Northern Ireland Protocol and Windsor Framework: Unionist support for Doug Beattie only half of that for Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, says LucidTalk poll

The survey also found that support has grown for the DUP - which stands strongly against the Northern Ireland Protocol, but weakened for the UUP, which takes a much softer line on the issue.

The poll found that a significant majority of unionists - 64% - back the DUP’s boycott of Stormont until the NI Protocol is scrapped - an increase of 2% since the same poll in the Spring.

It also found that only 34% of unionists want the DUP to return to the Executive under existing political conditions.

Sir Jeffrey was found to be the most popular unionist leader among unionists, with 56% rating him as "good or great", beating Mr Allister into second spot on 51%.

However, by contrast only 28% of unionists gave Mr Beattie the same rating, though he was liked much more by Alliance voters and nationalists, 46% and 36% of whom view him positively.

The LucidTalk poll found that since Spring, support for the DUP has risen one point to 26%, while it has fallen by the same margin for the UUP to 10%.

It also reported that support for the TUV has dropped two points, potentially suggesting that some voters for the party may be drifting back to the DUP.

On 31%, Sinn Fein is up two points from the last poll in April and remains NI's largest party, the Belfast Telegraph reported.

The Alliance Party is also up by the same margin to take its position and the third largest party, with 15%.

The TUV said the results demonstrate "the strength and resilience of unionist resolve against the Protocol", however the DUP played down the significance of the survey.

DUP Director of Elections Gordon Lyons said: “Opinion polls provide an interesting insight, but it is election results which really matter.

"We want to see the strongest possible pro-Union voice in Northern Ireland and that means building support at the ballot box.”

He added: "Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom must be respected and protected in law and that arrangements command the support of unionists as well as nationalists. The ball rests at the Government’s foot.”

Despite the poll showing a 1% decline in support for the UUP since spring, party leader Doug Beattie insisted that "polling support for the UUP remains consistent - within the margin of error - over the last year”.

The same consistency is evident in support for unionist parties generally, he said, with support "sitting at just 41%".

He added that “keeping the devolved institutions down is having a detrimental effect on unionism” and support for unionist parties from non-unionists.

A TUV spokesman said the main finding was unionist determination to scrap the NI Protocol.

"The key takeaway from the poll is the strength and resilience of unionist resolve against the Protocol," he said. "Once more the grassroots are ahead of some politicians whose tendencies to slip back into Stormont, and thereby implement the Union-dismantling Protocol, are being held in check by the sense and strength of unionist voters.”