The Ulster Unionist Party Leader Robin Swann has urged pro-Union voters to ensure they are registered to vote and to turn out on polling day.    

Robin Swann said:

“The Ulster Unionist Party has a long and proud record of service and working to build and maintain the Union. We received more than 100,000 votes in the recent Assembly Election and have been working to build and secure the Union since the Party was founded in 1905. The Ulster Unionist Party will never shy away from promoting the benefits which the Union brings to all the people of Northern Ireland.

“The forthcoming Westminster Election is a hugely important one, not just for Northern Ireland, but for the United Kingdom as a whole. The forthcoming Brexit negotiations will have a direct impact upon the lives of all our citizens and define our external relations for generations to come. That is why it is vital we elect MPs who will take their seats and fight for the best deal possible rather than those who would focus on trying to unpick the Union.

“Despite what some would have you believe, the General Election on June 8 is not a re-run of last year’s referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union.  The United Kingdom is leaving the European Union and the focus must now be on delivering the best deal for the United Kingdom and an outcome that secures and strengthens the linkages between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  We must not lose sight of the significance of this election.

“Given what is at stake Northern Ireland needs strong representation in Westminster now more than ever, arguing the best case for Northern Ireland. Tom Elliott and Danny Kinahan have proven that Ulster Unionist MPs can be that positive, pragmatic voice for Northern Ireland.

“It is absolutely essential that those who value the Union ensure that they are on the electoral register and that they turn out to vote on June 8. The most basic principle of a free and fair election is that the result is entirely in the hands of the voters. If there is one lesson to be learned from the outcome of recent elections and referenda, it is that those who register and turn up at polling stations really can effect change. If the Union is worth having, then surely it is worth voting for.”