Big Election Interview 2022 – Jeffrey Donaldson: ‘People are fed up with inter-unionist rivalry’

It was a task unconnected to his own Lagan Valley base but rather a favour for his fellow candidate Jonathan Buckley who was canvassing elsewhere on Wednesday afternoon in Upper Bann.

A Polish lady and her daughter had travelled from Lurgan to seek Mr Buckley’s advice about a personal matter involving her father but in the Portadown DUP representative absence’s Sir Jeffrey stepped into the breach to help the woman.

After he helped her fill in some forms Sir Jeffrey reflected on what he was hearing on the doorsteps almost two thirds of the way through a Province wide campaign tour.

Sir Jeffrey said: “The one thing that 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. And I think that you are going to see unionism coming together in this election. I think you are going to see a strong vote and transfers across the unionist family because ordinary unionists are not interested in these kind of personality clashes. They want unionism to be strong and have the strength to defend Northern Ireland’s place within the Union. That is the clear message that we are getting on the doorsteps.

“I have been canvassing from Londonderry to Kilkeel, from Enniskillen all the way up to Coleraine and the message is the same within the whole country and within unionist circles. They want greater unionist co-operation and they are uniting behind the DUP because they recognise that the DUP is the only unionist party that can win this election.”

The DUP leader stood in his first ever election back in 1985 but described this current campaign as “the most important election I have ever fought.”

He continued: “I have been a candidate in at least a dozen elections and I have taken part in many more but for me this one more than any other election is the most crucial because it is about deciding the future direction of Northern Ireland. Because the people have a very clear choice in this election - either they can vote in a way that will allow Sinn Fein to pursue their divisive border poll agenda or they can vote for a unionist party that offers a positive agenda which tackles the issues that really matter to households across Northern Ireland.”

While in past elections unionism has suffered politically because of apathy and non-turnout in pro-Union areas Sir Jeffrey claimed the picture is different this time around.

“I am not encountering apathy on the doorsteps in any part of Northern Ireland. I think people are energised to take part in this election. I think we are going to see a good turnout across communities because pro-Union voters recognise the necessity to get out and vote.”

As well opposing the Northern Ireland Protocol, Sir Jeffrey said another reason for participating in the anti-Protocol rallies is to engage with unionists and loyalists who may not consider voting.

“One of the other reasons I have attended some of the rallies in various parts of Northern Ireland is to reach out to people in the community who sometimes feel isolated from politics and don’t see politics as a way of addressing the issues that challenge us. What I am about is demonstrating the primacy of politics as the only way to resolve our problems and that means getting to vote in large numbers. I believe this time you are going to see a higher turn out,” he said.

Widespread unionist concern about Sinn Fein emerging as the largest party will encourage more pro-Union voters to transfer down the ballot paper, Sir Jeffrey said.

“I am hearing this whether it be in East Londonderry, Fermanagh or my constituency of Lagan Valley there is going to be more co-operating inside the polling both with unionist voters transferring like never before,” he said.

Sir Jeffrey declined to say what would happen if the DUP faced the ‘nightmare scenario’ it has been conjuring up throughout the campaign - Sinn Fein having enough seats to nominate Michelle O’Neill as First Minister.

“I am in this election to win and I am convinced the DUP can win it. Certainly the response we are getting on the doorsteps indicates that people are getting in behind our Five-Point Plan.

“They recognise that we have a balanced approach and we acted decisively to ensure Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom is protected. So, I am not prepared to contemplate a situation where Sinn Fein win this election. I will continue to remain positive in my strong belief that the DUP can win and that unionism is going to deliver a very strong message in this election by becoming more united and that the levels of transfers among the unionist family that we haven’t seen for a number of years.”

He urged DUP voters who tick Number 1 for the party to keep transferring to the pro-Union parties on the ballot paper.

The DUP leader also appealed to Catholic voters opposed to abortion to support his party, with many pro-life Catholics already pledging support.

“We are already finding people from a Roman Catholic background who are telling us they are giving the DUP their first preference vote because of our pro-life stance.

“I think you will see not only first preference votes but transfer votes from people across the community because of the DUP’s position on such moral issues,” he said.

As the clock struck four at nearby StMark’s Church in the centre of Portadown, Sir Jeffrey got up to prepare himself for another round of encounters with the electorate and added: “We really want to make Stormont work for everyone.”