Assembly election: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says DUP will win South Down seat after more defections to TUV

Sir Jeffrey said he was “confident” that DUP candidate Diane Forsythe will be elected even though seven party officers in the constituency association quit to back the TUV’s Harold McKee.

The DUP leader, who grew up in South Down and has strong family ties to Mourne country, said: “The response Diane has been getting on the doors has been fantastic and I am confident that she is going to retain the only unionist seat in South Down.

“I believe strongly that she is the only candidate on the unionist side that can win a seat. And Diane, I believe, will serve the constituency very well. She reflects the standpoint of most unionists in South Down.

“I know the area well and in my home area of Mourne she has strong support because in the end people recognise that the DUP are the only unionist party that can beat Sinn Fein.

“The message we are getting in South Down like other constituencies is that people are getting behind the DUP for that very reason.”

The defection of seven DUP officers from the local association and their backing for Mr McKee comes weeks after veteran DUP representative Jim Wells resigned from the party and also declared his support for the local TUV candidate.

Despite their resignations Mr Donaldson paid tribute to the seven defectors for their long-standing work for the DUP in the constituency over the decades.

“We very much appreciate the work that they have done over many years and we are sorry that they have decided to depart at this time but we must continue the task of defending the Union.

“Because one thing I am getting in this election campaign right across the unionist voter base is that people are fed up with bickering and with inter-unionist rivalry,” he said.

Sir Jeffrey said the DUP’s South Down Association has been strengthened with “an influx of new members and I am confident that we will have a healthy constituency association down there. We have lots of young people coming out to support Diane.”

The defectors reportedly include former DUP councillors and two founding members.

Chairman Roland Wilson told the Belfast Telegraph yesterday that local members had been “treated with disdain”.

“Not once in the entire selection process was I or any other member of the DUP South Down Association consulted about this crucial decision (to nominate Mrs Forsythe),” he said.

“Every letter, email and text message that was sent to party headquarters about this issue was totally ignored.

“The party asks our members to raise money to fund their central activities, pay election expenses, put up posters and knock on doors and the least we can expect in return is that one of our communications about such an important issue is answered.”

The six others include current vice-chairman David Herron, former councillor and association chairman Garth Craig, association secretary William Burns, and youth wing activist Clifford Wilson.

Fergus Bingham, who joined the party when it was formed in 1971, and Olive Craig, a member for more than 40 years, also quit.

In a statement later yesterday Mr Wilson added: “Loyal DUP members of the party in South Down are extremely fortunate that we do have a candidate standing on the 5th May who we can enthusiastically support.

“Councillor Harold McKee has the experience at both local government and Stormont level to effectively represent the constituency in the Assembly and we fully endorse his recent stand on moral issues such as the protection of the unborn child and same-sex marriage.”

TUV leader Jim Allister welcomed the defection of the veteran DUP members claiming it was helping to build momentum in favour of Mr McKee in the battle for the sole unionist seat.

“The continuing groundswell of support for Harold McKee is very gratifying. It is now clear that Harold is now the candidate of choice for principled unionists right across the spectrum,” Mr Allister said.