Gavin Robinson says 'fractured' unionism costs seats as UUP leader Doug Beattie rules out pacts

The debate about unionist unity – or some form of realignment – reared its head again this week when Sir Jeffrey Donaldson once again floated the notion of unionists working more closely together.

But talk of pacts was quickly ruled out by the Ulster Unionist leader. Doug Beattie said they aren’t the right thing to do, and don’t work for unionism – arguing they drive voters away from pro-union politics.

But in a speech to DUP members in East Antrim on Thursday night, the DUP’s deputy leader said when unionism works together in councils, the Assembly “or at leadership, we are at our strongest”.

While not explicitly supporting formal pacts, the East Belfast MP said: “This does not mean we will agree on every issue but that we can find commonality and a unity of purpose on the matters that draw us together.

“We need only look at the Ministerial portfolios in Stormont to see the consequences of divided unionism. A handful of votes in North Antrim is the difference between an Alliance Minister and another unionist Minister. We must realise that who we back on the ballot paper has consequences. Fractured unionism cost seats, and influence”.

The DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has been attempting to reframe the debate within unionism away from splits – most notably within his own party – over the Irish Sea border. Prominent figures such as Lord Dodds and the East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson have rejected the deal their party struck with the government on the issue – and have continued to highlight problems with the sea border in both houses at Westminster.

Doug Beattie agrees with Sir Jeffrey that unionism needs to reach out beyond its base – but won’t support pacts. He told the News Letter: “If the argument is that demographics are changing and we can’t do what we did previously why do people think pacts will work.

“They simply do not and instead end up driving more unionists away and into the arms of either middle ground political parties or into the increasing pool of pro-union non-voters. The statistic that two-thirds of all non-voters are pro union should be a wake-up call.

“If unionism is serious about appealing to a wider electorate with positive messaging and a long-term optimistic vision of a united society within a United Kingdom, then they must get away from the ‘vote us or you’ll get them’ and instead promote and project a collective policy-led future for Northern Ireland.

“This is what the Ulster Unionist Party has always stood for and I see no change going forward”, he said.

Ulster Unionists have also suggested Sir Jeffrey is late to the game. Responding to outreach from he DUP leader on Thursday, the Ulster Unionist Party chairwoman Jill Macauley said her party had been trying to win converts to unionism for years – adding “yet to Jeffrey & some in the DUP this seems to be a new phenomenon”.

The TUV’s focus remains on the Irish Sea border – with the party saying “there are a large number of Unionists who do not share his [Sir Jeffrey’s] defeatist attitude and who still recognise that to implement the Protocol is to dismantle Union”.

The latest talk of unionist unity and electoral pacts was sparked by comments by Sir Jeffrey on Thursday when he said there must be a much more unified approach by the two main unionist parties.

In an interview on the BBC, the DUP leader said recent talks with the UUP were about “building a more cohesive unionism. Whether it’s operating in local government, in the Assembly or indeed in future in Westminster – we can do so in a way in which it’s our common ground that we’re working, rather than seeking to hit off each other because we might have some differences or a different policy emphasis.

“I think the common ground across mainstream unionism is far stronger than anything that divides us, and therefore it makes sense for us to work together in common cause”.

He said he would “ultimately” like to see the parties working closely together, and what shape that takes “can be looked at as we go forward” – adding that institutional realignment was a possibility as both parties are on “pretty much the same ground”.