The Ulster Unionist Councillors’ Association met on Saturday. During the meeting the Councillors` Association passed two motions, one expressing its unanimous support and thanks to the staff of the National Health Service for their role in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and the other reiterating its total opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Councillor Sam Nicholson, Chair of the Ulster Unionist Councillors’ Association, said:

“The past year has seen huge challenges for Northern Ireland, none more so than the Covid-19 pandemic. So many families have been affected by it and lost loved ones. Our thoughts are with them all. We acknowledge the dedication of the staff of the National Health Service, without whom we would have been in a much darker place.

“On the political front, all members are disgusted by the imposition of the Protocol which has driven a wedge between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. It`s undemocratic and goes against everything that the Belfast Agreement stands for, by ignoring the genuine and legitimate concerns of unionists. Rather than dissipating, opposition to the Protocol is growing as we see its impact on an almost daily basis. It`s time that the UK Government and the EU sat up and started listening.”

Motion 1

“The Ulster Unionist Councillors` Association expresses its unanimous support and thanks to the staff of the National Health Service in Northern Ireland under the leadership of Health Minister, Robin Swann MLA. We thank them all for their dedication to their work and helping to save so many lives during the Covid-19 pandemic. We call on all political parties to work together to help to achieve long term transformation in the Health Service. The National Health Service should not be used as a political football and we call on politicians from all parties to focus on providing long term, sustainable funding that will help deliver much needed reforms to help reduce long term waiting lists and relieve the huge pressures on its staff.”

Motion 2

"The Ulster Unionist Councillors` Association deplores the Northern Ireland Protocol and its effects, among which is its contravention of the Belfast Agreement, its impact on UK internal trade and the democratic deficit it creates in Northern Ireland under the ambit of EU law. That further, the Ulster Unionist Councillors` Association supports the decision to pursue a judicial review into the Protocol; urges the removal of the Protocol, to be replaced by alternative arrangements; and supports mitigating measures until this Judicial Review is concluded.”