Ulster Unionist Peer Lord Empey has warned that UKIP policies contain inherent dangers for Northern Ireland.

Speaking following recent comments by UKIP’s Northern Ireland representative David McNarry, in which he appeared to suggest that Dublin involvement in Northern Ireland affairs could be linked to the amount of cash which the Republic’s Government is prepared to stump up, Lord Empey said:

“David McNarry does not seem to realise the downstream consequences of his current Leader's policies. Nigel Farage has called for Northern Ireland MPs not to speak or vote on English matters. As nearly all measures introduced by any government involve money, and as the people of Northern Ireland are taxpayers, then there is a huge issue of constitutional principle involved here. The elected representatives of all parts of the UK should have the right to speak on all matters which involve taxpayers’ money.

“Under Nigel Farage's plans, Northern Ireland MPs would be excluded from most Parliamentary business. This would be a severe blow to unionism and weaken any influence in London we might wish to exercise.

“Furthermore, UKIP is the main Party behind the EFDD group in the European Parliament, and that Group's  Director of Communications, Mr Hermann Kelly, is openly advocating a united Ireland! What message does that send out to unionists here?

“On 24th September this year, Nigel Farage called for an end to the Barnett formula. This formula is used to calculate Northern Ireland's block grant which in turn funds our vital public services. Mr Farage wants to see public expenditure redistributed in a different way in the UK. While he accepts that there would need to be special measures in Northern Ireland, he hasn't spelled out what they would be and he most certainly didn't commit to maintain public spending in Northern Ireland at current levels.

“If we were to receive the same level of public support as in England, Northern Ireland would lose 25% of its funding! This would destroy our health and education services at a stroke.

“When one adds this to the huge loss to our farming and food sectors of about £300m per year from Brussels if UKIP policies were adopted, we would be facing financial ruin as a Province.

“Then, when David McNarry hints that the Irish Republic could have more say here if it provided more money to Northern Ireland, we end up with a dogs dinner of ill thought out and dangerous policies any one of which could cast serious doubt about our security within the Union.

“What David actually said was, 'You pay a penny then you have more of a right to be in here.' I have no doubt that he is still the strong believer in the Union that he always has been, but he should reconsider, and I believe withdraw, the comments he made about Dublin being in effect able to buy its way into influence here in Northern Ireland.

“Ulster Unionists don't care how much or how little money Dublin would be prepared to offer us. We will never trade our constitutional position as an integral part of the United Kingdom for money from any source.”