Alliance defends MLA's 'worst of every world' comments - accusing unionists of 'talking Northern Ireland down'

​David Honeyford also branded the consequences of the trading arrangements – which his party supports – as “a nonsense” during evidence from car franchise businesses during a Stormont committee.

Alliance has consistently claimed that the arrangements provide Northern Ireland with the “best of both worlds”.

In a social media spat over the comments, UUP MLA Steve Aiken said Mr Honeyford “must not have cleared his line” with the Alliance deputy leader Eóin Tennyson – and “the rest of the [Alliance Party’s] ‘Faithful Implementors’”.

He added: “it’s taken a while, but maybe they are beginning to understand the worst of both worlds reality that we are all facing”.

That prompted Mr Honeyford to attack unionists for being negative about Northern Ireland. He said: “what is it with unionist politicians, always outraged, always talking this place down - & never offer any solutions or hope for better?”.

He also claimed the story in yesterday’s News Letter about his comments was “completely out of context” – as the discussion was about “protecting [the] car industry - which doesn’t have dual market access”. The Lagan Valley MLA said the “Framework protects NI from Brexit”.

The rules causing difficulty for the car industry are a result of the Windsor Framework, which keeps Northern Ireland in the single market and means EU regulations must be followed here.

On Wednesday, representatives of all of NI’s car franchise dealers told Stormont’s economy committee that Northern Ireland is now “almost an island in our own right”. Mr Honeyford responded “collateral damage is what you said earlier”.

When told the local consumers could instead buys cars across the border in the Republic, the Alliance MLA commented: “So it’s the worst of every world for you”.

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley seized on Mr Honeyford’s acknowledgment of the problems caused by the trade deal as “a bit of progress”.