NI council elections: TUV's Jim Allister warns unionists over Brexit deal

The TUV will run 46 candidates in next week's election

TUV leader Jim Allister has warned that any unionist who returns to Stormont will have no choice but to implement the "union dismantling" NI Protocol.

He also said a vote for his party would "inject strength" into the DUP to ensure it maintains its Stormont boycott.

The TUV will run 46 candidates in next week's council election, the most it has run in a local government poll.

It lost seven seats - more than half its councillors - in 2019.

However, it managed to increase its vote in last year's assembly election.

'Stand stronger'

It rose by 5%, securing more than 65,000 votes, but the party failed to gain any more seats in the assembly as it didn't attract transfers.

But speaking at the party's manifesto launch in Antrim, the TUV leader insisted its new mandate did make a difference.

Mr Allister said the party's 65,000 votes "put strength into the DUP".

He said the DUP initially believed "there were sensible things in the protocol" but quickly realised the "necessity to stand stronger" when they looked over their shoulder at the 65,000 TUV voters.

TUV leader Jim Allister predicted his party would "significantly increase" the number of council seats it has

Mr Allister predicted his party would "significantly increase" its council seats as quotas are much lower in local government elections with more seats on offer compared to the assembly poll.

He also warned other unionist parties against changing their positions after next week's election.

He pointed to a recent court judgement which made it clear that "executive ministers must implement the protocol and must implement the Irish sea border".

"So its clear the price of Stormont now is to implement the very protocol which is dismantling the union," Mr Allister added.

"That is an impossible price to pay for anyone who cares about the union".

What is the Northern Ireland Protocol?

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson agreed the Northern Ireland Protocol with the EU and it came into force on 1 January 2021.

It led to new checks on goods being caried out at Northern Ireland's ports.

The DUP and TUV rejected the protocol - and are also against the Windsor Framework - a new deal agreed by Prime Minster Rishi Suank and the EU earlier this year.

It is aimed at significantly reducing the number of checks required.

Opposing the protocol was the key pledge in the TUV's manifesto.

Other commitments included promoting more town centre development, more transparency in planning, sustaining long-term investment in health and curbing rates rises.

It proposed adopting a system being used in England where rates increases are kept at a national level and can only be increased by councils after a referendum among rate-payers.