DUP MP says party is 'in a happy state and is content with the leadership' as he indicates no change for Stormont boycott

He was speaking to the News Letter on the night of a meeting of the party’s roughly 130-strong executive in Lurgan.

The meeting has been long anticipated, amid rumours in recent months – denied on-the-record by some senior party figures – that some in the DUP are softening in their determination to keep the Stormont boycott going.

The DUP for its part has been quite insistent: tonight’s meeting is one of about four annual executive gatherings, the business at it is “routine”, and no major decisions are going to be taken.

And speaking to the News Letter shortly before the meeting of MPs, MLAs and regional party delegates, Mr Paisley indicated that nothing had changed in the party’s position – it still opposes the NI Protocol / Windsor Framework, and there is no basis for a return to government.

As to what he expected out of the meeting, he said: “What I hope comes out from it is very clear messaging – because I know that internally the party is in a very happy state, that the party is content with the leadership, and that the party wants to go into the next phase of where we are on a very solid, and united, basis.

"I hope what comes out is clarion certainty of where we are. That's not a criticism; I just think in recent days we've had all sorts of other people telling us what's happening within the DUP.

“I think tonight is a great opportunity for the DUP to state loudly and clearly its own position, and to be master of its own destiny.”

And the position is that there’s no change to the boycott?

“I don't see how that changes,” he replied.

"I mean, certainly in the immediate future: we haven't even got a response back from the government about the points we've made, and the leader has been very clear about that.

"The government knows what needs to be done... the ball's at the foot of the Secretary of State and Prime Minister, and it's up to them to kick it, not us.”

• Transgenderism - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tells the nation: 'Men are men. Women are women. That is common sense'

• 25 years of Good Friday Agreement: Former SDLP leading light rebuffs 'tenuous claims' about Sinn Fein's past enthusiasm for 1998 deal