UUP boss Doug Beattie accuses rival of 'hiding' from media - but Alex Easton will now take part in interview

However, Alex Easton has now confirmed that he will take part in an interview with this newspaper about his general election bid.

On Wednesday, the News Letter reported that Mr Easton had declined the offer of an interview.

That prompted Mr Beattie to post on social media platform X saying that “scrutiny is important, hiding from the media is not a good look”.

Mr Easton later confirmed that he will take part in interview.

It comes amid calls from the Ulster Unionist candidate Tim Collins for more public debates with his general election rivals in North Down.

Mr Collins was interviewed by the News Letter earlier this year, soon after his candidature was announced.

The interview prompted much commentary on social media after the UUP man made a number of controversial statements – and his leader said that his comments didn’t reflect party policy.

The UUP candidate said: “In the privacy of the polling booth, when people had the choice to pay 60 euros for every visit to the doctor, and 60 euros for every every prescription – if Disability Living Allowance went away and people had to get up in the morning and go to work – I think that the Union would be secure between about 85 and 90 per cent”.

The comments faced criticism on social media, given that Disability Living Allowance was replaced by Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – introduced in 2016. Medical card holders in the Republic pay a prescription charge of €1.50 for each item – up to a maximum of €15 per month, for each person or family. Those without a medical card have charges capped at €80 per month if they are signed up to the Drugs Payment Scheme”.

The row doesn’t appear to have damaged the former army colonel’s election campaign – and he has conducted various media interviews since as well as challenging opponents to public debates.