TUV hit back at 'Ulster Nationalist' DUP over leader Gavin Robinson's 'flying in from England' comment

The TUV said it values the United Kingdom and believes “allies of the Union should be welcomed”.

On Monday, Gavin Robinson told the BBC’s William Crawley that “some of the people that are travelling over to Northern Ireland to tell us what our view on the protocol should be, voted for it”.

"You’ve got people coming over, flying from England to Northern Ireland to complain about the protocol”.

"It’s amazing. They must genuinely think that unionists in Ulster are buttoned up the back. Because these are individuals, all of whom either actively voted for the Protocol in the case of Ben Habib, in the case of Ann Widdecombe. Actively voted for the Protocol in the wider withdrawal agreement in the European Parliament – or others who seemed to abandon the field whenever there was significant votes taking place in Westminster in September and October of 2019. Whenever Boris Johnson was seeking parliamentary support for his deal, the DUP voted against – my colleagues and I voted against”.

He said that “When we have people who are coming here, sowing discord and criticising people like me who voted against the protocol when they voted for it – I think the larger share of people within the unionist community can scratch their head and say ‘something doesn’t feel quite right about that’. And if the introduction or the intervention of TUV or Reform is to cost unionism and reduce unionist representation – then irrespective of where conversations go with parties. I think people will make their own minds up”.

Responding to the comments, Lagan Valley TUV vice chairman Samuel Morrison said: “I note Mr Robinson dismisses people who are coming from other parts of the United Kingdom to a rally in Dromore as ‘flying in from England’.

“While I appreciate the recently developed appetites of his party to embrace all things Irish from Gaelic language to GAA, we in TUV and Reform value the United Kingdom and believe allies of the Union should be welcomed.

“Furthermore, it is worth noting that both the local DUP MLAs were invited to the rally. They were even invited to suggest a chairperson for the event. A similar invitation was extended to the UUP deputy leader who is MLA for Lagan Valley. Only one MLA bothered to reply - and he declined.

“Two years ago, the DUP and UUP were happy to share a stage with Ben Habib, Jim Allister and Baroness Hoey in the very same venue our rally will take place in on Friday 26th April. In fact, up and down the country DUP representatives were positively keen to be on the same platforms as Kate and Ben who they hailed as champions of the Union.

“Now their Ulster Nationalism has come to the fore and they seem to believe that the Irish Sea Border they implement between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK should apply to politicians. TUV and Reform do not share their narrow vision.”

The DUP’s interim leader also said that the relationship between the TUV and Reform “contradicts everything the TUV have said before about first past the post elections - and about ‘the folly’ of the TUV standing in such circumstances only to hand the seats to Sinn Fein or the Alliance Party. Their words, not mine”.

He said that was a risk, and the unionist community have been asking their representatives to work together for years. Mr Robinson said there “are those who are so doctrinally poisoned” – and the lion’s share of unionism will realise the cost and consequence.

The TUV have said there is little difference between the DUP and other Stormont parties, as they are all now implementing the Irish Sea border.