Jamie Bryson responds to DUP MP's scathing criticism of anti-deal rallies

Mr Wilson also said that the battle over the sea border issue would be best fought inside the DUP – something Mr Bryson says he agrees with in principle.

Jamie Bryson said: “I don’t think we need to get bogged down in whether Jeffrey is, to use Sammy Wilson’s phrase, a treacherous sell-out merchant, or not. That just distracts from the issues around the unsustainable claims which have been made by Jeffrey and those around him. Whatever the personal motivations behind those absurd pro-deal claims are, that is a bit of a distraction. The focus needs to be kept on the demonstrably false nature of the claims themselves, rather than on personalities.

“Although I would say that we ought not to revise history. It was Jeffrey who launched scathing personal attacks on those of us dared to point out, by reference to clear legal authority and opinion, that the claims being made by Jeffrey were unsustainable. In order to build a narrative around his deal, Jeffrey and the NIO combined to try and undermine opposition by attacking anyone who would have the capacity to point out that people were being misled.

“I do agree with Sammy in principle that the battle needs to be won within the DUP. The only practical problem with that is that for principled unionists like Sammy, Nigel, Maurice Morrow, Carla and others, they are effectively trying to play chess with a pigeon.

“How do you have a reasoned rational argument when one side just continuously keep saying black is white, regardless of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, not least that which is before their very eyes?

“The reason there is embittered feeling on the part of many people, is - in my view - because of the extent and depth of anger at how people have been fundamentally deceived. You can’t perpetrate a maneuver like that, then expect everyone just to forget.

“I would call on Jeffrey to accept reality, admit the Irish Sea border remains and that none of unionism’s core objectives have been achieved and, if he intends remaining beyond the next election as leader of unionism, to set out whether he will do so as a Protocol implementer or opponent.”

Sir Jeffrey has repeatedly criticised unionist opponents – asking them what they have delivered on the Irish Sea border issue. He has said that more work needs to be done on the trading arrangements – but that the Stormont institutions are necessary to win support for the union.

The DUP leader has also warned unionists that they must reach out beyond their traditional base.

In a speech last month he said: “Northern Ireland’s future does not rest in the hands of a court or Parliament, it rests in the hands of our children and grandchildren. They will determine the Union’s longevity.

“As leaders of unionism, we must realise that a demographic and political shift is taking place before our eyes. Either we close our eyes and ignore it or we recognise that we are no longer in a place where 70% of the population are red, white and blue British”.

The Lagan Valley MP said: “The Northern Ireland of 2024 is made up of people who are British, Irish, Northern Irish and some emerging identities who don’t sit within any of the above. As unionists, our vision for a Northern Ireland that works for everyone is one that embraces all of these identities”.

In today’s News Letter Sammy Wilson, an arch critic of his party’s deal, defended his party leader against attacks made at the rallies.

He said: “I don’t think that it does any good to create the kind of poisonous atmosphere that I think the TUV are trying to create.

“I don’t regard Jeffrey as a traitor or a sell-out. He’s somebody who made a choice that’s different from the choice I would have made.”

He said Sir Jeffrey had made a decision after balancing arguments about how much further he could go in negotiations.

“It wasn’t the best judgment, but it doesn’t make him a bad person or a traitor – and I’m certainly not going to lend anything to that kind of argument.

“And I don’t think it does any good for the unionist cause either for that kind of attitude to be adopted.”

He said the TUV “are making it personal, because the chief aim of this is to build up an election campaign rather than deal with the issues which have to be dealt with. You’ll certainly not deal with the issues by dividing unionism further and by calling into question the integrity of people who make choices – some of which were difficult. Time will prove if they were right or wrong.

“I still believe that some of the decisions were wrong. But I’m certainly not going to lend any credence to the argument that these decisions were made because someone was a treacherous sell-out merchant.”

He continued: “We are still the biggest unionist party. We are still the unionist party which has got the capability of leading unionism. Therefore, that’s where the argument has to be won and the fight has to be had.

“My argument all along has been that we have got to keep our eyes on the issues. Because it’s only by keeping your eyes on the issues when it comes to the review of the protocol will you be able to say ‘these are the issues that need to be addressed’ and challenge people.

“If we get bogged down in the quagmire of who is good and who is bad – who is the best unionist and who is the worst unionist ... all of that is lost.”

Asked if there should be public meetings about the Irish Sea border, Mr Wilson said: “I don’t mind public debate about the issue. But I don’t think once you’ve organised those in the format that is being organised that anybody comes away more enlightened. If anything they only come away more embittered and more determined to split unionism up.”

He said he receives mail from constituents both supporting the party’s stance and opposing it – and encouraging him to oppose it.

“I have no doubt what the issues are, and I have no doubt what needs to be done about the issues. But the mechanism by which you do it is equally important.

“Jeffrey has already said he fully intends to address the issues that haven’t been addressed – and I just want to make sure they’re addressed in the right way. The best route I have to do that is to argue the case within the party,” he said.

It comes after the neighbouring DUP MP Paul Girvan attended an event with Mr Allister and Mr Bryson in Ballyclare last week. In a post soon afterwards on the South Antrim MP’s political Facebook page, a statement distanced the MP from the event.

It said: “Tonight I attended, for a short time, what was advertised as a public meeting in my constituency.”

It continued: “I was totally disappointed to hear the platform being used for petty and vindictive attacks on my DUP colleagues and other fellow unionists. It is clear the meeting was designed to divide unionism and will only serve to boost those who want to see us fail to make Northern Ireland work.”