Ulster Unionist Brexit spokesperson, Steve Aiken MLA, has called on Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP to admit the DUP have done a U-turn on a border in the Irish Sea, and then explain why.

Steve Aiken MLA said:

“What planet is Sir Jeffrey Donaldson on? His latest audacious claim is that ‘arrangements that create barriers to trade in the Irish Sea would not be supported by us [the DUP]’. It`s as if he has already forgotten that the DUP have already supported barriers to trade when they endorsed and advocated a border in the Irish Sea as part of the Foster/Johnson plan which states:

‘The proposal set out in this note would see regulatory checks applying between Great Britain and Northern Ireland,’ and ‘Traders moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland would need to notify the relevant authorities before entering Northern Ireland.’

“These are just some of the barriers to trade in the Irish Sea mentioned in the proposal which the DUP has already supported. Sir Jeffrey`s comments are at best misleading given that his own Party Leader, Arlene Foster MLA, stated on 2 October 2018 that ‘NO border in the Irish Sea will ever be acceptable to unionists throughout the UK…regulatory or otherwise’ and Sammy Wilson MP, the DUP`s Brexit spokesperson, said on 30 November 2017 ‘They have to recognise that if this is about treating Northern Ireland different, or leaving us half in the EU, dragging along regulations which change in Dublin, it’s not on.’

“Why doesn`t Sir Jeffrey just admit they have done a U-turn and stop describing facts as ‘nonsense’? It wasn`t us who supported a plan for two borders. The DUP have done a U-turn and he should explain why. To continue to make statements which totally contradict the comments of his own party leader and party Brexit spokesperson insults people`s intelligence. Jeffrey Donaldson should drop the act. He`s not on Jackanory.

“As for his calls for unionist unity, all unionists have been united against a border in the Irish Sea, until the DUP decided to break ranks. Only they can answer for that.”