foster pleaded for a country free from intolerance and hatred as she addressed a massive Orange Order march in Cowdenbeath on Saturday.
Huge crowds for Orange march in Cowdenbeath pic.twitter.com/RBJgS4EFim
— Leeza Clark (@C_LClark) June 30, 2018
She told the thousands taking part that bigotry should not be a part of anyone’s mind set.
“Let’s all be bridge builders,” she urged those at the County Grand Lodge of the East of Scotland gathering.
That was not only metaphorical but physical bridge building.
Revealing she has travelled to Scotland by air, she said in future she hoped to be able to drive from Northern Ireland.
“In 2015, the DUP proposed a feasibility study into building a bridge to Scotland.
“At that time some mocked the idea. They had no vision.
“Today there is growing support.
“The connection between our two countries has always been special.
“What better way to cement that relationship than through a bridge?
“I want to see the Orange Institution here in Scotland get behind this campaign.”
She said among the “nasty and abusive comments” about the Orange Order “wouldn’t it be great to become an actual bridge builder between Northern Ireland and Scotland”.
“Not only would a bridge be a symbolic linkage, it would also be a tremendous boost to the economies of the areas at both sides of the bridge.
“While some foolishly attempt to use Brexit to build a border between Scotland and Northern Ireland, we are more progressive, we want to build a bridge,” she said.
But the politician, who struck up a controversial deal to prop up Theresa May’s government, said she didn’t come to Scotland to give a lecture on civil engineering, but to celebrate King William III’s victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
“Amongst all the colour and music we can sometimes lose sight of the objective,” she said, instead drawing lessons from his life.
“Though he was buffeted on every side, he kept focused on the objective.
“So what can we learn from this man as we seek to build our country anew?” she asked.
She said much could be learned from his love of country, his openness to build new alliances to achieve goals, his faith, his relentlessness in the face of challenge, and his willingness to modernise to advance a nation and a cause.
She added: “Let us as a people not drift backwards.
“We need to be like William and build alliances for the good of all the country.
“This country needs to be a shared place where people are able to live free from intolerance and hatred.
“Such bigotry was not part of King William’s mind set and it should not be part of ours.”
She said a mural near her mother’s house in south Belfast bore the quote, which she asked the marchers to remember.
“Let ambition fire your mind”.
She added: “In 2018, we need ambition and vision, just like King William.
“Let’s all be bridge builders. “
Roads were closed in and around Cowdenbeath to allow the march to go ahead.
The slip roads at the Cowdenbeath junction of the A92 were also shut from 1pm to 4pm.
Police have confirmed all local roads have since reopened but that delays may still be expected as traffic clears.
