Union will be decided by the people, not a court - Donaldson takes swipe at critics

Last week Sir Jeffrey said he welcomed debate within unionism, but in a speech to his Lagan Valley constituency association on Thursday night told the party faithful that “armchair generals” will “criticise every decision on the battlefield and cry defeat but provide no alternative achievable strategy.

"They are more comfortable with their soldiers digging in or beating a retreat than moving forward and gaining new ground. I am in the business of unionism winning new ground and securing the Union for our children and grandchildren.”

In the speech, the DUP leader defended the return of Stormont. He said: “We are a devolutionist Party. We believe that Stormont, with all its imperfections, is still better than all the alternatives. We are in the business of making Northern Ireland work and devolution is the best means of shaping it”.

He cited policy objectives such as early years and childcare – which he said are a top priority for the party.

He credited the party’s deputy Leader Gavin Robinson MP for raising questions about Northern Ireland being “underfunded” which he said resulted in the Treasury “at long last accepted that Northern Ireland was underfunded compared to the other devolved nations and by their own definition of ‘need’.”

“To have Treasury accept the principle that we were underfunded was a measure of success, but the absolute success will be when a funding package is agreed which enables us to invest in our public services”.

Sir Jeffrey also praised the party’s work on strengthening Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom.

He said: “My objective was to remove the border within the UK Internal Market whilst at the same time retaining access for our businesses to the EU Single Market. Let’s remember that Northern Ireland exports £8bn worth of goods to the EU. We have achieved an outcome which restores our place within the UK Internal Market whilst, at no monetary cost, retaining access to the EU Single Market for goods. This is a good long-term deal for the Northern Ireland economy”.

And in a further swipe at critics he said “The red lane concept was supported by unionists in the NI Protocol Bill, and primarily exists for those goods coming from Great Britain and transiting through Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland and entering the EU single market. Some have criticised me that this still constitutes a border. Yet everyone knows that in a post-Brexit environment, those checks are compulsory, and the only question is one of where they take place. I have tried to be honest with people and explain that if Northern Ireland wants to retain access to the EU Single Market, then the red lane will be necessary to satisfy the EU that goods entering its market meet their standards. My focus has been on goods originating and staying within the UK and it’s internal market.

“There is more work to do. I want to get to a place where goods used in the manufacturing process which in some cases are not deemed ‘at risk’ when coming from GB to NI are no longer required to use the red lane. This remains a work-in-progress”.