Protocol left out of NI Conservatives election leaflet

Matthew Robinson, the chair of the Tories in the Province, makes no reference to the protocol in the flyer entitled ‘North Down Needs a Fresh Voice in the Assembly’.

In a 16-paragraph long message to voters in North Down, Mr Robinson reveals that he worked in the European Parliament for almost seven years where he learnt the “value of working across political divides”.

The leaflet states: “In the European Parliament it’s the only way to get things done, it’s also doubly true for Stormont.”

Among other issues the Tory candidate focuses on is a demand for a new Executive to lower corporation tax in order to attract foreign direct investment.

Although the Northern Ireland Conservatives are officially committed to oppose the protocol the post-Brexit deal gets no mention in the party chair’s first campaign message.

The News Letter attempted to contact Mr Robinson but so far there has been no reply.

A Conservative candidate in Lagan Valley who has since resigned from the local party called last night on North Down Tories to “shred” the election leaflet.

Gary Hynds, who is now standing as an independent candidate, said the absence of any refrence to the protocol “won’t fool the electorate.”

Mr Hynds said: “We are being treated differently to fellow citizens in Great Britain. We are being denied goods. Trade restrictions are hurting all of us. Our Britishness is being eroded.

“The Conservatives are to blame and Tories in North Down need to take ownership of it. What they’re doing is a denial of reality – a great con trick and it will fail to fool voters.”

He said he had resigned as a Tory candidate because it was “the honourable route” to take regarding opposition to the protocol.

Mr Hynds added: “My former colleagues in North Down should shred this misleading leaflet in the name of their candidate and current party chair in Northern Ireland, and instead, do the decent thing by sticking to what was agreed party policy to get rid of the hated protocol.”