DUP accuses Sinn Fein of running scared in plea for pro-Remain election pact

Assembly member Conor Murphy made the comment as John Finucane was selected to contest North Belfast in the event of a general election.

The Newry and Armagh representative said they expect an election to be called before Christmas, and said his party is “open” to an arrangement between pro-Remain parties in Northern Ireland to unseat DUP MPs.

DUP MP Gregory Campbell accused Sinn Fein of “begging for electoral pacts” and “running scared of the people”.

Mr Finucane told the selection meeting at Belfast Castle today that it had the potential to be a “historic election” for Sinn Fein, and described North Belfast as a “key battlefield”.

Mr Murphy urged co-operation between parties to send a pro-Remain message to Westminster.

“There is only one candidate can win this seat from Nigel Dodds, and that is John Finucane,” he said.

“There is only 2,000 votes in the difference in the last election – there are 5,000-plus pro-Remain voters who voted for other parties in the most recent elections and not for Sinn Fein.

“A portion of those would secure the election of John Finucane, but more importantly send a very clear signal to the DUP and the leader of the DUP at Westminster.

“I would appeal to all of those outside Sinn Fein, those pro-Remain progressive voters, that they put aside their own party political loyalties and vote for the only candidate that can take this seat away from the DUP, and send a very strong pro-Remain, progressive message to the British government.”

But Mr Campbell questioned the move, saying that other parties had opposed unionist electoral pacts in the past.

“The DUP has formed pro-Union pacts in the past. We want to see unionism working together. That’s what our voters want. I support maximising the unionist vote. It is why we were able to secure 10 seats in 2017 and deliver £1 billion for Northern Ireland,” he said.

“Sinn Fein, the SDLP and Alliance Party have always condemned our pacts. Which makes the pleading of Sinn Fein MPs for a pact all the more intriguing.

“2019 has seen further setbacks for Sinn Fein electorally. They blamed the poor EU election result on many of their supporters voting for other pro-Remain candidates.

“It was utter nonsense but typical Sinn Fein spin. Remain coalition or not – voting DUP matters and voting DUP delivers.”

In the 2016 EU referendum, Northern Ireland as a whole voted Remain by 56% to 44%.

In the constituency of North Belfast there was a narrow majority for Remain of 20,128 to 19,844 who voted Leave.

Mr Finucane said North Belfast represents an “opportunity to strike an almighty blow against Brexit by unseating an arch DUP Tory Brexiteer”.