NI Protocol: Jim Allister warns against buying into promises by Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak

Mr Allister was speaking following an appearance by the two candidates to be the next prime minister in Belfast on Wednesday for a hustings event at the Culloden Hotel.

The DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, meanwhile, warned that the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill making its way through Parliament must not be “hollowed out” in the House of Lords.

At the hustings event, Mr Sunak told the audience: “I want to give you my commitment that I will do what it takes to fix the protocol and protect Northern Ireland’s place in our United Kingdom.”

Ms Truss, meanwhile, stressed her involvement in the development of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, which she said she “pushed through Whitehall”.

Speaking to the News Letter, the leaders of all three unionist parties – Sir Jeffrey, Mr Allister and the UUP’s Doug Beattie – stressed the need for the border in the Irish Sea to be removed.

Sir Jeffrey said: “The leadership of the Conservative Party is a matter for its members, and we have endeavoured to respect their internal processes.

“We do of course have an interest in how the change of prime minister will impact on the NI Protocol Bill which is making its way through Parliament at the moment.

“This legislation is a good step forward in restoring Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom but there is still a significant road to travel in terms of legislative stages and then also the relevant ministers making use of the legislation.”

He continued: “I will be seeking an early discussion with the new prime minister to establish their plans.

“Maros Sefcovic said ‘there can be no renegotiation’ on May 22 and June 13 this year. We tried that route for two years.

“With the EU Commission repeatedly refusing to change their negotiating mandate, I am dubious about future negotiations producing the kind of change unionists need to see.

“Therefore, the government will need to make clear that any outcome from such renewed negotiations with the EU must respect the integrity of the UK internal market and Northern Ireland’s place in the Union.”

Sir Jeffrey also insisted that his party remains committed to its strategy of blocking the return of a fully functioning Assembly at Stormont until the protocol is dealt with, saying: “Having called for action, this bill was welcome recognition by the government that the protocol must be replaced with arrangements that respect Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom.

“We now need to keep pace and ensure the bill is not hollowed out in the House of Lords.”

He added: “We operate power-sharing in Northern Ireland, not majority rule. Not one unionist MLA supports the protocol and whilst Sinn Fein demands devolution be re-established, this same party had no qualms about collapsing devolution, with no ministers in place, for one thousand and forty-four days over Irish language legislation.”

Meanwhile, his UUP counterpart Mr Beattie said: “We need a strong government in London that can make decisions and provide clear leadership. Whoever becomes prime minister must deal with the protocol and remove the border in the Irish Sea.

“The protocol needs to be replaced. We have published potential solutions and it is vital that progress is made.”

Mr Allister said: “One hears what they say, but one waits to see what they do. I think anyone who simply bought into words would be very foolish indeed.

“You don’t have to go back beyond Boris Johnson who came to the DUP conference and made all sorts of grand promises which were totally worthless.”

He urged the government to triggle Article 16 as an act of good faith, alongside the Protocol Bill, saying: “My frustration would be that because the bill is only an enabling bill – it only gives the power to do something – I would think that as a necessary demonstration of good faith to coincide with the bill would be a usage of Article 16.

“It is deficient in itself but it would least be laying down a marker that we’re going to disapply provisions of the protocol.”