‘DUP has the opportunity now to be the party very much leading unionism’, says former UUP councillor as he tips ‘reconfiguration’ among political parties

The comments were made by Carl McClean after Sinn Fein delivered a stunning success in the council elections, becoming the largest party in local government in Northern Ireland for the very first time.

Mr McClean, who defected from the UUP to the DUP at the start of the year, missed out on being elected in Holywood and Clandeboye DEA in Ards and North Down council.

He said: “There is certainly a lot of frustration across the country.

"When you try and remind people on the doors that these are about the bread and butter issues of council service delivery and so on, they want to talk about other things and the national picture.

"I think unionism has the same challenge as it's had for a number of years in needing to reach out to people who would not consider themselves culturally unionist or who remain unconvinced that unionism is actually for everybody and is the only vehicle which can actually make the country work for everyone.

"The ability to make that argument is what will increase the number of seats for unionism across the board, whether it be council, Westrminster or the Assembly."

When asked if unionism has too many parties, Mr McClean believes it can lead to the 'shredding' of the unionist vote and that a 'reconfiguration' between the parties is a real possibility.

"In certain elections, it can lead to shredding of the overall unionist vote," he continued.

"With this STV system that we have, you can live with lots of separate parties but you need to transfer your vote every time.

"We need to really encourage everybody, whatever your preference may be, to transfer your vote the whole way down the line.

"That is the very best way unionism can have a proper outcome.

"I think there will probably be a reconfiguration among the political parties in the next ten years and it'll be interesting to see where that goes.

"The DUP has the opportunity now to be the party very much leading unionism, the UUP are very much doing their own thing and the TUV will remain the TUV.”