Let's work together, says Moutray

“The comments made to local newspapers by Robert Oliver, Chairman of the Upper Bann UUP Association, were staggering and barely believable,” he said.

“Mr Oliver made two assertions. The first was that the UUP would go it totally alone at the forthcoming Assembly Election. Of itself this is an extraordinary stance to adopt. It is a matter of public record that the only reason why there are currently two UUP MLAs is because of transfers from the DUP.

"This has been independently confirmed by the Electoral Reform Society. Yet Robert Oliver has now basically told DUP and TUV voters to sling their hook for their support will not be needed come the next Assembly Election.

“He also claimed that the UUP will win ‘at least’ two Assembly seats. For him to claim that the UUP will win ‘at least’ two Assembly seats in Upper Bann can only mean that the UUP expect to poll considerably more than two full quotas.

“This is sheer folly. It is truly mind boggling. The figures are incontestable and they show beyond dispute that the fourth unionist Assembly seat, held currently by the UUP, is vulnerable to Sinn Fein. The only way to retain that fourth unionist seat is to act in concert with other unionists and to give unionist candidates the best chance.”

“For the UUP that has to mean drawing back from the utter foolishness of running three candidates. The electoral figures speak for themselves. It is a monumental mistake for the UUP to field three candidates – they should think again and field only two.

"For the UUP to field three candidates will only have the same result as the last Assembly Election when internal competition between candidates spread their vote so thinly that a seat was nearly lost.

“For the UUP to run three candidates increases the risk that the fourth Unionist seat will be handed over to Sinn Fein on a plate. I would appeal to them even now, to work together with other unionists to maximise the unionist vote.

"The DUP stand ready to co-operate with fellow unionists. I would appeal to the UUP to stop spurning our offer.”