Election 2024: DUP pivots on EU law and sea border as Gavin Robinson says more realism was needed on 'Safeguarding the Union' deal

In a speech unthinkable four short months ago, the new DUP leader defended the party’s gains on the Northern Ireland protocol – but criticised the approach taken to selling its January deal with the UK government.

Mr Robinson – who will run for the party in East Belfast – said the debate over the deal could have been “grounded in a greater degree of cautious realism” in a thinly veiled critique of his predecessor Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.

On the surface it is a return to the party’s original stance when the protocol was imposed on Northern Ireland by the UK and EU – but critics will want to see the details of the DUP’s new policy and what it does to attempt to achieve its aims.

See also:

DUP pledges to seek an end to EU law and the Irish Sea border in general election manifesto

Gavin Robinson will ‘continue Irish Sea border fight’ as he’s ratified as DUP leader

Potentially contentious DUP deputy leader contest to be held after general election

The DUP leader told the party executive in Lisburn: “Our clear message going forward is that we are campaigning to send a strong message to a new government, whether Labour or Conservative, that building on the progress to date, we will continue to fight to fully restore Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom, including removing the application of EU law in our country and the internal Irish Sea border it creates”.

He also pledged to “argue the case for the full primacy of the United Kingdom internal market and we will resist all attempts to undermine its integrity”.

It comes just months after Mr Robinson, who was formally ratified as party leader last night, defended the principles underpinning the Windsor Framework – such as the ‘red lane’ – which exists because EU law applies here.

EU law is a prerequisite of Northern Ireland’s unfettered access to the EU single market for goods – something the party has supported.

The DUP leader also announced his party would not run candidates in two key constituencies which were held by Sinn Fein and Alliance – backing the UUP candidate in Fermanagh/South Tyrone and former DUP MLA Alex Easton in North Down.