Wealthy pro-Brexit businessman Ben Habib pulls DUP funding - and will only donate to TUV

Mr Habib told the News Letter that he has previously financially supported both the DUP and TUV equally – but he will not continue to fund the DUP unless they change their position.

The former Brexit Party MEP – who was described at the conference as an “honorary Ulsterman” – said: "The Tories have sold the nation… down the drain for the last 14 years. The DUP’s turning is recent. They need to save themselves, but what they’ve done cannot be excused.

“And unless they save themselves and save Northern Ireland I’m afraid my backing is reserved entirely for the TUV”.

He also rejected the claim of vote-splitting, saying the Conservative Party isn’t conservative. “If you want ‘small c’ conservatism and you want the United Kingdom to be put first and foremost in all policy making – there is only one party to vote for. That’s Reform UK.

"And I say exactly the same now in Northern Ireland. If you want to vote for a unionist party – you cannot be voting for a party that turns a blind eye, literally, to the Irish Sea border and implements it.

“That is not unionism. Breaking the union cannot be regarded in any shape or form as being unionist. There is therefore at the moment only one unionist party in Northern Ireland – and that’s the Traditional Unionist Voice.

“So we’re not splitting the unionist vote. If you want to vote unionist, you’ve now really got to vote TUV – or Reform UK”.

He also claimed that the DUP “can’t in good conscience claim to be a unionist party – because they’ve put in place the border, they’re implementing the border.

"So how can they be breaking the Union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the same time as claiming to be unionist?”

TUV leader Jim Allister declined to go that far when asked by the News Letter about Mr Habib’s comments.

The DUP argue that the Safeguarding the Union deal has restored Northern Ireland’ place in the United Kingdom, however they say more work remains to be done.

Last week the party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said legislation to remove all checks on goods entering NI and staying in NI is coming in the next few weeks.

A Government official has previously said they won’t remove framework rules guaranteeing 5% checks as they are a “fundamental underpinning” of the trade arrangements.