UUP leader's call to Foster over Ulster '˜remain' vote

Although the UK-wide referendum result showed a majority of people wanted to break away from the political and economic union, 56 per cent of voters in the Province want to maintain membership.

The UUP leader said: “David Cameron is Prime Minister of all the people of the United Kingdom, like it or not. He lost the referendum and has indicated his intention to resign. Like it or not, Arlene Foster is First Minister of all the people of Northern Ireland. She lost the referendum within her jurisdiction, yet rather than resigning, she is celebrating the result, despite the fact that her counterpart in Scotland has already made clear a second vote on Scottish independence is her goal”.

DUP MLA Christopher Stalford dismissed Mr Nesbitt’s comments as “ridiculous,” and said: “Arlene Foster is a unionist who believes in doing what is best for the whole Kingdom and in the sovereignty of its Parliament. Everyone’s vote in the United Kingdom was of equal value. We respect the outcome of the referendum and Mike should do likewise and cease from his petty point-scoring. Northern Ireland is not a member state of the EU neither is Scotland, England or Wales. It is the United Kingdom which is the member state and hence the UK-wide referendum.”