​DUP ‘losing ground to TUV’ was real reason for Stormont boycott: Beattie

The Ulster Unionist leader suggested the boycott was a direct result of the DUP “losing ground to the TUV”.

Mr Beattie also rejected a suggestion that the DUP walkout failed to remove the Irish Sea border due to the UUP “not joining the fight with the DUP and TUV”.​

In an exchange on social media on Monday, Mr Beattie said: “DUP had a boycott of devolved govt because they were losing ground to the TUV.

"At no stage did they ask us to join a boycott & if they did I wouldn’t have because it would not work.

"We were proven right & now we are to blame?"

Pressed on the UUP’s approach to the NI Protocol, and why the party is “implementing it as the best way forward?" Mr Beattie said: “Not truth..Your argument is whether we should fight the protocol inside or outside of devolved govt.

"We didn’t create this mess, others did, we think it best to fight for changes inside devolved govt.

"The boycott clearly didn’t work and unionism is weaker for it. That’s not weakness.”

Responding to a claim that the DUP, TUV and UUP “have all destroyed unionism” with an “inability to unite on key issues,” particularly the Windsor Framework, Mr Beattie said: “I’ve debated all political leaders in one form or another.

How do you unite with parties that are not working in the interests of NI and its people. The boycott and the rallies were all for political gain”.

In a letter to UUP members at the weekend, Mr Beattie said the shock resignation of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson as DUP leader “should be of concern to all of unionism”.

He said the UUP “has issued a statement on this matter and would ask our membership to refrain from commenting further,” and added: “On a wider front it is important that we have stability in NI and leadership within unionism.

"We are in danger of those negative, pessimistic and isolationist voices taking hold of unionism once more".