The Northern Ireland Tories are in disarray over the Irish Sea border, says ex chairman

The former chairman of the Northern Ireland Conservatives has claimed that 150 local Tories have resigned from the party.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now
By Henry McDonald
Published 18th Apr 2022, 02:38 BST
Updated 18th Apr 2022, 03:15 BST

Multi-millionaire businessman Alan Dunlop said that members were “leaving in droves” in protest at the national party’s position on the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Mr Dunlop said: “The membership roll stood at about 650 in January last year, but that is now hovering at around 500. If this slide continues, I expect we will see many more members exiting.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“There’s an inevitability about this implosion. The government has failed to safeguard Northern Ireland’s position within the Union by acquiescing on the protocol.”

Northern Ireland Conservatives at their manifesto launch in late November 2019 for the December general election of that year. Earlier that month Boris Johnson had told them they could throw export declaration forms in the bin. NI Tories seemed to stand by the prime minister in the year or so after the protocol deal, but are now said to be leaving the partyNorthern Ireland Conservatives at their manifesto launch in late November 2019 for the December general election of that year. Earlier that month Boris Johnson had told them they could throw export declaration forms in the bin. NI Tories seemed to stand by the prime minister in the year or so after the protocol deal, but are now said to be leaving the party
Northern Ireland Conservatives at their manifesto launch in late November 2019 for the December general election of that year. Earlier that month Boris Johnson had told them they could throw export declaration forms in the bin. NI Tories seemed to stand by the prime minister in the year or so after the protocol deal, but are now said to be leaving the party

He said that successive UK ministers’ failure to negotiate away the protocol in talks with EU had increased disillusionment amongst Northern Ireland Conservatives.

“Twenty-five years of republican terrorism failed to wrench Northern Ireland out of the Union, but our own Conservative government, in one senseless move, has achieved what the bomber and gunman failed to achieve.

“I would expect Northern Ireland Conservatives to be in disarray and disheartened right now and probably feeling abandoned by their own party. It is a shameful position,” Mr Dunlop added.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The News Letter put Mr Dunlop’s claims to the Northern Ireland Conservatives.

Alan Dunlop, the former chairman of the Northern Ireland ConservativesAlan Dunlop, the former chairman of the Northern Ireland Conservatives
Alan Dunlop, the former chairman of the Northern Ireland Conservatives

Matthew Robinson, chair of the NI Conservatives, responded: “The party does not comment on the views of former members.”

Editorial: The Northern Ireland Protocol has helped bring Tories locally to a sorry state

Related topics:Irish SeaNorthern IrelandProtocolMatthew RobinsonThe Northern Ireland Protocol