Election 2023: WATCH - Successful UUP man says 'the people have spoken - we should merge with DUP'

Paul Michael, who has now been elected to the Airport district of Antrimand Newtownabbey Borough Council, made the comments after securing his own seat back with a much-increased vote.

But that result has not been shared by many others in his party; at time of writing the UUP was down 16 councillors on the last election, taking just 11.1% of all first-preference votes (down 3.2% on 2019).

The DUP meanwhile took 23.7% (a dip of just under 1%).

So has the day now come for a merger?

Alderman Michael told the News Letter: “I see a day. Yes I do.

"We can stand back as long as we want and see these factions within unionism – and we’ve seen this here today: surplus votes, votes being lost.

"No. I think the people are speaking, and they will speak, and they are speaking here today.

"It’d be naive of anyone to turn a blind eye to what is happening. I think the people are pushing for that and I think, yes, we’re looking one day – in the not too distant future, I may add – looking at a unionist party.”

Could we do it now?

"I think there are people up the pay grade a lot higher than me will make that call,” he said.

"I think the people are speaking here and they’ve spoken and we’d be just wrong not to see that.”

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