UUP stay quiet amid renewed calls for clarity over party's Causeway Hospital position

The Ulster Unionist boss told a public meeting in Coleraine last week that he would “never” agree with plans to close the service at the site. The changes are backed by the Northern Trust, who say the current model is not sustainable.

Any final sign-off would come from the party’s health minister Mike Nesbitt. The party has yet to respond to requests from the News Letter to outline its policy.

Mr Burrows said on Monday he was speaking as a constituency MLA and not on behalf of the party when he called for the retention of emergency general surgery (EGS) at the Causeway Hospital.

DUP MLA Paul Frew said Mr Burrows was “seemingly rowing back” on what he told constituents at the public meeting last Thursday night.

Mr Frew told the News Letter: “Jon stated on BBC that ‘I was there as a constituency MLA’ not as party leader, and that ‘the health minister has my full support’ and that ‘the health minister will make decisions on any recommendations from the trust based on what he sees’.

“He went onto to say that on Thursday evening ‘as a constituency MLA he was advocating on behalf of his constituents’.

“No, he was addressing his constituents and those of the neighbouring constituency of East Londonderry, he looked them in the eye at a public meeting and told them that the recommendations of the trust to close emergency surgery at Causeway Hospital ‘does not have my support and I will never agree with it, I can’t be any clearer than that’.

“Jon, whether he is comfortable with it or not is UUP party leader, and party leaders set the tone and direction for their party and certainly if he doesn’t agree with a decision, he should question his position. Party leaders speak for their party especially in public meetings. Jon really needs to clarify his position and what he is going to do for the people of North Antrim.

“He has the power within his party to put up a good argument for the retention of services in the Causeway Hospital, and he has the power to make sure its party policy. Why has he not done so as yet?”.

Mr Burrows told the meeting in Coleraine last week: “Emergency surgery must remain at the Causeway Hospital and it should be built up, not run down and that is my position and it's not for negotiation”.

On Monday morning, a campaign group which supports the retention of services in Coleraine said Mr Burrows had given the health minister “backing” to oppose the planned changes.

SoS Causeway Hospital shared Mr Burrows’s speech, commenting: “When a party leader publicly draws the line, it gives a minister the essential political backing to push back against trust recommendations and align departmental actions directly with evidence and public consultation”.