DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and TUV leader Jim Allister strike a deal to ‘cooperate’ at Assembly election; call for UUP leader Doug Beattie to join them

The DUP and TUV have reached an agreement on how to cooperate in the forthcoming election, but are still awaiting a response from the UUP leader Doug Beattie as to whether he will join them.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson made the point during an anti-Northern Ireland Protocol rally on Thursday in Dromore Orange Hall, Co Down.

He was sitting on a panel with TUV leader Jim Allister, UUP MLA Robbie Butler and high-profile Brexiteers Baroness Kate Hoey and former MEP Ben Habib.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Donaldson reflected on calls from Baroness Hoey and Mr Habib for unionist unity in the forthcoming Assembly election. 

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was speaking at a rally in Dromore, Co Down on Thursday night.DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was speaking at a rally in Dromore, Co Down on Thursday night.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was speaking at a rally in Dromore, Co Down on Thursday night.
Read More
Northern Ireland Protocol: Baroness Kate Hoey tells rally she hopes for new seri...

“We have already, at party leader level, discussed the matter of cooperation in the forthcoming election,” he said.

“Let me be clear. I am not going to say that a political party should step aside or not. 

“I think every political party has the right to contest an election in a democracy.

TUV Leader Jim Allister also attended the anti-protocol rally at Dromore Orange Hall on Thursday evening.
 Photo: Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker.TUV Leader Jim Allister also attended the anti-protocol rally at Dromore Orange Hall on Thursday evening.
 Photo: Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker.
TUV Leader Jim Allister also attended the anti-protocol rally at Dromore Orange Hall on Thursday evening. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But we need to cooperate. And I am happy to say Jim and I have already agreed this. Unfortunately it is not yet agreed by all the unionist political parties.”

He added: “But we are agreed that we will jointly call for all the people who vote for our parties to transfer their votes to pro-Union anti-protocol parties.”

He said unionism is often “taunted” that it is diminishing, but that one of the strongest things unionism currently has is that “all unionist representatives are opposed to the protocol”.

“I will continue to engage with the other unionist parties to try and bring them into a more unified position, especially regarding maximising unionist representation in the forthcoming election.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We have an opportunity in this election to maximise the number of unionists who are returned to the Assembly.”

But, getting agitated, he said that what he wants to avoid is what happened in the last Assembly election.

“I stood at the last Assembly election in this constituency and I watched, for the final seat in Lagan Valley, unionist transfers going to the SDLP and defeating a unionist candidate.

“And I have to say that was a seminal moment for me. I couldn’t understand how a candidate [Brenda Hale] whose husband had laid down his life for this country on the battlefields in Afghanistan could be defeated by unionist voters who decided it was better to transfer their vote to a [SDLP] candidate who opposed the erection of a memorial to the UDR.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Pausing again due to applause, he added: “Let’s ensure that doesn’t happen again. Let’s ensure this time that unionist transfers go to other unionist candidates.

“If you want to vote beyond that – everybody is at liberty to do that – but for goodness sake prioritise your transfers. Vote one for the party of your preference and then transfer to the other pro-Union anti-protocol candidates so that when the results are declared unionism will stand strong and united.”

Mr Allister told the News Letter last night that he would not define the agreement with the DUP as a pact.

“I have said and he [Jeffrey] has said unionists should transfer to other anti-protocol unionists. I’d like to see Doug Beattie say the same.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“TUV has always been clear that unionists need to vote down the ballot for all pro-Union candidates in the order of their preference. With the protocol a live issue this is all the more important.

“TUV will be making it clear during the campaign and in our election literature that after voting TUV electors should continue to vote for pro-Union, anti-protocol candidates. As long as this happens the vote cannot be split.

“We welcome the fact that Sir Jeffrey made a commitment to encourage voters to transfer down the ballot to other unionists in Dromore on Thursday night.”

The News Letter contacted the UUP repeatedly yesterday to seek some comment on the matter, but none was offered.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Meanwhile, the EU and UK government said yesterday they will hold “intensive discussions” in the coming days as they continue to attempt to break the deadlock over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss met in London yesterday.

Ms Truss had earlier said finding a solution to the protocol dispute was an “absolute priority”.

READ MORE:

A message from the Editor:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Ben Lowry

Editor