Questions for Harry Hamilton

Describing the UUP parliamentary candidate as having already ‘gifted away’ his vote Cllr Lockhart said:

“As an up front pre-condition of his acceptance as a Tory/UUP candidate, Harry Hamilton had to agree to take the Tory whip should he become Upper Bann’s next MP. This means that he has already signed away his vote on a whole range of matters crucial to Northern Ireland.”

She went on: “We already know that when the Tories supported the discriminatory 50/50 recruitment to the PSNI Mr Hamilton was silent. We know too that when they proposed the re-constitution of the Parades Commission he had nothing to say by way of criticism.

"We also know that he has said nothing to signal any disagreement with the Tory policy of guaranteeing that unionism suffers in both Fermanagh/South Tyrone and South Belfast. Indeed it seems that while people are to be asked to vote for him, they are not to be told where he stands on a whole range of important matters."

She concluded: “The DUP’s position is radically different. We will retain our right to independent thought, expression and voting intention. Instead of prioritising support for the Tories, we will prioritise Northern Ireland.

“I would issue this simple challenge to Harry Hamilton – is he prepared in the interests of Northern Ireland to defy his Tory masters? Yes or no?”