Deputy First Minister says DUP is committed to making Northern Ireland 'thrive and flourish'

​Emma Little Pengelly said she is proud of what the DUP have achieved in government here, not just over the past year and a half, but over the past twenty years the party has been in power.

She was addressing the party faithful at the La Mon Hotel near Comber on Saturday – and used the speech to defend her party’s record in the Stormont Executive.

The DUP MLA said that the past few years had been difficult for the party, placing blame on the actions of recent UK governments – accusing them of having “failed to live up to their promises”.

“They have failed to stand up to the European Union and Irish Government. They have missed opportunities to restore the integrity

of the UK single market. Conference, we will not let them off the hook.

“We will use our positions at every level of government to call out the reality faced by businesses throughout Northern Ireland, restore our union, and remove the border in the Irish Sea”, Ms Little Pengelly said.

“Promises were made. The UK Government committed to restoring unfettered UK internal trade. They must deliver. We have all been badly let down. I feel deeply let down. It is not good enough”, the deputy First Minister said.

On the “challenges of a mandatory coalition government” – she said that it was not always smooth sailing.

“It means on occasion there will be disagreements, frustrations and fall outs.

“But leadership is about rolling up your sleeves, building consensus where you can, but standing firm when you must, and always keeping your focus on the people we are privileged to serve”, she said.

Continuing the theme of defending the Stormont institutions, the Lagan Valley MLA said it “has never been clearer than it is today: Northern Ireland is stronger when devolution is functioning”.

“An integral part of the United Kingdom, but with our own voice, our own institutions, and our own ability to shape the decisions that affect our lives”.