‘Never trust a Tory’ says former UUP boss Steve Aiken on possible return of Boris Johnson and candidates to be PM after Liz Truss resignation

Mr Aiken, speaking to the News Letter as speculation mounted over the sensational possible Downing Street return of Mr Johnson just months after he announced his resignation under pressure from his own party, was scathing in his assessment of the Conservative Party's role in Northern Ireland over recent years.

Alongside Mr Johnson, former Chancellor Rishi Sunak has emerged as a front runner to take over from Liz Truss with Penny Mordaunt considered an outside bet.

Asked for his thoughts on the contenders to become the next Prime Minister, Mr Aiken said: "I'm very wary of any Tory. Carson had it right when he was talking about the Conservatives - to keep it simple, never trust a Tory. I wouldn't put much faith in any of them. But the question has to be asked. If the Conservatives choose to bring Boris Johnson back, they are very definitely putting the desire to remain in power much more importantly than the good of the country."

Mr Aiken, whose comments stand in stark contrast to the ill-fated electoral link-up that once existed between the Conservatives and the Ulster Unionists, continued: "We have all seen the mess that the Conservatives have made over the last number of years, and it's gotten progressively worse. That's the problem. Anybody in unionism who thinks the Conservatives have done us any favours, just ask the DUP. They hung them out to dry. Any Tory leader will do exactly the same thing if it's in their own interest.”

The South Antrim MLA added: "I think we've probably reached the stage where what the country does need is a General Election, because this government has run out of ideas and has run out of authority."

Asked if he would share the concerns expressed by some unionists - including Jim Allister in an interview with the News Letter earlier this week - that a possible Labour government following a General Elction might take a position on constitutional issues that is unfavourable for unionists, said: "I know [Labour Party leader] Keir Starmer and I've talked to him many times. One of the things he does not want to see is the breakup of the United Kingdom, whether that's around Northern Ireland or Scotland. He doesn't want to be in that position.

"And let us put it this way, if Labour want to do a deal with the EU which means no border in the Irish Sea I don't think any unionist is going to be overly concerned about that. That's what we need to see, we need to see any threat of a border in the Irish Sea gone so, if that's where it leads, all well and good."

He continued: "There are many, many ways to do this than simply rejoining the EU which no one is calling for. We know that. Now people are beginning to understand that if there is a closer relationship with the Single Market there is less of a need for a border down the Irish Sea. That's what we want. We do not want internal borders in the United Kingdom."