Statement by TUV leader and European candidate Jim Allister:
“The comments by co-First Minister Robinson in this morning’s Belfast Telegraph, where he said he would be advising voters to transfer to the UUP and UKIP but bypass TUV, reveal just how much TUV worries Mr Robinson and his party. Petulant Peter, who when it suits waxes vocal about unionist unity, has demonstrated how spooked he is by TUV.
“Considering in the last European election his candidate Mrs Dodds scrapped in sub quota, and was very glad of 25,000 TUV transfers to even get her elected to the third seat, Mr Robinson has no room to make demands on transfers. I’m sure unionists will make up their own minds and, I suspect, many will be itching to pass verdict on his stewardship in government with Sinn Fein.
“It is essential for Unionism that parties put their personal feelings behind them when talking about transfers. To refuse to advocate transfers to other unionists is to declare a preference for a nationalist victory! Is this where Mr Robinson has got to?
“For that reason TUV will be making it crystal clear in all our literature and throughout the campaign that we advise our supporters to vote down the card for all pro-Union candidates in both the European and local government elections. You cannot split the vote in a PR election unless, like the DUP, you call on your supporters to by-pass another pro-Union party.
“However, many will doubtless note that if they want to really send a message to the establishment that concessions should stop there is only one place to put their number 1 – beside the name of their TUV candidate for Europe and local government.”