Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA has travelled to Westminster this week to advocate for Northern Ireland across a range of political and economic issues.

Speaking from Westminster, Jon Burrows MLA said:

“I came to Westminster to make the case for Northern Ireland, for every family, every business, and every community that deserves better than they are getting right now.

“With Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch and the Opposition’s Northern Ireland team, I pressed for support for a VAT reduction on hospitality and tourism. Businesses across Northern Ireland are under real pressure. This is a practical, targeted measure that could put money back into local economies and set a template for wider reform. I want to see the Opposition get behind it.

“The Irish Sea border remains unfinished business. Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom’s internal market must be fully restored. That is not a negotiating position, it is a matter of basic constitutional principle, and it will not go away.

“On legacy, I was direct. Veterans and former RUC officers were promised fairness. That promise has not been delivered. I pressed both the Secretary of State and the Opposition to back Unionist amendments that would deliver a process that is just and balanced, not one that continues to leave those who served feeling abandoned.

“I also raised the serious and unanswered question of the former Police Ombudsman’s security vetting. The review connected to the Mandelson vetting process must examine whether her vetting was assessed at the point she came under criminal investigation. The First & deputy First Minister and the Justice Minister have refused to answer or provide an answer. That is not good enough, and I will not let it rest.

“The Ulster Unionist Party will continue to make the case for Northern Ireland at every level.”