Responding to incorrect claims this week that the Ulster Unionist Party had signed up to the 'New Decade New Approach' document which was produced by the UK and Republic of Ireland Governments, South Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA, Steve Aiken OBE said:

“On at least two separate occasions this week, broadcasters claimed that the Ulster Unionist Party had signed up to the ‘New Decade New Approach’ document in January 2020.

“This is totally incorrect and I should know because I was Party Leader at the time. In fact, at the very moment whilst some political parties – the Ulster Unionists included – were inside Stormont House reading through the document for the first time, the then Secretary of State Julian Smith MP and Simon Coveney were standing at Carson’s statue addressing the media.

“In the interests of clarity, the Ulster Unionist Party did not sign up to NDNA. It was drawn up by the two Governments and presented to the parties to read as the two Governments were announcing it.

“We re-entered the Executive in order to take the seat to which we were entitled under the Belfast Agreement as a result of our electoral mandate.

“The Ulster Unionist Party has consistently opposed the legacy provisions of the Stormont House Agreement. The final paragraph of NDNA on page 62, commits the Dublin Government to ‘working with the UK Government to support the establishment of the Stormont House legacy institutions as a matter of urgency.’

“That line alone should be enough to convince anyone that the Ulster Unionist Party did not – indeed could not - sign up to NDNA.”