Ulster Unionist Chief Whip and Brexit spokesperson, Steve Aiken OBE MLA, has called on Arlene Foster MLA and Christopher Stalford MLA to apologise for dismissing Times newspaper reports about the DUP removing its ‘red lines’ as ‘nonsense’ and not recognisable as ‘factual’.
Steve Aiken OBE MLA said:
“It is very clear that the Foster /Johnson proposal for a border in the Irish Sea, supported and promoted by Mrs Foster`s DUP colleagues, is a bad deal for Northern Ireland and a bad deal for unionism. Given that this will be the starting point for negotiations with the EU, what else are the DUP prepared to give up in their pursuit of a deal with the EU? With one ‘blood red line’ already having been washed away – what else is up for grabs?
“How can people believe what the DUP say given that when The Times newspaper reported that the DUP had moved on its red lines, Arlene Foster dismissed the report as ‘nonsense’ and DUP MLA, Christopher Stalford, told BBC`s The View that he did ‘not recognise it as factual’ and protested that it wasn`t the position of the party. Will Arlene and Christopher now apologise for making those statements? Will they now admit that The Times’ reporting was indeed accurate?
“The problem for all of us is that the DUP have surrendered a key point of principle on the economic and constitutional integrity of the UK to enable them to agree a deal with Boris Johnson. They should tell everyone what they have been offered to enable the DUP to attempt to sell such a horrendous deal for Northern Ireland.”