The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) will “not be found wanting” when it comes to co-operating with other unionist parties to maximise the pro-union vote in next year’s elections, Gavin Robinson has said.
The DUP leader was giving his annual conference speech ahead of highly anticipated assembly and council elections next May.
Robinson told his conference that the party “must not gift wrap seats to Sinn Féin, the SDLP or Alliance that we could otherwise win”.
The DUP believes that in constituencies like Lagan Valley and North Antrim a split unionist vote handed seats to its opponents unnecessarily in the 2022 assembly election.
He told delegates at a hotel in greater Belfast on Saturday: “I am committed to constructively work and actively engage again with other unionist parties, as we have before, to get the largest number of pro-union candidates elected to the assembly and to our councils.
“I am not asking anyone to give up what they believe.”
He appealed to the unionist electorate and others: “Staying at home, or voting for parties that spend more time attacking fellow unionists, and who have no plan, will deliver a weakened and divided unionism – and that is exactly what Sinn Féin hope for.
“They know what split votes and lost seats will mean for unionism and the union.
“More power for them to take Northern Ireland in the wrong direction. That is the danger.”