Gavin Robinson warns of those 'taking NI in wrong direction' as Jim Allister accuses DUP of being 'easily tricked'

The DUP leader who is less than two months into the job will run again for the party in East Belfast.

In a statement yesterday, he said “There are those in this election who want to take Northern Ireland in the wrong direction. There are others who want to get elected but will not turn up and do the job, leaving us voiceless.

“We fight this election having a track record of speaking up for Northern Ireland in Parliament. We will use the forthcoming campaign to make the case that now more than ever is the time to strengthen the Unionist position – not divide and weaken it.

The DUP and TUV leaders have been setting out their electoral stall

“We are in the business of making Northern Ireland work and will actively promote the case for the Union. As a party with a big team, we are able to work on all the issues that matter both at the Assembly, and in Parliament.

“The DUP has the depth of talent to have both a strong Ministerial team in Stormont and field a strong team of candidates for the Westminster election”.

Meanwhile, addressing TUV’s Central Council meeting in Cookstown last night Jim Allister said the “DUP/Donaldson Deal was now deservedly exposed as a sham”.

The TUV boss said: ​“When the DUP jumped and accepted ‘Safeguarding the Union’ it sought to justify its climbdown actions by claiming its deal would not only remove the Irish Sea border but fully restore NI’s place in the United Kingdom by reason of the successive delivery steps in its deal. By October new legislation would deliver all that was promised!

“Now, by October the PM won’t even be in office, nor any legislation passed, and the DUP’s deal stands exposed as a threadbare sham. Such is what comes from the nativity of jumping first and squandering the only leverage they had. Clearly, Sunak never intended delivery, but the DUP fell for it hook, line and sinker”.

He said “the easily tricked DUP” is now pretending they will deliver after the election.

“No, they won’t!” the North Antrim MLA said.