Doug Beattie vows to publish text of Donaldson messages ‘if integrity questioned’

The Ulster Unionist leader made the comments after his version of events – around talks between the two unionist leaders – was publicly challenged by the DUP.

The discussions took place last spring, shortly after Edwin Poots narrowly defeated Sir Jeffrey Donaldson in the DUP’s first ever leadership contest in its 50-year history.

Speaking on the Nolan Show on Monday morning, Mr Beattie revealed he has messages from the DUP leader he is prepared to make public if he is “called a liar”.

Mr Beattie said: “I did make an approach, saying that I would be happy if he would consider coming back to the Ulster Unionist Party.”

Mr Beattie also had a message to those within the DUP who insist his version of events is distorted.

“If you want to challenge me and call me a liar, the I will produce the documentary evidence,” he said.

“Because I cannot be seen to be undermined as a party leader. People can either listen to me and say ‘I believe Doug Beattie,’ or they can say ‘Doug Beattie’s a liar,’ but if anybody is going out there to say ‘Doug Beattie’s a liar’ then I will produce the proof to prove that I am not lying.”

Asked about those people who will insist that he is “making this up,” Mr Beattie said: “I didn’t put this in the public domain, nobody close to me put it in he public domain, nobody from my party put this into the public domain, but when it was put into the public domain we said nothing.

“I am now having to answer questions with you, but I wouldn’t be answering these questions if people had not opened this conversation up. It should never have been opened up.”

The DUP leader has stressed that the talks were merely focussed on improving pan-unionist cooperation.

In a tweet last week, Sir Jeffrey described the suggestion that he had sought to re-join his old party as “nonsense”.

“I never had any such intentions or plans,” his message said.

“At that time, I was approached, and it was made clear I would be welcome in the UUP but I respectfully declined.”

DUP Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said talk of his party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson potentially rejoining the UUP last year was “tittle tattle”.

Mr Lyons said he and other members of the DUP he had spoken to accept Sir Jeffrey’s insistence that he never had any intention of joining the Ulster Unionists.

“I don’t think that the public are interested in what happened a year ago or who said what, even now,” he told reporters in Belfast on Monday.

“They’re looking to the future. If you listen to what people are actually concerned about right now, it’s the future, it’s about cost of living, it’s about what comes next for them. That’s where our focus is right now as well.”

Asked if he had contacted Sir Jeffrey to seek assurances on the issue, Mr Lyons added: “No, I’ve had no need to raise those concerns. Jeffrey Donaldson set out his position and I can tell you speaking to other people in my party, they accept that as well and want us to actually focus on what comes next rather than tittle tattle from the last year.”

READ: ‘Real resentment’ rising towards those responsible for leaking DUP leader’s alleged defection talks

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