DUP leader refuses to comment on whether party prepared to stand aside in North Down to give Alex Easton a better chance against Alliance’s Stephen Farry
The DUP ’s interim leader has told rival unionists it is not too late to co-operate to deliver victories for pro-union candidates in several key election battlegrounds in Northern Ireland.
In both battles a significant split in the unionist vote could prove decisive. The Traditional Unionist Voice party, which is a vociferous critic of the DUP decision to end its boycott on Stormont devolution earlier this year, is hoping to convince disaffected DUP voters to switch allegiances on July 4. The TUV has also recently announced an electoral link-up with Reform UK.
“And I’ll engage in those conversations, as I have done over the last year, positively and productively. There is a good opportunity here but there’s a choice for the people of Northern Ireland.
He also would not confirm whether the DUP was prepared to stand aside in the North Down constituency to make it easier for independent unionist and former DUP member Alex Easton to challenge the sitting MP, Alliance’s Stephen Farry. Sinn Fein has emerged as the largest party in the Assembly and local council elections in the last two years and will be hoping to repeat that success again. The party won seven seats at the last general election, compared with eight for the DUP, the largest unionist party.
Mr Farry said the party would make clear in the coming days if leader Ms Long would be challenging Mr Robinson in East Belfast, a seat she previously held. The SDLP is hoping to hold onto its seats in Foyle and South Belfast. Boundary changes have seen the latter seat renamed as Belfast South and Mid Down. Party leader Colum Eastwood conceded he would face a “tough fight” from Sinn Fein in Foyle.
While opinion polls have shown a majority of DUP supporters backed the move, a sizeable minority of members believe the deal was oversold and the party relinquished its leverage with little to show for it.
Alliance Party DUP SDLP Sinn Fein TUV Ulster Unionist Party Conservative Party Jeffrey Donaldson Naomi Long Sammy Wilson Antrim East Belfast North Down South Belfast South Down Stormont
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