Speaking after the leaking of an email to DUP Executive members regarding a meeting at a secret location on Monday, Ulster Unionist Party leader, Doug Beattie MC MLA warned the UK Government to stop ignoring those parties with a right to enter a future Assembly Executive and to make details of any deal offered available to all parties.

Mr. Beattie said:

“The news that the DUP will hold an Executive meeting to discuss the details of the Government's proposed deal is not surprising. The fact that Sinn Fein have known what the deal contains is also no real shock. However, not knowing if the Alliance Party have been given the details of a deal, I do know that the Ulster Unionist Party has not.

“If the United Kingdom Government think that as a party, entitled to enter the Executive, they can keep us in the dark they are making a big mistake. If they think we will simply step into an Executive facing a Sinn Fein and DUP carve-up they have badly misread the situation.

“It now sits with the Ulster Unionist Party to consider its position going forward as we watch unelected officials being briefed in detail while elected representatives remain in the dark.”