Remaining in EU would be better than DUP/Boris deal: Aiken

Mr Aiken, who is so far the only candidate in the running to replace Robin Swann as Ulster Unionist leader, said the DUP was prepared to accept a Brexit settlement that would undermine Northern Ireland’s position within the United Kingdom.

“We are now in a situation where Northern Ireland is increasingly hived off, and everybody is now realising that there needs to be another solution to what, in effect, is Northern Ireland becoming a place which is very separate,” he said.

“One of the question we need to ask is, are we better off staying as we are now than going down any of these alignments.

“At the present moment in time I think we would be better off remaining [in the EU].”

Speaking on the BBC Nolan Show on Thursday morning, Mr Aiken described the new proposals a form of “joint authority” with the Irish Republic, and said they would be “an absolute disaster for everybody in Northern Ireland”.

Earlier this month, Upper Bann MLA Doug Beattie ruled himself out of the race to succeed Robin Swann as UUP leader.

In a statement issued on social media, Mr Beattie instead endorsed Steve Aiken as Mr Swann’s successor.

He said: “The Ulster Unionist Party must remain vigilant in the face of Brexit as well as a possible General Election and I believe a leadership contest would be a distraction in this compressed political environment.

“Therefore I do not intend to stand for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party but to endorse Steve Aiken OBE MLA for the party leadership. He will, if duly elected, have the authority to bring the party onto a more progressive path both internally and externally and he will have my 100% support and loyalty.”