Veteran Ulster Unionist Lord Reg Empey has said the people of North Down may feel “misled” after newly-elected independent MP Alex Easton gave his assembly seat to the DUP.
The former UUP‘s leader’s comments come after DUP councillor and former Stormont special adviser Peter Martin was co-opted into Mr Easton’s assembly seat.
The TUV, which did not run a candidate in North Down and endorsed Mr Easton as “the only unionist candidate” capable of unseating Alliance’s Stephen Farry, said on Thursday that its members in the constituency felt “deeply betrayed” by the move.
The TUV claims Mr Easton, who quit the DUP three years ago citing a lack of “respect, discipline or decency”, gave assurances that he would nominate an independent unionist as his replacement in the assembly.
Lord Empey said he was “shocked” that the independent unionist’s seat went to the DUP, which leaves Gavin Robinson’s party with 26 MLAs, one fewer than Sinn Féin.
“Mr Easton made a big play that he was an independent unionist – by appointing somebody who clearly is not independent and a member of the party that negotiated the failed Donaldson deal the impression will be left that the people of North Down were misled,” the UUP peer said..
“The question now arises, was there a deal between Mr Easton and the DUP all along that in return for DUP staying out of the contest they would get Mr Easton’s Assembly seat?
“If so, it would be a very shoddy deal indeed.”
Mr Martin told the BBC there had been no prior deal agreed with Mr Easton.
“Alex had made clear that he did try to find an independent candidate, he said that today,” he said.
“He obviously put me down, I assume yesterday as all this seemed to happen yesterday, for his replacement.”
