Reg Empey: Nigel Farage says a united Ireland will happen, yet some unionists fell into the trap of thinking that such Brexiteers care about the Union

He also stated that he “always got on well with Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald”, presumably while they were MEPs.

Farage's intervention will be music to the ears of republicans on both sides of the border, to hear such comments from a leading figure in Great Britain, with a significant following as a broadcaster and pundit.

Some years ago, a number of leading members of the Ulster Unionist Party and other loyalist organisations, defected, and ran to the side of Nigel Farage and stood as Ukip candidates. This, they claimed, was a step forward for the unionist cause as the UUP 'wasn't tough enough' on republicans and the UK government.

I wonder how those people feel today? They are all loyal unionists, but now see that they tried to convince unionists to vote for a party led by someone who isn't a true believer in the Union and has stabbed them in the back.

There has been a tendency for some unionists to fall into the trap of believing that those espousing Brexit were, by definition, true blue unionists. Not so.

I believe Farage is an English nationalist and Brexit is far more important to him than the Union.

In a similar fashion, the DUP was intoxicated by Boris Johnson's empty rhetoric, not only about Brexit, but about his commitment to the Union.

The day he sold us out to Brussels they even suggest his plan was a 'serious and sensibly way forward'!

Both Farage and Johnson have been shown to have feet of clay, and good loyal unionists have been taken in by the spin and ambition of both.

Putting their faith in these men demonstrated a total lack of confidence. Unionism must do its own negotiating and project a positive and coherent message to the electorate here and across the UK. Having some confidence in ourselves and our arguments would be a good start.

Reg Empey, Former Ulster Unionist leader, Palace of Westminster, London

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