The Lion's Roar - Summer 2023

Editorial

Much has happened since the inaugural edition of The Lions Roar back in April but despite attempts to undermine our cause, the Democratic Unionist Party is stronger. Our vote was up, our membership is growing and London realises that our mandate must be respected.

The Local Council Elections were a stern test of our resolve and I want to thank every candidate, member and grassroots supporter who put their shoulder to the wheel and delivered our message to doorsteps across Northern Ireland.

Despite the Government trying to weaken the DUP’s position with the electorate, including by attacking funding for our public services, I am pleased that we were able to increase our vote share from the Assembly election last year and returned 122 Councillors. Many are young and have been elected for the first time. They have the passion and determination to deliver for their constituents and honour our manifesto commitment to provide the best services at the lowest possible cost.

The election renewed our mandate to finish the job of restoring Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom. I can give a personal commitment that this Party will not shirk its responsibility to that end. We want to see devolution restored but that can only happen on the basis of arrangements

barriers to trade with Great Britain and the undermining of our constitutional position. The DUP is clear that the Government must do more to tackle these fundamental issues.

We have presented the Government with an 18-page document with specific proposals that are fair and balanced.

Northern Ireland’s place in the U.K. internal market and our constitutional position must be safeguarded in law. Practical trading arrangements must protect the movement of goods between and within all parts of the UK. The ball is firmly in the Government’s court.

Every DUP council candidate campaigned on a pledge to promote greater unionist cooperation. By coming together, we can deliver more for those we collectively represent, and it is great to see that work already starting to pay dividends. In Newry, Mourne and Down in particular, the DUP has secured the role of Council Chairperson in 2026/27. This will be the first time a Unionist has held the top position on Newry, Mourne & Down District Council. It proves what can be achieved when Unionism unites rather than divides.

Recent weeks also saw the election of a new Deputy Leader and refreshed team of Party Officers, who will be responsible for day-to-day decision-making within our Party structure. These appointments were made by our Party Executive, which includes delegates from each of our Constituency Associations. I am confident that Gavin will be a valuable addition to our leadership as we seek to chart a course for our Party, and for Northern Ireland, through stormy political waters toward an even brighter future.

I also want to pay tribute to Cllr Paula Bradley and Lord Weir of Ballyholme for their service and

dedication as Deputy Leader and Assistant Secretary of our Party in recent times.

Later in this edition of our magazine he sets out his hopes and aspirations for the role and I know he will want to get out and about and speak to as many members and supporters as possible in the coming days. We have seen a healthy influx of new Party members since May and we want to ramp up that recruitment drive. Please play your part by encouraging those in your communities who you feel are supportive to get involved. Work flowing from our organisational review is also continuing at pace, including the creation of new digital recording hub at our Shore Road office. In the coming days, the Officers and Executive will be advancing a range of initiatives to ensure our Party structures are modern, efficient and equipped for the future. It has not just been a busy period politically and internally but nationally. The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III was a special and historic occasion for communities across our United Kingdom. DUP representatives were pleased to be at the heart of celebrations in their respective areas. It was an absolute privilege to join with Lord Dodds and those from all walks of life locally at the Coronation service at Westminster Abbey on behalf of our Party and the people of Northern Ireland.

I continue to be humbled by every text, email and word of encouragement I have received from you over the course of recent weeks. Thank you. Thank you again for taking the time to read our magazine. We are keen to hear your views to ensure it is focused on the issues that matter to our members. If there are topics you wish to see included in future editions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.

Jeffrey Donaldson

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP

Introducing our new Deputy Leader

We all know you as the MP for East Belfast, and now as the Party’s Deputy Leader. Tell us more about yourself though.

I’m married to Lindsay and we live in Dundonald with our son Reuben. I’ve lived in East Belfast all my life and consider myself an Eastie; born, bred, buttered and battered! Growing up, I’d many jobs including a butcher, delicatessen and even a children’s entertainer!

Sometimes interviews and issues can make everything seem serious…. but I reckon I could still pull off a decent magic show!

Did you always have an interest in politics growing up? What’s your first political memory?

Politics caught me unawares! I was visiting my uncle who lives outside Northern Ireland. It was the first time I’d been on a plane and his home is a world away. I couldn’t work out why Belfast, home, was on the news,

but it was Easter 1998 and the Belfast Agreement had just been signed. Through intrigue, more than anything else, I wrote to all the parties on my return to find out where they stood…. and I still have the responses! For me, prisoner releases didn’t sit alongside my understanding of right and wrong, nor was I anything other than proud of the RUC my grandad served in.

When someone came through our street selling Have a Heart for Ulster badges, I bought one and for the next few years, probably annoyed all my teachers and anyone else who’d listen about my views on politics. I joined the DUP during my first year at University 20 years ago in January.

Continued overleaf

Your first high profile role was as Lord Mayor, during a year that included the Flag protests. What were your high and low points from that year, and are there any lessons you’ve taken forward from your time in Local Government?

There were a number of significant events during my time as Lord Mayor. The first was the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the visit of Her Majesty to Belfast - who can forget those amazing scenes from the open top Range Rover at Stormont? As soon as Her Majesty and Prince Philip left, the second event happened - the heavens opened and across South and East Belfast, scores of homes were flooded in what remains the worst example of it in the City. Standing in someone’s home destroyed by flooding, I learned then and it’s stuck with me to this day the real, meaningful impact we can have on people’s lives. Yes, we have a constitutional responsibility but our worth,

value and strength can be found in supporting and delivering for people in the most tangible of ways, when they need it most. It’s the service our party is renowned for and something we must never ignore or forget. We are nothing and can achieve even less if we forget our roots and how we get to where we are. Finally, I was chairing Council when the decision to stop flying the Union Flag was taken. At that stage, City Hall was besieged. The meeting was suspended and thereafter, the City experienced weeks of difficulty and discord.

Fundamentally, the decision inflamed a settled view that we could respect one another and acknowledge the constitutional position of Northern Ireland. It was clear that some of those who speak so passionately of a shared future will only offer us a future if we share their view.

I have always believed in reaching out, building relations, and broadening coalitions, but learned an early lesson of the threat of illiberal liberalism. There is nothing liberal about someone who can’t tolerate difference. So fundamentally,

during that time, I forged my personal approach to confidently advancing my views on our Country and our place within it that surrenders nothing but adapts to the changing threats we face.

You’ve been Member of Parliament for East Belfast since 2015. Do you feel the Union is an important issue for MPs from across the country, and across different parties?

Politics of the Union mean different things to different people in Westminster. For some, Unionism features in their title and you could often conclude that beyond the headline, there is little else. We build connections all the time, across party divides, to benefit the Union, but whilst we see those through the prism of Northern Ireland’s future, for many, the most urgent and pressing threat to the Union is Scotland.

Though the SNP seem to be on a downward trajectory, that is where the main concern lies at Westminster. We should not lose sight of the fact that support for the Union is as strong in Labour as it is for the Conservatives. No longer the party of Corbyn, Labour will be actively campaigning against the SNP on a pro-Union ticket. Rather than ignore that, there is much more we can do to explore issues of mutual benefit and common cause.

You’ve been to the forefront of highlighting the problems with the Barnett formula. Are there other areas where Northern Ireland’s voice needs to be heard more loudly at Westminster?

I spend a lot of time on defence issues and recently, published a report that highlighted whilst the average spend across the UK on Defence is £300 per head, in Northern Ireland, it’s £60. We have a great growing

industrial base and I’ve been involved in securing some new successful programmes, but we can strengthen our place in the United Kingdom and contribution to it through defence.

Securing a legal duty to implement the Armed Forces Covenant was something I was particularly proud of, honouring our veterans and cutting through the sectarianism of others that frustrated it until 2020.

You were elected as Deputy Leader just a few weeks ago, how have you settled into that role and how do you see the party moving forward over the coming years?

It’s a huge honour to support Jeffrey and the party as Deputy Leader. I’ve already been out and about NI supporting members and colleagues and look forward to more in the future.

We’ve a big task ahead. Our primary purpose is to secure

and strengthen the Union. In the coming months, we need to remember the importance of being able to deliver positively and productively for Northern Ireland; recognising that a prosperous province will contain a settled people.

No other person or party can deliver for our people. It is our responsibility to step up and at each and every stage ask ourselves this question: do our actions assist in our objective to strengthen the Union?

What do you do now to relax? Have you a favourite place in Northern Ireland? (aside from East Belfast).

It’s important for us all to have time to switch off and relax. I like to bake, walk our dog Duke, read and take the occasional swim in the sea.

Lindsay is from Portstewart so it’s always good to mix in visiting family with a stroll on the Strand.

Party Officers 2023-24

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP

PARTY LEADER

Gavin Robinson MP DEPUTY LEADER

Lord Morrow of Clogher Valley CHAIRMAN

Edwin Poots MLA VICE-CHAIRMAN

Michelle McIlveen MLA

SECRETARY

Diane Forsythe MLA ASSISTANT SECRETARY

Gregory Campbell MP TREASURER

Gordon Lyons MLA DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS

Carla Lockhart MP COOPTED

Sammy Wilson MP COOPTED

Emma-Little Pengelly MLA COOPTED

Lord Dodds of Duncairn COOPTED

Standing up for schools

Education in Northern Ireland is facing unprecedented cuts under the budget handed down by the Secretary of State. There will be no new school building projects in this financial year and the roll out of digital devices for pupils from deprived backgrounds has also been suspended. However this is just the tip of the iceberg. The chronic underfunding of our schools by the Treasury has meant the money we receive is consistently below what is needed to meet the needs of our children and young people and promote the best educational outcomes.

The DUP warned against this and we prioritised funding for the Extended Schools Programme, Sure Start and the Early Years Pathway Fund as part of the Confidence and Supply Agreement, totalling approximately £15m each year. Whilst we have lobbied successfully against cuts to these services - which support some of the most vulnerable pre-school and school-age children in our communities - we also recognise that this is not a substitute for a sustainable and needs-based model for funding education. In recent weeks, I have also been fighting the corner of special needs children who continue to face the upheaval of having to fight tooth and nail to know the details of their next school and all of the assistance and support that comes with it. It is wrong that parents and children are left in this position because a lack of preparation by the Education Authority. The overall cost of SEN

support in 2022-23 was nearly half a billion pounds. Despite this, the current budget is still not able to keep up with rising demand and parents rightly remain dissatisfied with the service provided. This system needs to be transformed.

In our classrooms, the new regulations pushed through Parliament by the Secretary of State will radically alter how Relationships and Sexual Education (RSE) is taught. Until now each school could determine their RSE curriculum in line with their ethos. However under these changes, teaching on abortion will be compulsory. This will have deeply profound and negative impact on the minds of our children. The Department of Education will be consulting on these changes in the next few months and I would encourage as many members and supporters as possible to voice their opposition to the plans. While many students in higher education could look forward to the summer break, some were

unsure whether they would receive their degree classification due to ongoing industrial action in our universities. This could have left those graduates at a disadvantage in terms of finding employment. I am pleased that after making representations on behalf of some of those affected, their classification will be confirmed before the end of the summer.

Moving forward, the DUP will be a strong voice for education and early years. The Independent Review of Education established by my colleague Lord Weir is expected to report in the Autumn and this will be an opportunity to press our case for an education system that delivers for every child and young person. We will continue to campaign for a fair funding deal, for a workable solution to the crisis facing special educational needs provision and for an ethos in our classrooms that values life.

Diane Dodds MLA

DUP Education Spokesperson

Please email diane.dodds@ mla.niassembly.gov.uk with any views on education reform

LIONS ROAR - SUMMER 2023

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Diane recently met with Katie Cromie from the Aspire NI charity, which works to improve educational outcomes for children in poverty.

Diane pictured with David Cunningham, Principal of Ceara Special School in Lurgan.

Diane alongside representatives of the NASUWT, INTO, UTU, NEU and NAHT teaching unions.

12th & 13th July Celebrations

Fighting for a fair funding deal

The budget imposed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has created unprecedented challenges for our departments. In education and health, this year there are pressures of almost £800m and police officer numbers are plummeting. There are even warnings that there will not be enough money to grit our roads this winter.

We need to dispel the myth that the lack of a functioning Executive and Assembly has created these problems. In truth, Northern Ireland has been losing financial firepower for years and this has forced ministers into difficult decisions and stored up problems for the future. If Stormont was up and running tomorrow, departments still wouldn’t have enough money for schools and special educational needs, for reforming our health service or awarding fair pay

deals for our dedicated public sector staff.

Whilst all of us will recognise areas where money needs better managed, the more fundamental problem is that the cake is not big enough. This is because the funding formula used by the Treasury does not

take account of need. It is slowly destroying our public services, it is making reform impossible, so much so that the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council has warned that by the end of this decade many frontline services could become undeliverable. It is important that we are able to answer our critics when they claim the DUP is the problem. Therefore in this section, we have tried to cut through the jargon and provide simple answers to some of the common questions around how Northern Ireland is funded.

Whilst all of us will recognise areas where money needs better managed, the more fundamental problem is that the cake is not big enough.

What is the ‘block grant’?

• This is the amount paid by the UK Government to the Northern Ireland Executive to fund public services.

• Around 90% of spending by our departments is funded this way.

• The block grant is worth approximately £14bn per year.

What can the ‘block grant’ be used for?

• Resource - day-to-day costs associated with delivering public services, i.e. salaries for NHS staff, teachers etc

• Capital - infrastructure such as roads, schools, hospitals or the purchase of machinery, equipment, or property.

• Public pensions and social security benefits are not paid from the block grant. These are on top of the £14bn.

What is the Barnett Formula?

• The Barnett Formula calculates how the block grant changes every year.

• Where spending in England goes up (or down), and the policy is devolved, the Executive receives an equivalent amount per person in Northern Ireland.

• For example, if spending on the NHS increases by £100 per person in England, funding for the Executive will also increase by £100 per person in Northern Ireland.

• Roughly speaking, if the Government announces a new scheme for England, and that policy area is devolved in NI, we will receive 3.35% of what England gets.

Why was the Barnett Formula introduced?

• It was introduced in 1979 to remove the need for annual budget negotiations between Westminster and the devolved administrations.

What areas are exempt from the Barnett Formula?

• Farm and Fisheries Payments

• Additional Security Funding

• Tackling Paramilitarism

• City Deals

• The Government can also bypass the Barnett Formula for other political agreements, as it did for the £1bn funding package for Northern Ireland we negotiated as part of the Supply and Confidence Agreement.

What is Northern Ireland’s ‘block grant premium’?

• This is the amount we receive above spending per person in England because of the higher cost of delivering public services here.

• Back in 1989, 65% more was spent per head in NI than England. By 2030 this is expected to drop below 20%.

• The Fiscal Council has said Northern Ireland needs to spend 24% more to maintain the same quality of services as in England.

Why does it cost more to deliver services in Northern Ireland?

• We have a higher proportion of people living in rural areas

• We have higher proportion of citizens in ill-health or with a disability

• We have a higher proportion of citizens with low incomes

• We have a higher proportion of employees in the public sector

What is the ‘Barnett Squeeze’?

• Spending was much higher in Northern Ireland than in England when the Barnett Formula was introduced. However this gap is rapidly closing. This is called the Barnett Squeeze.

• Any top-ups to the block grant do not reflect Northern Ireland’s actual needs. We simply get 3% of what England spends.

• Even though we receive the same amount in pounds per person, our budget rises at a slower rate than in England because we spend more in the first place.

• It means, for example, that our share of extra money used for a 10% pay rise in England will not be enough to cover the same 10% pay rise in Northern Ireland.

What is the DUP proposing?

• We want to deliver public services that the people of Northern Ireland need and deserve. That means a fundamental shake-up of the funding formula.

• Departments must have budgets that allow them to meet growing demand and reform broken services, including our health service.

• In Wales, a funding floor has been put in place to ensure spending cannot drop below assessed need. This must be considered for Northern Ireland.

• Whilst some have wrongly tried to conflate the Barnett Formula with the Protocol issues, this is a separate matter from the Protocol discussions.

New Councillor Q&A – Eva Cahoon

Introduce yourself and tell us a bit more about you.

I’m Eva Cahoon, and I come from a rural area about ten minutes outside Cookstown, near Lough Fea. I grew up in the area and went to Cookstown High School, and then on to Queen’s University to study History and International Studies.

I was elected as a Councillor for the Cookstown DEA of Mid Ulster Council earlier this year. What motivated you to get involved politically?

It coincided with the move away from home to university. When I moved to Queen’s there was definitely a lack of people who were confident enough to articulate a unionist viewpoint, especially in some of the classes that I was in, talking about the history of Northern Ireland. These sort of topics were being discussed but there wasn’t a lot of confidence amongst those people who were from a unionist

background to put forward the arguments or just be confident enough to say “yes, I’m a unionist”.

That motivated me to get more involved and to promote the unionist case. I joined the DUA at Queen’s. There were a few people in the same class who were already members so that is how I got involved politically first. Thankfully we weren’t entirely on our own though. There were other organisations from a unionist viewpoint too such as the Orange Society and we all worked together. Whilst it was a relatively small group of people overall putting forward that message it was a growing group which was encouraging to see. How did you move from being a member of the Party to becoming a Council candidate?

When I was in my final year at Queen’s I started working in Paula Bradley’s office and the

process probably began there. While I was working for Paula she would have said quite regularly “would you not think about it?”, in terms of standing for election. I suppose that planted a seed somewhere, because at that stage I said no, not a chance.

Since then I’ve moved to work for Carla Lockhart now in Lurgan. Working for both Paula and Carla I’ve seen much more of what being a constituency representative entails and I suppose that meant it wasn’t maybe as big a jump as for others. I wasn’t coming to it completely unaware and the day to day issues are broadly the same, whatever area you represent.

You’re one of our younger Councillors (22). How did others react to you stepping forward as a Council candidate?

A few people were a bit surprised, but whenever people already know where you work

then it isn’t a complete shock that you get more involved. The vast majority of people were really pleased though and encouraging me to go for it. Obviously I had a few reservations, but I got lots of encouragement and particularly at work also, and there are other Councillors in the office so I knew a bit about what it entailed. The first time I saw the posters though they were absolutely huge! It’s all very real when you see the posters and the leaflets printed. It was a bit strange too when your friends are messaging you and sending you pictures of your posters up on lampposts. I did have posters that got attacked with IRA graffiti. That was the only negative thing I faced during the campaign, but again it was never directly to me. The team in Mid Ulster were really important. Everyone was very supportive. If the Mid Ulster team hadn’t been there it would have been a very different campaign. I would have been lost without them. Paul McLean said right throughout the campaign, “We’re going in with 11 candidates and we’re going to get 11 seats”. There was a lot of energy and enthusiasm behind the scenes. It was a really positive campaign with momentum behind it. You won an additional seat for the Party in Cookstown. How confident were you at the start of the campaign?

Going into the campaign it wasn’t a certainty that we’d win by any stretch of the imagination, but I did think there was a chance there for an extra seat. The numbers were there (from the last election), so I knew if I put in as much work as I could we were in with a good chance.

The more we went on, the response was positive though. People were happy with the position the party has taken,

but also the work done on the ground was a huge factor, particularly by Keith (Buchanan). The rural funding for local halls was a huge issue and lots of people were able to point to a new kitchen or bathroom in their local hall and they knew that it was thanks to the DUP. The work done by the Party across Mid Ulster was definitely picked up on the doors.

We all worked really well together, even when we were canvassing. We would go together and get a good team into each village or area. All the candidates helped each other across our areas. It’s a very rural area and that really helped get the ground covered.

Whist I grew more confident during the campaign I still didn’t’ want to take anything for granted. Even at the count it was a long process. It started at about 8am and it was 8pm that night before I was elected. How have you settled in to your new role?

It was a bit of a whirlwind. It was very busy at the start both in the Council itself with training sessions and Committee meetings, but busy too meeting different community and sports groups in the area. I’ve been trying to get back to them when the memory of the election campaign is still fresh in people’s minds. It’s important to make sure they know we’re there and as a local Councillor I’m available to help them. In the Council we have a good team and it’s not as if I’m going in alone without anyone there to give me a steer. I was glad to get in and take part in the Committees and speak at the meetings. It was another aspect of the work that it was good to get to grips with.

Overall it’s been good to get stuck in and finally start getting into more of a routine.

How have you found the time commitment? Was that a shock?

It is a big time commitment. I work four days a week, so I do have that additional day every week to catch up on constituency issues which is a help. The time commitment was actually a bigger shock to my family, with a few comments like “you’ve been out a lot”. I don’t think they maybe realised just how much of a commitment it is. I probably wouldn’t have fully realised myself if I hadn’t seen the work of other Councillors so I knew what it was going to take. Have you any advice you’d offer to others thinking of getting involved?

I’d say that you’re not on your own. There’s a great team behind you, with a lot of experience and people are very willing to give you advice or a nudge in the right direction. Everyone has been very willing to help and without that I’d have been lost.

There’s nothing to lose from going for it and when you’re out on the doors, people do recognise the work the party is doing. You’re going out as a candidate but you have the Party behind you and things that have been delivered – you’re not going out on your own.

Reshaping our Health & Social Care System

Health Spokesman Paul

Givan MLA has been engaging extensively on behalf of the Party with a wide range of stakeholders as the health service faces serious challenges to meet the needs of our population. Meetings have taken place with the Ambulance Service, Health Trusts, Royal Colleges of Surgeons, Chief Medical Officer, Royal College of GPs, the Mental Health Champion, Patient Client Council, Fire Service, Disability Action, Cancer Research, Royal College of Midwives,

Community Pharmacies and trade union bodies including Unison, Fire Brigade Union and the British Medical Association.

Fixing the NHS is a priority for the DUP and we have a clear plan to tackle the waiting lists and transform the Health Service. The Party has engaged with the Permanent Secretary to identify the financial investment required over the next four years and Party Leader Sir Jeffrey

Donaldson is engaging at the highest levels of Government for a financial package that properly reflects the needs of Northern Ireland.

Our Plan to Fix the NHS

3 Investing an extra £1 billion to cut waiting lists using a partnership with the independent sector

3 Deliver an additional 750,000 hospital assessments and procedures

3 Train more GPs per year

3 Reward staff and end dependence on overpriced agency sector

3 Introduce a social care cap

3 Implement Bengoa reforms for a better health service

Play your part

If you or someone you know work within our health and social care services, please get in touch with Paul to discuss how we shape the Health Service.

paul.givan@mla.niassembly. gov.uk

Paul pictured with Professor Ian Young, QUB School of Medicine, and Owen Jackson, Director of Policy, Cancer Research UK

DUP Health Spokesperson Paul Givan MLA had a useful engagement with local pharmacists.

Fundraising

Fundraising is a key element for all our Branches and Associations. It helps pay for election campaigns, but these events don’t just have to be about raising extra finance. They can be important social events which help bring new people into contact with the party and might be the first opportunity to encourage them to join.

South Belfast DUP Coronation Dinner

The South Belfast DUP Association organised a dinner at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Shaws Bridge, to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. Party Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP was the guest speaker, with entertainment by Clara Wilson.

East Antrim DUP @ Let’s Go Hydro

The East Antrim DUP Association held a BBQ fundraiser at Let’s Go Hydro and welcomed some new members as well as friends and colleagues from outside East Antrim. They were able to enjoy the good weather and cool off by tackling the inflatable water assault course.

If you have fundraising tips you’d like to share with others in the Party, or are looking for ideas for future events, please get in touch by emailing info@mydup.com or calling 028 9065 4479

Looking back on #LE23

The Local Council Elections were hard-fought. Thank you to every DUP candidate, agent, member and supporter who put in the miles and knocked door after door to promote our vision for Northern Ireland.

Through your efforts, we have secured a mandate to finish the job of dealing with the Protocol, securing solid political foundations for a return to Stormont, and delivering the best services at the lowest possible cost to rate-payers.

173,033 people cast their first preference vote for their local DUP candidate, 9,418 more than back in 2019, and there was a 2% increase in our vote share from last year’s Assembly Election. We consolidated our position. 122 of our 152 candidates were elected, many for the first-time, and this was the same number as four years ago. This result was achieved despite the Government weaponising the budget and joining forces with our opponents to attack our principled stand against the border in the Irish Sea.

There is cause for optimism as we look forward to future electoral tests. The DUP also lost out on a further five seats by fewer than 200 votes, including Braid and Ballymoney where the margin was less than 20 votes at the end of counting. It was also positive to see DUP voters transfer at a rate of 82% to other DUP candidates - the highest internal transfer rate of any Unionist party.

Listening to non-unionist commentators, you would hardly believe that the combined nationalist vote this time around was roughly the same as in 1998. However there is no question that unionist representation could have been increased if unionist voters had come out in greater numbers.

DUP voters played their part in

transferring to other pro-Union candidates, with only 3% of votes transferring to non-unionists, and only 4% not transferring at all, when at least one other unionist was in the field. While 16% of UUP transfers left the unionist family, the second preferences of DUP voters were critical to maximising the number of unionist seats in a range of DEAs, not least in Fermanagh & Omagh, where over 95% of DUP votes transferred to other unionist candidates.

Despite this, in a number of areas, including Comber, Ballyclare and Limavady, unionism as a whole lost out on extra seats despite the combined pro-Union vote being large enough on the first count. In some areas this will have been because of high nationalist turnout but more often than not it is due to there being too

many unionist candidates and the resulting failure to fully maximise transfers.

I am pleased that in a number of Councils, DUP representation has increased. Across many DEAs the Party’s vote share has increased significantly and this is testament to the work of seasoned and experienced Councillors over the last term. I look forward to working alongside all of our new and re-elected Councillors to carry on that legacy of delivery in our communities.

Gordon Lyons

Gordon Lyons MLA, Director of Elections

DEAs where Unionism under-performed

Council round-up

Mid Ulster

It was a very successful election for the DUP in Mid Ulster. All 11 of our candidates were returned. The Party secured two extra seats across the Torrent and Cookstown DEAs and retained both seats in Dungannon after Councillor Kim Ashton announced she would not seek re-election. Eva Cahoon, Jonathan Buchanan and James Burton will add youth and passion to an already experienced DUP team in Mid Ulster. They join Councillor Mark Robinson in being elected for the first time, after he was coopted in Clogher Valley during the last term.

Antrim & Newtownabbey

The DUP retained its position as the largest party on Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council with 13 seats. There was an impressive 6% increase in the DUP vote share in Ballyclare, where first-time candidate Helen Magill was elected alongside running mate Jeannie Archibald-Brown. Matthew Brady topped the unionist poll in Macedon having been coopted in the last term.

Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon

The DUP increased its vote share in Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon, returning two new Councillors in Lurgan and Armagh and bringing the total seats held by the Party to 13. We were also within 500 votes of making further gains in Craigavon and Cusher DEAs. Portadown was an example of effective vote management, with

Lavelle McIlwrath and Kyle Moutray both over quota - and separated by just 10 votes - on the first count. Their running mate Alan Mulholland wasn’t far behind and all three were elected. ABC saw the largest number of first preference votes cast for the DUP outside of Belfast (24,742).

Lisburn & Castlereagh

Lisburn and Castlereagh had the largest DUP vote share of all 11 Councils in Northern Ireland (34%). 14 DUP Councillors were returned in total, cementing the Party’s position as the largest grouping. Castlereagh East saw the highest DUP vote share of any DEA in Northern Ireland (51%) and we narrowly missed out on securing a fourth Council seat in the area.

Newry, Mourne & Down

Newry, Mourne & Down represented the largest increase in the DUP’s vote share of all 11 Councils. (3.4%). The Party consolidated gains in The Mournes and Slieve Croob, with Henry Reilly and Alan Lewis both successfully returned after joining our ranks in the last term. In Rowallane, first-time candidates Callum Bowsie and Jonny Jackson received a strong endorsement and were both elected in the early counts.

Ards & North Down

The DUP remains the largest Party in Ards & North Down with 14 seats. There was a great result in Bangor West, where Peter Martin picked up on an extra seat from the Alliance Party despite the DUP only having 1.5 quotas. In Comber and Bangor East & Donaghadee there were strong performances from newcomers Libby Douglas and James Cochrane, whilst David Kerr was returned as part of a 3-strong team in the Ards Peninsula.

Causeway, Coast and Glens

The DUP remains the largest group on CC&G, with 13 seats. In Coleraine and Bann DEAs, our candidates held off challenges from independent candidates but regrettably in Limavady, too many unionist candidates resulted in only 2 unionists being elected despite having over 3 quotas on the first count. Bill Kennedy secured a gain for the DUP in The Glens.

Fermanagh and Omagh

The Party increased its representation in Fermanagh & Omagh to 6, with Shirley Hawkes winning a seat in Mid Tyrone. The DUP outpolled the UUP in first preference votes for the first time since the establishment of the new Council in 2011.

Londonderry & Strabane

The DUP remains the largest unionist party on Londonderry & Strabane District Council with 5 seats. Of four new candidates fielded in Faughan and Waterside DEAs, three were successfully elected (Chelsea Cooke, Niree McMorris & Julie Middleton). It was disappointing to lose Maurice Devenney in Sperrin because of a surge in nationalist voters.

Mid & East Antrim

15,626 people voted for the DUP in Mid and East Antrim (31%). 14 out of 17 of our candidates were elected, with notable increases in our vote share in Carrick Castle and Coast Road. The DUP lost a seat in Braid by just a handful of votes.

CROWNE PLAZA, BELFAST | conference@dup.org.uk

If you know of any business, organisation or group interested in exhibiting, advertising or hosting a fringe event, encourage them to express an interest by emailing conference@dup.org.uk Conference is a brilliant opportunity to engage at all levels of the party and contribute your views on key policy issues.

If you believe in making Northern Ireland work, don’t just talk about it, join the Party on 13 & 14 October as we discuss our approach to schools, hospitals, roads, childcare, standing up for the unborn as well as our constitutional politics. We also want to focus this year on speaking to international friends of the DUP.

A

Celebrating our culture

Last month, I was pleased to join with friends at the Annual Battle of the Boyne Demonstration in Ayreshire & Renfrew.

Throughout World Wars, pandemics, campaigns of terrorism, our culture and traditions have been proven to overcome adversity. Attempts by our opponents to denigrate the British and unionist identity we hold dear have failed and will continue to fail into the future. The DUP is continuing to work closely with the Orange Institution, and the Loyal Orders more generally, to promote our heritage and traditions so

that they can be strengthened and ultimately passed on to our children and grandchildren. Of course this means finding ways to connect with new audiences and educate more people in our community about the things we cherish. The DUP insisted on a new Commissioner for the Ulster-British Tradition and the Ulster-Scots. They are expected to take up post shortly and will not just support the Ulster-Scots language

but wider aspects of unionist culture. We would have liked to have seen the Commissioner’s remit expanded even further but the disgraceful decision by the Government to introduce the umbrella legislation at Westminster - at the behest of Sinn Fein - limited what could be achieved.

I trust all colleagues, members and supporters had a wonderful Twelfth and hope you all have a safe and enjoyable summer.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP Party Leader

Explainer: Identity and Language Act 2022

What is included in the Act?

3 A new Commissioner for the Irish Language

3 A new Commissioner for the Ulster Scots and the Ulster British tradition

3 An Office of Identity and Cultural Expression

3 A duty on the Department of Education to encourage use of Ulster Scots in education.

3 A power to establish the Castlereagh Foundation

Did the DUP support it?

3 No. DUP MPs and peers voted against the Bill.

3 It hands the Secretary of State unprecedented power to appoint Commissioners and make other decisions without cross-community support. This leaves the Government a hostage to the cultural grievances of Sinn Fein.

Does the Act favour one identity over another?

3 Yes. There is a clear imbalance between how the Ulster-British and UlsterScots traditions are treated compared to Irish.

o Public bodies have to give ‘due regard’ to standards for Irish, but not for Ulster-Scots

o Public bodies have to produce an ‘action plan’ for Irish, but not for Ulster-Scots

o The Ulster-British Commissioner can only promote language, arts and literature, not culture or heritage

o Spending on Irish is likely to be much higher than Ulster-Scots, yet there is no safeguard to promote fairness

o The grounds for making a complaint to the Commissioner for the UlsterBritish Commissioner are very limited

Did the DUP try to amend the Bill?

3 Yes. We were the only party to oppose the Bill in both the Commons and Lords. We proposed a range of amendments. These would have:

o removed the Secretary of State’s veto over the concerns of unionists

o placed extra duties on public bodies in relation to Ulster-Scots

o required financial transparency by each Commissioner

o made it compulsory for fair spending toward different traditions.

o expanded the remit of the Ulster-British and Ulster Scots Commissioner

o required the Ulster-British Commissioner to promote UK-wide projects

o extended the complaints system for Ulster Scots and Ulster British tradition

o ensured each of the new bodies were accountable to the FM and DFM.

What was the outcome?

3 While we were successful in forcing a change to the title of the Commissioner for UlsterScots to encompass the UlsterBritish tradition as a whole, it is deeply disappointing that the rest of our proposals were not accepted by the Government.

3 As a result, this Act is not fair or balanced. It does not treat all identities in Northern Ireland in a respectful way.

In the Spotlight New DUP Mayors

Following May’s Local Elections, DUP Councillors have been elected to the top role in five of Northern Ireland’s eleven Councils for 2023/24. Find out below who they are and what their aspirations are for the next twelve months.

Alderman Margaret Tinsley

Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon PROFILE

Margaret was first elected to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council in 2014 and is in her third term having been re-elected in 2019 and again in May. She represents the Craigavon District Electoral Area (DEA), where she was born, grew up and currently lives, and previously held the position of Deputy Lord Mayor from 2019 to 2020. Married to DUP Alderman James Tinsley, Margaret has two teenage children, James and Anna. With a passion for young people, Margaret is a volunteer with Reach as well as other ministries through her church. Chosen charity: Charis Cancer Care

Councillor Steven Callaghan KPM

Mayor of Causeway, Coast & Glens

PROFILE

Steven represents the DUP in the Limavady DEA of Causeway Coast and Glens, having been co-opted in June 2022 to replace Alan Robinson and then successfully returned in May’s elections. He was born in Glasgow but has lived in Limavady since 1969. Steven served with the local 5th Battalion of the Ulster Defence Regiment and served 27 years with the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Londonderry. He also trained as a Chef, working as a manager in a local hotel as well as various catering establishments in the Limavady area. During his year as Mayor, Steven wants to promote local food producers, support the voluntary sector and highlight opportunities for tourism and business investment locally.

Chosen charity: RNLI

Mayor of Ards & North Down PROFILE

Jennifer is the youngest ever female Mayor of Ards and North Down. She represents the Bangor West DEA for the DUP and was first elected to the old North Down Borough Council back in 2011. As a mother to three young girls, she understands the challenges of busy family life and has made ‘Families’ a theme for her Mayoral Year. Following on from the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, she also wants to build upon the Coronation focus of ‘the big help out’ and the significant role volunteering plays within our communities.

Chosen charity: TBC

Councillor Jennifer Gilmour

Councillor Andrew Gowan

Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh PROFILE

Andrew lives in Annahilt with his wife Nicola, a cancer nurse, and their four children - Hannah, Caleb, George, and Isaac. With a real heart for the community, he has served in various roles across charities and community organisations. With an expertise in accessing funding, Andrew has been instrumental in securing over £250,000 through funding applications, helping community groups, schools, churches etc. He has also conducted a number of funding workshops for Party representatives across Northern Ireland. With a strong record of hard work and delivery, Andrew runs a network of Monthly Advice Surgeries, evidence of his commitment to serving his constituents all the time, not just at election time. In the recent election, Andrew secured the highest vote of any Unionist representative on Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council. As he embarks on his Mayoral year, he has chosen Cancer Fund for Children as his charity, and is championing a “Playing Our Part” campaign to promote volunteering

Chosen charity: Cancer Fund for Children

Councillor Mark Cooper BEM

Mayor of Antrim & Newtownabbey

PROFILE

Mark has lived in Monkstown all his life with strong family roots across the Borough. He has represented the Threemilewater area as a DUP Councillor since

2019 and topped the poll in May’s elections. His interest in politics stemmed from his grassroots community work with the Monkstown Community Association based in Monkstown Jubilee Centre where he was inspired by the difference that community leaders could make to the daily lives of those living and working in the area. Mark also works in the constituency office of Phillip Brett MLA in North Belfast and serves on the Housing Council for Northern Ireland. Notably, he is a strong advocate for the Deaf Community and brought forward the motion for the British Sign Language/Irish Sign Language charter to ensure Council Services are open and accessible to all.

Chosen charity: RVH Liver Support, Action Deaf Youth and Children’s Hospice.

Did

you know you can update your DUP membership online at www.mydup.com

At the heart of the community

The DUP has an unrivalled record in supporting local communities and we pride ourselves on being in touch with those we represent. Since our Spring edition of this magazine, some DUP representatives had the honour of representing Northern Ireland at the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, while others were to the forefront of celebrations closer to home. The Party also led its annual engagement with businesses, community groups and the wider public at the 154th Balmoral Show.

Celebrating the Coronation

Party Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP was delighted to be invited to Ballysillan Primary School’s Coronation Tea.

Reaching out

DUP Botanic representative Darren Leighton and Edwin Poots MLA held a successful ‘Politics and Pizza’ night with young people in South Belfast. We will continue to engage with the next generation to educate them about our history, hear their views on politics and encourage them to get involved in their communities.

Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Paul Greenfield welcomed His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Armagh during the monarch’s first visit to Northern Ireland after the Coronation.

The Balmoral Show

Upper Bann DUP MLA Diane Dodds pictured with representatives of Ballylisk of Armagh during the final day of the Balmoral Show.

Choosing life

While the DUP continues to campaign to restore life-affirming laws in Northern Ireland, it is bitterly disappointing that others remain intent on promoting abortion in our Province. The Secretary of State’s latest decision to push through changes to the Relationships & Sexual Education curriculum which teach young people about abortion is disgraceful and shifts the battle to defend life into our classrooms. These regulations were brought without crosscommunity consent or any sort of meaningful consultation with local communities.

Let’s not forget that this was the same Secretary of State who dragged his heels in bringing forward the required regulations on organ donation, a policy which aims to save lives. Yet when it comes to abortion, which is in the business of taking life, he has no hesitation acting at warp-like speed. It is clear where the Government’s priorities lie and it is entirely wrong that our schools should be left to pick up the pieces.

I have every sympathy for parents across Northern Ireland who feel they cannot subject their children to teaching that normalises abortion and presents the unborn as dispensable. Equally, those principals and teachers who oppose this curriculum may face the stigma often associated with following their personal convictions in their chosen profession. None of these issues have been properly considered by the Government. It should not be the case that our grant-aided schools are a cold house for anyone who disagrees with abortion because of their faith, or indeed for a host of other reasons. All of this has occurred because the Government has held itself hostage to the views

of the CEDAW Committee rather than assessing what is actually contained in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. I also am extremely sceptical of the claim that abortion can be taught to impressionable young people in a ‘factual’ way, as the Secretary of State claims. The very presence of a policy which teaches that one legitimate response to unplanned pregnancy is the taking of life will have a corrosive effect on how life is valued by the next generation in Northern Ireland. We will continue to choose a

culture of life and I would value your support as I continue to be a voice for the voiceless, on your behalf, in Parliament.

Carla Lockhart

DUP MP for Upper Bann Chair, ProLife All Party Parliamentary Group

More and more new members have joined our ranks since the Local Council Elections. Play your part by encouraging others to sign up as we seek to build Unionism. You can apply for DUP membership online at www. mydup.com.

Use your email address to register, pay your membership online via card or annual direct debit.

If you’re already a member, give our membership team a call on 028 90 471155 if you need to check or add your email address to your account. You can also let us know what issues you are interested in and if you are available to volunteer to help us.