Doug Beattie: There was no ambiguity over talks with Sir Jeffrey Donaldson

Doug Beattie insisted last night that there was and is no ambiguity that his talks with Sir Jeffrey Donaldson were focused on the Lagan Valley MP defecting to the Ulster Unionists.
UUP leader Doug Beattie speaking to the media in Tandragee, Co Armagh, yesterday before he left for talks in Brussels about the NI ProtocolUUP leader Doug Beattie speaking to the media in Tandragee, Co Armagh, yesterday before he left for talks in Brussels about the NI Protocol
UUP leader Doug Beattie speaking to the media in Tandragee, Co Armagh, yesterday before he left for talks in Brussels about the NI Protocol

Mr Beattie also challenged Sir Jeffrey to say whether or not he told his party colleagues, including fellow MPs, about their discussion.

Speaking in Brussels ahead of a series of meetings with EU officials and opinion formers today, the Ulster Unionist leader told the News Letter: “The DUP can hold on to their version of events if they wish, it is up to them to support that version. As for me, my party chairman was fully briefed that I intended to approach Sir Jeffrey, he was told the time and date of the meeting, and received an update on what was discussed. I did not keep anything secret from my party.

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“Who did he tell he was meeting me? Did his party know? Did his chairman know? Did his Westminster colleagues or first minister know? If nobody knew then why?” Mr Beattie said.

The UUP leader added: “My correspondence to Sir Jeffrey was clear, there could be no ambiguity about what was suggested and what the meeting would be about.”

He said it was “disappointing” that someone from within the DUP leaked information about last year’s meeting.

“Had this approach not been put into the public domain then I would have no reason to comment. As it was put to the media, at a time when the UUP had made a conscious decision to remain silent due to the death of Christopher Stalford, then I had no choice but to answer the media’s questions.”

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Mr Beattie denied that the controversy would damage pan-unionist cooperation in the run up to the Assembly elections in May.

“I see no reason why relationships are completely damaged beyond repair. But a valuable lesson needs to be learned. As the leader of the UUP I will not stand idly by when untruths are spread about me and the party I lead,” he said.

He said he had no intention of releasing any private correspondence “unless provoked to do so in order to protect my integrity”.

Defending his trip to Brussels and discussions with EU officials during which he will convey the unionist opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol, Mr Beattie added: “The trip to Brussels and the EU is important if we are to continue to outline our concerns and solutions over the protocol and wider relations.

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“At a time when unprecedented cooperation between the UK and EU in regards to Ukraine is taking place, it is time to see that same spirit of cooperation in dealing with protocol issues. As a party we will have productive meetings and I see no reason for the EU not to give us a fair hearing.”

But loyalist activist Jamie Bryson criticised the UUP’s stance on the protocol.

Mr Bryson said: “So the UUP need to level with people. Do they support the ‘best of both worlds’ or do they support the Acts of Union? That’s a simple question, and requires that they choose one or the other. You can’t have both, because they can’t be reconciled.

“If the UUP want unfettered GB-NI trade, as they plainly do, but also want NI having privileged access to EU and UK markets (as it seems they also do), then they should own that argument but in doing so they must confront the constitutional consequences of their position. And the consequences is a violation of the fundamental and foundational constitutional law of the United Kingdom in the form of the Acts of Union.”