Letter: I have joined the DUP because it restored our place within the Union

Our place within the United Kingdom has been restored and, as my leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said: “The time for complaining from the sidelines is over… unionists must work together as we sell the benefits of our Union.”

Rather than be on the outside, I want to be involved. I want to contribute towards making Northern Ireland work.

I want unionism to be positive, confident and inclusive. This is how we will build long-term support for the Union.

A divided unionism only serves republicanism. I appeal to all unionists to remember the unionist cause and not to lose sight of the bigger picture: maintaining our place within the Union.

I was formerly UUP between 2013 and 2023 and was a UUP election candidate in 2019 for Comber DEA. I still maintain many great friendships with members of the UUP and I thank them for these friendships – it means a lot to me. We are all part of the unionist family – we must always remember that no matter what happens.

I am still a moderate, secular, gay unionist. I have not changed. Sometimes however, like life, politics takes us down different paths. It is anyone’s guess if unionism ever has planned realignment, though I believe it is naturally happening.

I look forward to working with everyone in the DUP. Let’s build Northern Ireland – moving forward together, as we implement the DUP’s five-point plan for Northern Ireland.

Michael Palmer, Newtownards