Sir Jeffrey Donaldson: Stormont can only work based on cross-community consensus as he repeats DUP's tests

Speaking on whether the party should go into government before all its objectives are met, Sir Jeffrey said that the institutions can only work when there is cross-community support.

He said the outcome of talks with the government on the Irish Sea border will be judged against the DUP’s seven tests – and that Northern Ireland’s place in the UK market must be restored.

The DUP leader also responded to speculation about whether he had spoken to former leader Peter Robinson in advance of his intervention on the political situation earlier this week – saying that he hadn’t been speaking to Mr Robinson for “some time”.

In an interview with Joel Taggart on BBC Radio Ulster, Sir Jeffrey said: “Peter outlined his view. As far as the party is concerned our position is unchanged. We are continuing in our negotiations with the government. We have a clear objective which is to restore Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom and its internal market. To restore our economic rights as part of the UK. And we remain focused on achieving those objectives”.

The Lagan Valley MP said Peter Robinson “was very clear that the DUP should be and is pushing for a deal that protects Northern Ireland’s ability to trade within the United Kingdom, respects our Article Six rights under the Acts of Union – that is very clearly still our objective – one shared by Peter”.

Sir Jeffrey also responded to Sammy Wilson’s comments in the News Letter this week. The East Antrim MP said that Peter Robinson’s approach to a Stormont return before the sea border is dealt with is “fundamentally wrong”. Mr Donaldson said “Senior members of the party have expressed their view. I am speaking on behalf of the party as the party leader. I have been very clear in the stance that we are taking. I remain clear – and I’m clear to you now. Our objective is to restore Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom and its internal market, that is what we’re focused on. We will assess any outcome against the seven tests that we have set. That position has not changed.”

Asked by Joel Taggart whether he agreed with Peter Robinson that he won’t get everything the DUP wants, Sir Jeffrey said “I don’t know the outcome yet Joel, because we haven’t yet completed these negotiations, so you wouldn’t expect me as the person leading the negotiations to predict what the outcome is going to be. I’m not going to do that.”

The DUP panel report into the Windsor Framework – which has never been published – “reflects very clearly the objectives of the DUP” he said. Earlier this week Peter Robinson, who sat on the panel, told the News Letter that the panel believed the current deal didn’t deliver on sovereignty and free trade and suggested that any final deal would be consulted on from the leadership down to party members.

The former first minister also hit out at critics who he says offer no alternatives to the current DUP strategy.

Robinson said the two key areas the DUP must secure progress on are the future of the union – and whether any arrangements undermine it - as well as free trade from Northern Ireland to Great Britain and vice versa.

Former Brexit Party MEP Ben Habib – who was involved in legal action against the NI Protocol – also suggested to the News Letter that trade from Northern Ireland to the mainland would be a focus for the DUP.

"I think what Jeffrey is going to be trying to get is some kind of confirmation that checks won’t take place on goods moving from NI to GB. But even there, I would be really surprised if he gets anything that’s concrete because it breaches the Protocol and WTO regulations", he said.

Mr Habib added: "But the biggest and most important point is – how do you get a deal without the EU being at the table?”