Sammy Wilson welcomes Nigel Farage's endorsement - but Reform deputy leader says DUP men 'took advantage' of a busy leader

East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson has received the personal endorsement of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

The East Antrim DUP candidate told the News Letter that “the DUP are the only ones who can deliver unionist voices at Westminster. I think he [Nigel Farage] recognised that and that’s why he was prepared to go back. A change in leader, as he says, is a change in stance”.

Mr Wilson accused Reform deputy leader Mr Habib of taking a “destructive attitude” and not having a “thought-out strategy”.

He said: “Nigel thinks more strategically on these things and knows if you want to keep strong unionist representation then the DUP are the people you need.”

Ben Habib of Reform UK has accused Sammy Wilson and Ian Paisley of taking advantage of a busy Nigel Farage to secure his endorsement. Picture date: Friday April 26, 2024.

But Mr Habib hit back at Mr Wilson, accusing the DUP candidates of “taking advantage” of Mr Farage.

Mr Habib told the News Letter: “Sammy and Ian are good friends of Nigel’s. Knowing he had a lot on his plate, they solicited an endorsement from him.

“Being disposed to them he didn’t think twice and gave it. It was naughty of Sammy and Ian to take advantage of Nigel like that.”

The DUP have repeatedly criticised the stance taken by Reform UK candidates such as Mr Habib and Ann Widdecombe when they voted for the Withdrawal Agreement – which included the NI Protocol – in the European Parliament.

“I’m not too sure what Nigel’s stance on the protocol was in the European Parliament. I don’t know if he voted for it or not,” Mr Wilson said.

The DUP veteran added: “The one thing that he hasn’t done, that Ben Habib did do – was endorse the Windsor Framework and encourage people to give it support because it would give Northern Ireland the best of both worlds.”

That claim was emphatically rejected by Mr Habib.

“Sammy is talking nonsense. I denounced the Windsor Framework within a day or so of it being published. I did so in the News Letter!

“The DUP, on the other hand, appointed a group of internal ‘luminaries’ to review the framework and report on it. Months went by and their committee’s findings were never published,” he said.