Sir Jeffrey Donaldson: We are not afraid to say ‘no’ if any offer does not protect Northern Ireland’s rightful place in the Union

Throughout this period the DUP has led from the front in our determination to replace the Northern Ireland Protocol.

We have been able to lead and challenge because of the democratic mandates given to us by you in the last two Northern Ireland-wide elections. Thank you for empowering us.

The rights of unionists cannot be diminished, side-lined, or treated in a way that is less important than those of nationalists.

Therefore, any new arrangements agreed with the government must be capable of commanding the support of unionists as well as nationalists.

We believe in the Union and we work to promote the benefits of the Union and to secure our position within the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England – bound together in the United Kingdom is the most successful political Union the world has ever seen. We want it to remain so.

Look at the benefits delivered through our membership of the United Kingdom during the Covid-19 crisis. More recently support delivered across a range of cost-of-living measures ensured the people of Northern Ireland received the same level of support as those in the rest of the United Kingdom, something our DUP parliamentary team worked hard to deliver.

I believe in the United Kingdom because I believe it is best placed economically, socially, culturally and historically to improve the lives of all our people.

I also believe that when unionism is united and confident, we are at our strongest. Wherever I travel in Northern Ireland I get one consistent message from unionist voters - they want their unionist elected representatives to work together. They see that a fractured unionism cost seats, and influence.

There is more that unites the unionist family than divides us. I have had regular meetings with all the other unionist parties to discuss how we can work together to achieve our objectives.

But we must do more and I stand ready to play my part in greater unionist co-operation.

We must step up our efforts in promoting the Union.

Those who believe that a united Ireland is around the corner, that it is inevitable, and that Northern Ireland within the Union will cease to exist are entirely wrong.

If we make the right choices now, we will secure the Union for generations to come.

But that means being prepared to face up to new realities and adapting to new circumstances.

I welcome Labour leader Keir Starmer’s comments last week that a border poll is not even on the horizon. It is a confirmation of what we already know. However, we must not simply seek to defend Northern Ireland’s position within the United Kingdom, we must be active persuaders for the Union in both word and deed.

Our over-riding objective must always be to make Northern Ireland work, to deliver prosperity for our people, and to thrive as a valued integral part of the United Kingdom.

But to do that the government must first act to undo the harm caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol and redress the delicate political balances so devastatingly upset over the last few years.

Our objectives include, restoring and future-proofing in law our Article 6 economic rights under the Acts of Union, thus ensuring our ability to trade freely within the UK internal market, as well as securing further measures that will strengthen Northern Ireland’s place within the Union.

The DUP has a proven track-record of saying yes, and leading from the front, when it’s right to do so.

Equally, we will not be afraid to say no if we conclude that what is on offer does not deal with the fundamental flaws and is not in the best long-term interests of our place in the Union.

We are determined and united. We will work to prevail on the most fundamental of issues – protecting our rightful place in the Union. Together with your support we will succeed.

l Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is Lagan Valley MP and DUP leader