The Ulster Unionists have pledged to challenge attempts to “erode Northern Ireland’s sovereignty or undermine the integrity of the union”.
The commitment is included in the party’s manifesto, which was launched in Belfast on Wednesday.
The party, which at its height 60 years ago held all of the north’s then 12 seats in the House of Commons, is contesting its first general election under the leadership of Doug Beattie.
Its Westminster representation these days is restricted to two peers.
The UUP is running 17 candidates, with North Belfast the only constituency where it is absent from the ballot due to the lack of local organisational structures.
The party’s manifesto describes the Windsor Framework as a “stepping stone” in addressing the issues created by the protocol, which the UUP maintains it always opposed
While the party advocates the full restoration of Northern Ireland’s place within the UK internal market and further reforms of the Windsor Framework, it stresses the requirement to scrutinise any changes and to represent the region’s “diverse interests”.
In relation to the economy, the 36-page document says the UUP will “lobby in parliament” for the establishment of freeports at all the region’s main entry points, a reduction in corporation tax to 15%, and targeted skills training.
On taxation, the party says it supports progressive taxation but the manifesto does not elaborate on the plans.
The manifesto notes how health is the UUP’s “number one priority” and that its sole Stormont minister, previously Robin Swann and currently Mike Nesbitt, has the “most difficult job” in the executive.
Several paragraphs are dedicated to the dispute around funding allocations for health and lamenting what it says is a £184m cut in the department’s budget.
The UUP commits to “continue to transform” health and social care provision but stresses that it must be “supported by sustainable multi-year investment”.
The party advocates a “single education system” and affordable childcare.
In the section dedicated to agriculture and the environment, the manifesto promises to “cut bureaucracy and streamline compliance processes” for farmers, while also calling for a “unified strategy” of “proactive measures” to address the Lough Neagh crisis.
The manifesto calls for the establishment of a naval base in Northern Ireland, enabling NATO “assets to be deployed” and patrol “our western approaches”
The UUP argues that controlled immigration is “important to all countries” and makes a positive contribution to society. It says those asylum seekers fleeing persecution from places like Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine and Hong Kong “should be welcome” and have their applications dealt with “at speed”.
Mr Beattie said the DUP needed to take responsibility for the imposition of the protocol and subsequent deals.
He said the UUP’s bigger unionist rivals “created the mess we find ourselves in” but sought to blame others.
The Ulster Unionist leader said the Safeguarding the Union command was as a “falsehood” and had not removed the Irish Sea border, as claimed by former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.
The Upper Bann MLA said his party was targetting the seats in South Antrim, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Lagan Valley, North Down and East Antrim..
“Let’s be absolutely clear, we’re in the hunt here,” he said
“We will get back to Westminster, we will have an Ulster Unionist MP sitting on those green benches.”
