TUV: DUP played the 'vote for us or get SF' card at election time - but now are ready to serve in SF-led government

The TUV issued the statement after Lord Dodds told Parliament on Tuesday night that the DUP will have “no difficulty” in agreeing to serve under a Sinn Fein first minister, so long as the Protocol is “sorted”.

During that debate, Tory veteran Lord Clarke (who is on the liberal, pro-Remain side of the party) told the House: “I do not doubt the Democratic Unionists’ sincerity on the symbolism of a customs border down the Irish Sea; they have always been consistent.

"But I think there is another reason behind the DUP’s position: the party has just done badly in Ulster elections and is using the Northern Ireland protocol as its explanation, as it would say – excuse, I would say – for not joining a Northern Irish Executive under Sinn Fein leadership.”

Lord Dodds had replied: “I reassure him and the House that the DUP would have no difficulty in re-entering the Executive with a Sinn Fein First Minister.

"We do not like that outcome but we will do that if the protocol is sorted out, so let us not go down a blind alley or a false argument as far as that is concerned.”

In a statement reacting to this on Wednesday, TUV councillor Harold McKee said: “In the recent Assembly election, the DUP went to great lengths to avoid answering a simple question - would they nominate a stooge deputy to a Sinn Fein First Minister?

“Having played the ‘vote-for-us-to-stop-Sinn Fein’ card for years, it is now confirmed that the DUP will happily nominate a deputy to a Sinn Fein First Minister.

"Such cynical behaviour will not wash well with ordinary unionist voters.

"TUV remains of the view that no unionist should nominate a deputy to a Republican First Minister.”

In the May 6 Assembly election, Sinn Fein held onto their 27 seats, but the DUP lost three seats, dropping down to 25 seats.

Alliance gained nine seats, going to 17, the UUP lost one, going to nine, and the SDLP lost four, going to eight.