DUP leader Gavin Robinson has cautioned party members against collapsing the Northern Ireland Assembly, arguing such a move would likely strengthen Sinn Féin. In a letter to members, he urged unionism to think long-term and focus on the ballot box.

Mr Robinson said the party’s actions in the coming weeks will be guided by "hard-headed decisions designed to strengthen, not weaken, unionism at this critical point". His comments follow the resignation of Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart as a DUP party officer after she called for the party to withdraw Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly from the Stormont Executive.

Ms Lockhart remains a DUP member. Her resignation came amid tensions within the party over the handling of a disputed Orange Order parade in Portadown. The Parades Commission had ruled that the Drumcree parade could proceed along the Garvaghy Road for the first time in almost 30 years, but the decision was later blocked by Secretary of State Chris Bryant.

A legal challenge to that ban is expected to be ruled on next week. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin First Minister Michelle O’Neill, party president Mary-Lou McDonald, and other members have attended voluntary police interviews as part of an investigation into alleged breaches of the Parades Commission ruling.

Mr Robinson said the outcome of the police investigation will be key. He wrote that justice must not only be done but be seen to be done, and that no person can be immune from prosecution because of their politics or position.

He described speaking with people across Northern Ireland who were angered by Sinn Féin’s actions, but said the overwhelming majority of unionists do not want Sinn Féin to become stronger. He noted that before Sinn Féin collapsed Stormont in 2017, the combined unionist vote stood at 45.2%, falling to 43.5% at the following election and to 40.1% in 2022, when Sinn Féin became the largest party.

Mr Robinson said Sinn Féin’s actions will not go unchallenged, but he argued that stopping the Executive from functioning now would leave unionism and Northern Ireland weakened in the longer term. He added that no one claims Stormont is perfect, and while being in a mandatory Executive with Sinn Féin is difficult, the party cannot wish away the mandate Sinn Féin has been given.

He also called on the UK government to bring forward workable and meaningful sanctions, and for a new mechanism that does not let a party decide whether or not it should be sanctioned. He said no person can be the accused and the judge at the same time.

Looking ahead to next year’s Assembly election, Mr Robinson described it as an opportunity for unionists to give their answer to the "arrogance of Michelle O’Neill". He called for unionism to put aside petty personal attacks and unite, with a common purpose of electing as many unionist MLAs and councillors as possible.

The decisions made in the next number of weeks will shape the direction of Northern Ireland in the years to come, he said, adding that the party will hold strong and not allow lawlessness and arrogance to win through. "We win by thinking long-term and making all our voices heard at the ballot box," he concluded.