A councillor who quit the Ulster Unionist Party late last year has joined the DUP.
In a statement issued on Monday afternoon, DUP leader Gavin Robinson “welcomed Ballymoney Councillor Darryl Wilson into the Democratic Unionist Party in North Antrim”.
At the end of December, the UUP confirmed that Cllr Wilson had left the party saying they were “disappointed in his decision”. The Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council rep said at the time in a Facebook post that he would “continue to serve as an independent member of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council”. The move, he added, followed “much reflection, particularly after a challenging yet enlightening year in 2024”.
Welcoming him to the party on Monday, Gavin Robinson said he “will be a fantastic addition to the DUP group on Causeway Coast & Glens Council, to our wider team within the North Antrim constituency and the Democratic Unionist Party as a whole”.
He added: “I want to see unionists working together at every level. North Antrim stands as an example from the last Northern Ireland Assembly election when there were four unionist quotas but only three unionists elected. We can’t allow that to happen again in 2027.
“We are building a team for the future. A team that has a passion for people and for Northern Ireland. Being convinced of the Union means more than simply defending it, it means making it work for everyone and delivering the best public services for the people who live and work here.
“Whilst some are focused on inter-unionist bickering, I am focused on growing and strengthening unionism. The days of manufactured divisions should be over. We are all pro-union and we should be working together to maximise the unionist vote rather than splitting the vote and enabling non-unionists to win.”
Cllr Wilson added: “I have always worked well with Democratic Unionist colleagues on Council. Whilst at times there have been disagreements, I want to see all pro-Union representatives working together. There are too many divisions. I will continue to serve the people of Ballymoney as a DUP Councillor alongside my party colleagues.
“The future of Northern Ireland is what we should all be focused on and Gavin very clearly represents someone who is committed to not just defending the Union, but promoting it. It is always easiest in life to identify the problems, but the real task is in identifying the solutions. The vision of a more cohesive and effective unionism is something I will continue to work towards achieving.
“This is the start of an exciting new chapter in my political life, and I am looking forward to working with colleagues, not just in Ballymoney but right across Northern Ireland.”
English (United States) ·