Chairman of loyalist paramilitary forum hits out at Doug Beattie over Protocol remarks to the BBC

David Campbell, now the chairman of the Loyalist Communities Council, said that “despite the UUP being the prime architect of the Belfast Agreement, its current leadership appears to have no interest in defending [its] integrity”.

The criticism of Mr Beattie, and his defence of his remarks, can be found at this link:

Doug Beattie says Protocol interview comments were taken out of context and he does believe Union is damaged

The LCC provides a forum for figures connected with the UVF, UDA, and Red Hand Commando to discuss political developments affecting loyalism.

Mr Campbell – who also used to be the chairman of the UUP – said in a statement: “In interviews over the past few days Doug Beattie and Mike Nesbitt appeared to equivocate on the threat to the Union caused by the NI protocol, and did not reference at all the breaches to the Belfast Agreement.

“The UUP leadership needs to stand firm at this critical time of negotiation, and not be the weak link that undermines the totality of unionist opposition to the protocol.”

You can read Mr Campbell’s full statement on the News Letter’s LETTERS page.

Mr Beattie himself has addressed the issue of his comments to the BBC in an interview with the News Letter, telling us that his words have been “taken out of context”.

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