TUV: Gavin Robinson has 'no plans to face up to the ramifications' of DUP's Stormont deal

Jim Allister’s party says the root of the DUP’s electoral decline is that it “sought to mislead the people” over its deal on the Irish Sea border.

The party had claimed the Irish Sea border had been removed for goods moving within the UK – but has since accepted that is not the case.

Responding to the DUP leader’s comments, a TUV spokesperson said: “The message from the electorate in July was crystal clear. While the DUP were pegged back to their 2001 level of support, the Alliance vote fell, UUP support remained static but TUV had its best ever Westminster result not just winning a seat in North Antrim but establishing a very solid base in many other constituencies on which we will build.

“TUV obtained that result in spite of blatant media bias because our message of trust resonated with the people. Unionists know they were lied to when the DUP returned to Stormont claiming to have got rid of the Sea Border and brought us to a place where there would be ‘zero checks, zero paperwork’.

“It is clear from Mr Robinson's message to supporters that he has no plans to face up to the ramifications of having sought to mislead the people much less attempting to put it right by ceasing to be members of a Protocol implementing executive.

“Unionism collectively needs to forget about the lure of office and the ministerial cars and concentrate on rectifying the constitutional damage done by the Protocol.

“That cannot be achieved from within a Protocol implementing Executive.”

The existence of the Stormont institutions while the Irish Sea border and the laws which created it remain in place has been the main point of contention between the parties in recent months. It played a significant role in the unseating of Ian Paisley by the TUV boss Jim Allister in the former DUP citadel of North Antrim.

The DUP hardened its position on the sea border just before the election. Instead of saying the sea border is gone, it now argues that EU law and the internal border must be removed.