The broad Unionist family rejects the current barriers to trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, created by Boris Johnson’s government. We consistently opposed these arrangements. They are not only unacceptable but also damaging to Northern Ireland’s place in our internal market with the rest of the United Kingdom.
On Tuesday members of the Northern Ireland Assembly will have an opportunity to demonstrate to London and Brussels that the current arrangements are not working and do not have cross community support.
The vote however has been rigged. With Sinn Fein, Alliance and SDLP support for the current failing system, the outcome will be assured for those who support the current arrangements, and the barriers internally created by them within the United Kingdom.
This will be the only time in which a Stormont vote can be carried or rejected, on a major decision, without needing a majority of both Unionists and Nationalists.
It was an appalling concession given away by the then Conservative Government and which we warned at the time was flawed and detrimental.
DUP MLAs will vote against the current arrangements as we promised to do in our General Election manifesto and as I outlined at our Party Conference in September. We do so to make absolutely clear that these arrangements DO NOT have our support.
Our ongoing objective is to campaign to restore Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom, including removing the application of EU law in our country and the internal border it creates. We will continue to argue the case for the full primacy of the United Kingdom internal market and we will continue to reject the undermining of its integrity.
In Parliament yesterday, in a spirit of co-operation all Unionist MPs co-sponsored a Private Members Bill, seeking to restore Northern Ireland’s full place in the United Kingdom.
The Bill has not found favour within Parliament beyond some of our long-standing Unionist supporters and the fact it was not supported by the Government is a demonstration of the challenge we face in this Parliament.
There currently appears little willingness in this House of Commons to get a better deal for Northern Ireland beyond reaching an SPS Agreement. I took the opportunity to remind the House that an SPS Agreement will take years and indeed does not solve all our problems, particularly the overarching legal framework of EU law that would remain in place.
It is totally unacceptable that Northern Ireland has not yet benefited from implementation of some of the arrangements agreed earlier this year and the Government it would appear is continuing to pursue a whack-a-mole strategy of considering each problem as it arises.
As pro-Union MPs, we must continue to work together and speak with one voice to make progress.
As DUP Leader, I will continue to actively engage with other Unionists to build common ground, ensuring that our shared goal of preserving and promoting Northern Ireland’s within the United Kingdom remains to the fore.
I used a recent platform article written for the Christmas edition of the Orange Standard to emphasise the need for Unionists to use our time wisely ahead of the 2027Assembly and Local Government elections. Now is the time to organise and position unionism to promote the benefits of the Union and to ensure the maximum number of Pro-Union representatives are elected at those elections.
With planning for 2025 well underway, I look forward to visiting every constituency as we continue work for everyone, with a team of principled, capable representatives who are dedicated to delivering real results for their communities.
2025 will be a pivotal year for Unionism - to co-operate, to promote, to focus, and to prepare for the electoral battles of 2027 and beyond. If we seize this moment, we can secure lasting progress. I am not prepared to contemplate failure. Let us choose unity of purpose, determination, and real delivery.