Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA, alongside Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA, John Stewart MLA and Chief Executive Jayne Murray, held a frank and constructive meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Belfast, pressing the case for targeted UK Government support on home heating oil, greater defence investment in Northern Ireland, and action to reduce East-West trade friction. Jon also made clear that there must be no moral or legal equivalence in legacy matters between those who served in uniform and those who carried out acts of terrorism, and called for firm engagement with the Irish Government to deliver truth and justice for victims.

Commenting after the meeting, Jon Burrows MLA said:

“My colleagues and I had a frank and constructive meeting with the Prime Minister today in Belfast, where we raised a number of issues that are having a real and immediate impact on people across Northern Ireland.

“I made clear the urgent need for targeted UK Government support on home heating oil, following the ongoing uncertainty of supply from the Middle East. Around seventy percent of households here rely on heating oil, leaving Northern Ireland disproportionately exposed to price shocks. This also has serious implications for agriculture and UK food security, given the scale of food production based here. We are three percent of the population, yet we provide around twenty percent of the UK’s food. Our strong agricultural base is also reliant on nitrogen for fertiliser, a by‑product of oil. Northern Ireland is therefore being disproportionately hit by rising oil prices, and the UK Government must step in, not only in our interests, but in the interests of UK food security.

“We pressed the Prime Minister on defence expenditure and made a strong case for greater defence investment in Northern Ireland. We have a highly skilled, world‑class workforce, and there is clear capacity for a larger share of UK defence spending to be directed here, supporting jobs, skills, and economic growth.

“On legacy, I was unequivocal that there must be no moral or legal equivalence between those who served their country in uniform and those who deliberately set out to murder and maim. That principle must be explicitly reflected in legislation, alongside a high threshold for the investigation or reinvestigation of former soldiers and police officers who operated in extremely difficult circumstances. I also pressed the need for the UK Government to stand firm in seeking full cooperation from the Irish Government in delivering truth and justice for victims of terrorism.

“My colleague Steve Aiken also raised the Windsor Framework and the need for further action to reduce East-West trade friction, so that Northern Ireland businesses can trade with confidence. The forthcoming UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement is a step in the right direction for particular sectors in Northern Ireland, but more must be done to remove EU governance and trade frictions across our economy. These issues require continued engagement. The Ulster Unionist Party will continue to push for a better deal for Northern Ireland, and I welcome the opportunity to put Northern Ireland’s case directly to the Prime Minister."

Pictured: Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA, John Stewart MLA, Jon Burrows MLA, Prime Minister Kier Starmer, Secretary of State Hillary Benn MP and Chief Executive Jayne Murray.