The Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Alex Burghart MP, has defended not yet visiting Northern Ireland since being appointed to the role in July.
The Conservative MP was speaking to BBC’s Good Morning Ulster programme on Friday morning.
He said: “We are in a situation following the general election where everything, including the running of Conservative Party Central Offices, is in flux, so getting the funding for trips has not been as easy as I would like.”
He did confirm that he has visited before in previous roles, and has spoken to “many great people” since the election at Westminster and on the phone.
“I very, very much wanted to come and if I had the money to come I would have done so.”
“It’s been very annoying for me that I haven’t been able to come,” he added.
He was asked if people can take his views seriously given he hasn’t yet visited. Burghart said, “I speak to people in NI every day and I’ve also held a number of posts previously where I’ve made very, very frequent trips to Belfast.”
“I was Karen Bradley’s PPS and Jeffrey Cox’s PPS, and whilst I was in the cabinet office I came over several times.”
“I am very familiar with Northern Ireland and have a great fondness for it.”
The next leader of the Conservative Party will be announced on Saturday morning. Burghart has backed Kemi Badenoch to be the next leader since the start of the leadership contest. She goes up against Robert Jenrick.
