Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) led by Jim Allister MLA, have outlined their strategy for the upcoming 2024 General Election.
A press release states: “At a meeting of TUV Party Officers the basis of the party’s approach to the upcoming General Election was agreed, embracing two fundamental tenets.
“In seats presently held by non-unionists, particularly those which are winnable for unionism, such as North Down, Fermanagh & South Tyrone, South Belfast and North Belfast, TUV strongly supports an agreed single unionist candidate.
“If there should be a return to Stormont to implement the Union-dismantling Protocol, with acceptance of EU law and the Irish Sea border, then, unionists who disagree with such folly must have a candidate to vote for.”
The TUV has said they support only having one unionist candidate in those constituencies that are currently held by non-unionists (i.e. held by Sinn Fein, the SDLP, or Alliance). The only unionist party to hold any seats at Westminster is the DUP.
Specifically mentioning North Down, Fermanagh & South Tyrone, South Belfast, and North Belfast as seats that unionists could target.
The TUV also said that if the DUP returns to Stormont, then unionists should have a choice to vote for a candidate who disagrees with that return.
So essentially, the TUV will endorse a single agreed unionist candidate for constituencies not currently held by unionists. They have not mentioned seats already held by the DUP – so they could contest these seats.
However, if the DUP decides to return to power-sharing, we could see a change of strategy from the TUV.
Pic: Liam McBurney / PA
