The Conservatives’ Westmister candidate for Strangford, Johnny Andrews, has poured scorn on the idea that a vote for the DUP can strengthen the Union. Mr Andrews made his comments after Peter Robinson issued a “rallying call”, which Johnny described as “just another DUP attempt to scare voters”.
“The DUP pulls this trick at every election, but I believe that people in Northern Ireland will see through it this time”, Johnny commented. “Peter Robinson has dressed up this last ditch move to entrench tribal voting by claiming that his party will demand a UK commission on the Union. However we’ve already had the McKay Commission and similar commissions. The key issue is that the DUP, despite its claims, is lining up with the SNP and Plaid Cymru to seek to exploit a hung parliament. Any influence they do have is likely, if anything, to alienate the rest of the UK.”
“People in Northern Ireland deserve more than the politics of fear and the politics of the begging bowl. We deserve a long-term plan to grow our economy, deliver jobs and play a full role at the heart of the UK government. We also deserve to know whether the DUP want a Conservative government or a Labour one. Every vote for Conservatives at this election is a vote to keep the United Kingdom on the right track. It is also a vote to put Northern Ireland at the heart of national politics, with David Cameron as Prime Minister. In contrast, a vote for the DUP could risk Ed Miliband in 10 Downing Street and sour our relationship with the rest of the UK.”