DUP 'needs to regroup' - as MLA swerves question about whether confused Irish Sea border message damaged party
DUP MLA Phillip Brett says the party’s political obituary has been written before it has come back “stronger than ever” – and despite last week’s election results his party is still bigger than all the other unionist parties combined.
The DUP lost three seats at the general election, and was within a whisker of losing a fourth to Sinn Fein in East Londonderry.
North Belfast MLA Phillip Brett attributed the poor election results to “well documented difficult external circumstance and also internal circumstances”.
He said the Westminster election was reflective of recent council and Assembly elections where the party’s vote has decreased.
“The political obituary had previously been written of the DUP and we have come back stronger than ever”, he told the BBC’s Sunday Politics programme.
Asked by presenter Mark Carruthers about the party’s continually shifting stance on the Irish Sea border, and whether that had impacted its vote, Mr Brett said: “The DUP received more votes than any other unionist party and all other unionist parties combined.
“But we’re not taking this result lightly. There’s a huge job of work for us to do for our party – but our leadership will ensure that we reflect on what happened at this election.
“But it’s also important Mark to look at the success stories that the party had in this election also. Yourself and others predicted that Gavin Robinson would have a difficult election.
“He came back with more votes, an increased majority than the last election. There were reports on the BBC that Carla Lockhart was under pressure in Upper Bann – Carla was returned with an increased majority. There was talk from correspondents that Jim Shannon was under pressure... but he had an excellent result”.
Claims were made in the media about Mr Shannon being under pressure, but much of this came from within the DUP with senior figures briefing the media that the seat was at risk from Alliance.
“I understand that people want to play up the difficulties of the DUP, but this election was a hard election. It was not the result that we wanted. But we are committed to ensuring that at the next election the DUP will return”, the North Belfast MLA said.
Asked about how the party would deal with the fact that it is under threat from TUV, UUP, Alliance and Sinn Fein – Mr Brett said “I believe that we are up for the challenge. We need to re-engage and we need to regroup.
“We came back with five members of parliament and the task for me as an elected representative within unionism – and our party as a whole – is to accept the outcome of this election and ensure that at the next election the party is returned in stronger numbers”.
While the election saw the DUP lose three seats, unionism overall held its own.
The DUP lost two seats to other unionists and one to Alliance.
However, Sorcha Eastwood’s gain in the unionist heartland of Lagan Valley was offset by Stephen Farry losing North Down to the independent unionist Alex Easton.
That left the overall electoral map much the same in terms of unionism, nationalism and Alliance.