Gavin Robinson: Strengthen our hand - return a strong pro-Union voice to Westminster on July 4

In the last Parliament, DUP MPs led the charge for a fairer funding model for Northern Ireland to ensure we can provide front-line services that are fit for the 21st century.

We insisted on the appointment of a NI Veterans’ Commissioner and ensured the Armed Forces Covenant was legally protected in Northern Ireland as in other parts of the United Kingdom.

The DUP also secured tens of millions of pounds for levelling up projects and town centre regeneration, whilst ensuring every household received vital support with energy bills.

None of this was delivered by MPs who refuse to take their seats or by lone voices who lack the strength and influence to make a difference in Parliament.

The DUP can stand over what has been achieved for everyone in Northern Ireland. We are seeking a renewed mandate to deliver even more for you and your family.

At this election the stakes could not be higher. By returning a strong and united DUP team to Westminster, you can prove once again that more seats mean more influence which means more delivered for Northern Ireland.

By backing anyone else, there is a risk that Northern Ireland’s voice will be silenced or simply drowned out.

Every DUP candidate is committed to sending a strong message to a new government that, building on the progress to date, we will continue to fight to fully restore Northern Ireland’s place within the UK.

Crucially, that includes removing the application of EU law in our country and the internal Irish Sea border which it creates.

The protocol was imposed over the heads of the people of Northern Ireland and without support from any unionist elected representative.

While some of those now looking to ‘dispose’ of the DUP at this election actually voted for the protocol, we have consistently opposed the arrangements.

Our decisive action prior to the 2022 assembly election forced the EU and UK to acknowledge the concerns of unionists. Did we secure of all of our negotiating objectives with the government? No. But did we make important gains for unionism? Absolutely.

There is now a legal guarantee that goods produced anywhere in the UK (including NI) can be sold between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in both directions, and in all scenarios.

Intertrade UK has also been established to promote trade within the United Kingdom. A new UK East-West Council has been created to boost connections between the four UK nations and there is a commitment to ensure the continued supply of veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland beyond 2025.

There is more still to do but what was agreed takes us closer to our overall objective than the sum total of our opponents - who are keen to highlight problems but have no plan to remove barriers.

The DUP will hold the feet of the next government to the fire and press for further action to fully restore our rightful place in the United Kingdom internal market.

On Thursday, unionism cannot afford to allow narrow differences to translate into choices at the ballot box that reward those who are, at best, agnostic on the Union, and who have no desire - let alone a strategy to remove the Irish Sea border.

In areas like Lagan Valley and my own constituency of East Belfast, even a small number of votes for unionist candidates, who know they cannot win, will make the difference between our communities continuing to be represented by a Unionist, or, by Sinn Fein’s helpers in the Alliance Party.

I recognise that when it comes to unionist co-operation action must speak louder than words. The DUP has stepped aside in Fermanagh & South Tyrone and North Down, even though in both constituencies we are the largest unionist party.

We have done so because we recognise that a single candidate represents the best opportunity to return a pro-Union MP. It is disappointing that other leaders have not reciprocated this approach in constituencies where the outcome is on a knife-edge.

Divided votes at this election risk handing seats and influence to our opponents. By placing an X beside the only unionist candidate in your area who can win, you can stop that from happening.

The DUP is the only party that can win this election for unionism. We are also the only party with a clear, ambitious and confident plan to make Northern Ireland work and get things done.

In the first 100 days of getting devolution back up and running, DUP ministers were able to deliver a pay rise for teachers and other public sector staff, launch the Northern Ireland Football Fund and ensure working parents will receive an extra 15% subsidy toward childcare costs.

By supporting your local DUP candidate on Thursday, we can achieve even more together.

The DUP is committed to delivering fair funding for the NHS and we want to drive down health waiting lists through large-scale partnerships with national and international independent providers.

We will also campaign to increase financial support for farm businesses. Building on work completed with the previous government, the DUP will also seek to put in place a package of confidence-building measures, to build capacity in our culture and heritage.

The cold hard reality is that none of this can be achieved if unionism splinters at this election. By staying at home or voting for parties who can’t win, you will elect people who will take us in the wrong direction and who don’t believe in Northern Ireland.

Therefore, I humbly ask for your support on Thursday. Strengthen our hand and help return a strong, united and experienced pro-Union voice to Westminster who will speak up and win for you.

Gavin Robinson is leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. He is standing for East Belfast in the general election.

This is the last of the pre-election essays by the three unionist leaders. Those by the TUV's Jim Allister and UUP's Doug Beattie are also on our website.