The Progressive Unionist Party have become the latest section of unionism to express alarm at the latest position adopted by the UUP in which they have effectively forsaken the Act of Union. In 1998 the former UUP leader Lord Trimble said “the Act of Union is the Union”.
The PUP statement in full:
In our constitutional statement our party were clear on our absolute unshakeable commitment to the Union.
As David Trimble correctly said in 1998, the Act of Union is the Union.
It is deeply concerning the UUP have now claimed that the ‘subjugation’ of the Act of Union does not present a constitutional threat, and seemingly indicated their willingness to accede to an alteration of its terms.
There has never been a more fundamental constitutional threat to NI’s place in the Union. It’s deeply concerning that the UUP appear entirely oblivious to that issue.
In addition the UUP leader claimed that the Act of Union was not trumped by the Protocol. This displays a complete failure to understand the issue itself. The Court of Appeal clearly stated that the Act of Union was ‘subjugated’ by the Protocol.
We would urge voters to press UUP candidates on their position on this fundamental constitutional issue.
For our part the PUP is absolutely clear. In the absence of the full restoration of the Act of Union and fundamental rebalancing of the Belfast Agreement, there is no basis for unionist or loyalist support for continued implementation of the Agreement.”