'Electorate have given their answer to those who tried to smear me' says MP

It was clear from the photographs at the count you were delighted with the result. Did it exceed your expectations?

We had been getting very good feedback on the doorsteps and were confident I would hold the seat. But you take nothing for granted and we faced a three way unionist split, so it was quite remarkable how well the vote held up. To get a majority of over 10,000 was quite an achievement. It's a tribute to the time and effort put in by the whole DUP team over the last five years and I want to thank the people of Lagan Valley for allowing me the privilege of representing them at Westminster for another term.

At the end of this parliament how should voters decide if you have done a good job for them or not?

There were a number of key issues raised and the most pressing was the economy. The prospects for employment, especially amongst young people, is a big concern and I want to see further progress in attracting new inward investment to Lagan Valley. I also want to see a decision on John Lewis. The public inquiry is in June and in spite of opposition, some of it from within the planning service and some from Craigavon and Belfast, I believe it should be approved.

Regeneration of the Maze site is also vital. Legislation to create the Maze Development Corporation is going through the assembly. This will provide corporate leadership and take the regeneration away from political hands. The RUAS is keen to move out from Balmoral and this will allow for exhibitions and other entertainment events throughout the year as well as the annual show. Together the Maze and John Lewis could create thousands of jobs.

I also want to secure the future of the Lagan Valley Hospital. Cuts in public services would raise questions about the investment of over 60m at the hospital which includes the new maternity unit. Capital projects are vital for its future.

A lot of those issues won't be settled solely at Westminster. Should the DUP re-think their policy of ending dual mandates?

The DUP made it clear we intend to phase out dual mandates. Neither Sinn Fein nor the SDLP have moved over their commitments and I don't want to see my party at a disadvantage at the next election. Nevertheless, in the long run I believe we should have MPs concentrating on the vital work at Westminster and MLAs concentrating on the vital work at Stormont. I would like to return to Stormont at some stage but it's my intention, subject to the party's final decision, to leave the assembly.

You referred in your acceptance speech at the count to slurs which had been circulating about you over your sexuality and marriage. When did you become aware of these smears?

It's been going on now for some time, certainly during the election campaign. The claims were outrageous, untruthful and unacceptable. Many of them were so rubbish I don't want to repeat them. Day to day politics is hard enough without dragging it into the gutter.

What effect did they have on you and your family?

I found the whole thing to be very hurtful, not just for me but for my family and I am saddened that there are those who feel they have to resort to such smear tactics to gain some political advantage. My wife Eleanor and my family always have been and continue to be very supportive of my political career. I would like to place on record my thanks for the support I have from them.

Where do you think these rumours came from?

I have no doubt it was political opponents. I have already made it clear that I exonerate my fellow candidates, but the people who did this got their answer from the electorate.

The landscape changed for unionism at last week's election. Where does Peter Robinson's defeat leave him? Does he have your full support as leader?

He does. Peter has been through a very tough time and a lot of the allegations against him came close to the election meaning he didn't have time to clear his name properly. He has very important roles as First Minister and party leader and I realise how disappointed he must be at the loss of his seat after over 30 years. We accept the verdict of the electorate but it's worth remembering that in East Belfast there was quite a bit of tactical voting from the SDLP, Sinn Fein and the PUP to remove Peter. Should we allow tactical voting in one constituency to determine who leads the DUP and Northern Ireland? We need to look at the bigger picture. The DUP had very good results, holding eight seats. Many people endorsed the strategy of the DUP and those strategies were the work of Peter Robinson The party has made it clear it is prepared to give him time to deal with the allegations that have been made against him.

What do you say to the 3,000 people who voted for the TUV in Lagan Valley?

It's clear from the election results that while there are people who have concerns, the overwhelming majority have voted to move Northern Ireland forward. I made an appeal in my acceptance speech that unionists come together and work more closely. Many grassroots unionists are fed up with the squabbling.

People like Keith Harbinson (the defeated TUV candidate) have a contribution to make and I would like to see him involved in mainstream unionism, but in a way which is less divisive. The TUV's main objective is to move towards a voluntary coalition at Stormont. We agree. The difference is how you get there. If people like Keith Harbinson join with us we can achieve that aim.

Did the UUP make a mistake in joining with the Tories?

As a former member of the UUP and someone who understands the party, I believe the decision to go into coalition with the Tories was a mistake. The UUP was not going to have the same degree of leverage in a hung parliament. They put party interest first and that backfired on them. The once great UUP is left with no representative in the House of Commons for the first time in its history. The sad thing is that if they had been prepared to work with us there would have been a UUP MP.

You're talking again about a form of unionist unity, but how can that be brought about?

Let's be clear, unionism lost seats last week because of internal divisions. In Belfast just one of the four MPs is now unionist. We face the prospect of Sinn Fein being the biggest party in the assembly so it is essential unionism comes together. We have to explore the common ground between the two main parties. I believe there's plenty of that and we have to ensure there's closer co-operation.

I hold strongly to the hope that one day we will have one party representing unionism. While we have to explore all the issues I don't see any personality issues in either party which would get in the way. Certainly the talks which took place last year at Hatfield House were very positive.

Give us your vision for Lagan Valley in the next few years.

I've always prided myself on working hard for the people of Lagan Valley, irrespective of their politics or creed and I will continue to do that. I want to make Lagan Valley the best place to live and work in Northern Ireland.

The potential of the projects planned at the Maze and Blaris alone can bring thousands of jobs and hundreds of new homes as well as world class facilities.

We need to rise to the challenge of realising that vision. I am more than willing to give the leadership that will make this a reality.