Gardiner blasts DUP 'mistake'

The blast from Mr Gardiner comes after Mr Simpson asked the veteran UUP man to make his stance on the issue clear.

In a statement to the 'MAIL' Mr Gardiner said he would not be drawn on the issue until his party had decided on the matter.

He said: "On an issue as important as unionist co-operation and unionist unity decisions need to be made at a party leadership level and it is not appropriate for local MLAs to take up positions on such matters."

Mr Gardiner said the DUP had always called for unionist unity prior to an election while still being hostile to their UUP counterparts.

He went on: "In any case, the DUP position on unionist unity and co-operation is unclear since it appears former DUP party leader Rev Dr Ian Paisley, now Lord Bannside, is saying one thing and current party leader Peter Robinson saying another.

"Dr Paisley says unionist unity will not happen. Peter Robinson says it might. Are we to assume that the local DUP constituency association in Upper Bann is now making the decisions for the whole DUP?

"Are there no democratic unionists in Upper Bann who agree with Rev Dr Paisley on this matter?

"The DUP is seeking electoral cover from the UUP because the electorate know they are in the pockets of Sinn Fein.

"Certainly it was the DUP who agreed with Sinn Fein at St Andrew’s to change the way the First Minister is selected.

"The Ulster Unionist Belfast Agreement had the First Minister being the leader of the largest party in the largest designation, which would have meant a unionist First Minister as long as the union endured.

"The DUP with its Sinn Fein partner changed this at St Andrew’s to the First Minister simply being the leader of the largest party.

"That opened up the possibility of a Sinn Fein First Minister for the first time. Now that this is a real and present danger after next May’s Assembly election, the DUP want to cover up this horrendous mistake and that is why they want the political cover of unionist unity and it is why they are talking about it.”

He went on: "If the Ulster Unionist Party decides in the fullness of time to promote greater unionist unity it will have to be on the basis of shared policies and in the interests of the people and not just to save the face of Peter Robinson and David Simpson and their persistent caving-in to Sinn Fein.

"David Simpson is after all one of the legendary snowmen who melted having said he would not cave in to Sinn Fein.

“As a unionist, I would never have given in to Sinn Fein to the extent that the DUP has. The DUP and Sinn Fein, as far as I can see, are now mutually dependant."

Mr Gardiner concluded: "If the DUP is genuinely seeking unionist unity it will have to change its spots quickly and improve its political game."