Good Morning, Ladies and Gentlemen, Lords and Friends.
Little did we think this time last year that our 2024 Conference would be after a Westminster election. An election that would change the very foundations of our political landscape across the United Kingdom.
It really is an absolute honour to speak to you, returned as the Member of Parliament for Upper Bann.
21,642 people placed their faith in me to stand strong for Upper Bann and stand strong for Northern Ireland.
I am indebted to voters for the trust they have placed in me to take the fight once more to Westminster and ensure that our wee Country remains an integral part of our beloved United Kingdom.
THANK YOU UPPER BANN and THANK YOU TO EVERY VOTER ACROSS NI who supported DUP candidates.
Now, let’s be honest. The General Election didn’t go the way we wanted. It was bruising in some constituencies, and whilst we had important victories, the message that we received loud and clear from voters is that Unionism needs uniting.
Unionism needs a renewed vision and we as a party must rebuild trust given all that has gone before.
Friends, I could stand here today with rose-tinted glasses on and pretend all is well but that’s not who I am. I say it as it is. But I also know that everyone gathered in this room today is up for the challenge.
Make no mistake -we are at a pivotal moment. Are there huge challenges? Absolutely. But also, massive opportunities.
We must be Northern Ireland’s party of action. Our Country depends on us. We can’t just talk the talk, we need to walk the walk and deliver on the issues that really matter.
My mission statement during the election was ‘speaking up, working hard and delivering’. This is my North Star, and should be for every DUP representative. That’s what the people want.
We must stand tall, even when the government and the bureaucratic machine of the European Union is stacked against us.
And where do we prove our mettle? At Westminster.
In the heart of the OUR nation’s political machine, we will continue to strive—every single day—for the people of Northern Ireland.
Whilst I may be slight in stature I can assure you that I will continue to be a booming voice in our Mother Parliament, alongside our Leader Gavin Robinson, our Chief Whip Sammy Wilson, Gregory Campbell and Jim Shannon - not forgetting our hard working peers in the Lords.
In this Parliament we must be the guardians of the Union, making sure Northern Ireland’s voice isn’t just heard but respected.
In trade deals, through investment and by funding projects that benefit EVERYONE, not just one section of one community in Northern Ireland!
The DUP is there, fighting for this place we call home, to be an even better place to live, work and do business.
The recent past in Westminster is littered with broken promises to Unionism. Previous Governments used Northern Ireland as the sacrificial lamb to “to get Brexit done”.
We have, and will, keep battling against arrangements in the Protocol and Windsor Framework which diminish our place in this United Kingdom.
DUP candidates stood on a manifesto pledge that said we will continue to fight to fully restore Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom, including removing the application of EU law in our country and the internal Irish Sea border it creates.
Day and daily, this is our aim in Westminster, not just fighting and highlighting problems, but bringing solutions to the table.
And whilst progress has been made, there is more work to do.
We will continue to argue the case for the full primacy of the UK internal market.
We will reject the undermining of its integrity.
And conference, let me be clear right now, we will not be pushed aside.
Our battles extend beyond the constitutional
The cost of living is rising.
People are struggling – and what is Labour’s answer?
Betraying our pensioners with the abolition of the Winter Fuel Payment.
People who built this nation, who have paid taxes all their lives, are now facing a choice between heating or eating this winter.
This isn’t just bad policy -it’s an insult to our older people and it is inhumane.
I am proud that your Democratic Unionist MPs stood strong on this issue and voted against this proposal.
Our work at Westminster is also about delivering more for public services - about defending our workers and hard-pressed families.
That’s why we are fighting daily for a new long-term funding model that meets Northern Ireland’s needs.
It’s why we are pressing for money to transform our health services.
We are making the case strongly for an increase in tax-free childcare to bolster the excellent work that our Minister Paul Givan has done at Stormont.
We keep pushing for better cancer wrap-around services and a cut in VAT for our hospitality sector.
And with insurance premiums skyrocketing we are lobbying for a UK-wide intervention that will hold insurance companies to account.
These aren't just political issues - they strike to the heart of the issues that impact our constituents.
Don’t forget, we’ve already secured critical funding for Northern Ireland. We’ve fought for better pay for our public sector workers. We’ve ensured Northern Ireland benefits from the Levelling Up agenda. These aren’t just promises - they’re real results.
In the coming years we may well see Labour try to tear down what we’ve built, but we’ll stand firm.
Those who know me know that I am personally very passionate about defending life.
We make no apology for being a pro-life party - one that believes both lives matter in every pregnancy. Sadly, when we look at the front benches of the Labour Government we see anti-life zealots who would seek to further liberalise our laws across the UK allowing abortion to birth for any reason.
Whilst the number of voices on these topics are fewer following the loss of other pro-life MPs, the resolve of those remaining pro-life MPs is stronger and more determined than ever.
The DUP will always seek to restore life-affirming laws across the United Kingdom and promote wraparound services that help people choose life.
In the same breath, we will resolutely oppose any efforts to introduce assisted dying.
This is a dangerous path, and we cannot support measures that could coerce the sick, the elderly, or those in pain to end their lives or view themselves as a burden. We believe in compassionate care, dignity, and respect for life until its natural end.
Our stance is clear: life is precious and we will speak up for those without a voice.
As the party’s Agri Spokesperson in Westminster, working alongside our Agri leads in the Assembly, I know well that our farmers and agri-food sector are the backbone of our economy. They sustain thousands of jobs, underpin our rural communities, and feed over 10 million people across the UK.
In the words of the late, great Ian Paisley this party is the friend of the farmer.
My aim to ensure that Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector gets the support it needs. I can assure you that we will always champion policies that recognise and strengthen the critical role our farmers play in both Northern Ireland’s economy and the UK’s food security.
To that end, your DUP MPs are working in Westminster to ensure that future budgets for agriculture include the inflationary uplift required to meet the needs of our farmers.
We know that farmers don’t need unnecessary bureaucracy; they need clear and straightforward financial support that helps them invest and grow their businesses.
Whether it’s supporting our farmers, fighting to eradicate Bovine TB, improving food standards, or championing animal welfare, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring Northern Ireland’s rural communities thrive and that the values of compassion and care are upheld for both people and animals.
Moving beyond our shores, sadly we live in an uncertain world.
Israel is fighting a war against blood-thirsty and genocidal terror, and we stand with them.
Israel has every right to defend itself against Hamas, Hezbollah, and every single one of the Iranian regime’s proxies.
We see a weakening in the new Westminster Government around their support for Israel but we stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel in their right to protect their land, their people, and their future.
Terrorism - whether here in Northern Ireland or in the Middle East—must be condemned. There was and is ALWAYS an alternative.
Let me make something clear - there can be no amnesty for terrorists. The last Government was wrong to foist this on innocent victims. Our message today is clear - it must go.
We also stand with Ukraine. Northern Ireland has played its part—our technology, our expertise, our support has helped Ukrainians defend their homeland.
We should be proud that world-class missiles made in Northern Ireland are driving back Putin’s forces in the Donbas. striking a blow for freedom and against tyranny - just like our forefathers did at the Somme and in Normandy.
It is clear that we have the expertise and the people - but Northern Ireland also ought to receive a fair share of money being spent on defence throughout the UK.
That’s why we fought to secure a review into defence spending.
Our voice and our vote on all of these issues in Westminster is rock solid.
Friends, it is always dangerous for a politician to promise something for fear of not delivering.
But today I give you a renewed promise on behalf of myself and the entire Parliamentary team … The DUP will continue to fight for Northern Ireland at Westminster. We will stand strong for our Union, our economy, and our people.
We have a great wee country, a country that I am proud to call my home, that I am proud to bring my child up in. Nothing makes me more proud than to see this country progress and I will use every sinew in my body to ensure that Northern Ireland remains a proud, strong, and equal part of the United Kingdom.