Tory leadership contest: candidates urged to address Northern Ireland Protocol problems

After listening attentively for more than an hour at the Culloden Hotel hustings event on Wednesday, many had still not decided who was more worthy of their leadership contest vote.

Felicity Huston is unconvinced that Mr Sunak will take a strong enough line with the EU when it comes to resolving the NI Protocol problems.

“I would say with Rishi, the thing that would make me concerned is a certain ‘gentlemanly’ attitude to negotiations, particularly with Europe, and I think if Rishi goes in thinking that the Europeans are negotiating in good faith, we’ve learned they won’t and I would be concerned about that – that he doesn’t realise how difficult the issue of Northern Ireland is within the European situation,” she said.

Party treasurer Frank Shivers also believes that Liz Truss would take a stronger line in relation to the post-Brexit trading arrangements that are hindering the free movement of goods between Great Britain and NI.

“The Protocol is a big issue for the Union because ultimately, as I see it, it is a step to dismantling the Union. So that emphasis from Liz on protecting that – she said the Union is a family and she won’t be splitting the family up – that really resonates for me,” Mr Shivers said.

Roger Lomas’s main concern is a lack of progress towards a less sectarian political agenda.

“I wanted them to focus a bit more on what they were going to do for the party here, to promote normal politics and get us away from our perpetual cycle of orange and green conflict,” he said.

Former NI Conservatives chairman Irwin Armstrong said: “I think we saw two very different candidates – both with strengths and both, I suspect, with weaknesses as well. In general, I was impressed with their answers to the questions – particularly the one about supporting the Northern Ireland Conservatives where we have not had the support that was required for the last 25 years.

Adrian Huston remains undecided on who to vote for.

“Rishi definitely was the better performer on the day,” he said.

“Whether he has pulled my vote over from my gut reaction which was Liz, is yet to be determined. I wish I knew how many other times they have been to Northern Ireland because I suspect it is zero.”

Asked if their level of engagement with Northern Ireland was important to him, Mr Huston said: “Fairly important, but we have to recognise that their main base is where they have winable seats in Great Britain, so we are a periphery.

“They are both committed to the UK, but they have to have to bigger focus on Great Britain because that is where it will deliver the general election result for them, but hopefully overall they will still be good to Northern Ireland.”

Dina Hetherington said: “Liz surprised me a little bit as I wasn’t expecting her to do as well as she did, but I thought Rishi was the better candidate.”

Asked what she thinks should be the next PM’s main priority, Ms Hetherington said: “Obviously the NI Protocol. That needs to be resolved. Everyone is affected by it in some way other and thinking ‘why are we getting penalised?’ So that is number one.”