Responding to Arlene Foster’s vicious attack a TUV spokesperson said:

“TUV was clear in its support for a unity candidate in Fermanagh and South Tyrone – as we were in other areas, notably South Belfast where the ego of Mrs Foster’s party (and indeed the UUP) was the reason for a split in the Unionist vote and the return of a Nationalist MP.

“The facts are clear. We were the first party to call for non-party candidate. Indeed, at that point Mrs Foster was still strutting around promoting herself as the DUP candidate. TUV kept out of the contest in Fermanagh and South Tyrone and called repeatedly for our supporters to vote for the unity candidate. Mrs Foster’s dishonest attempt to smear TUV, therefore, does not stand up to scrutiny.

“One would have thought that given the DUP’s supposed support for democratic devolution they would have welcomed a statement highlighting that Northern Ireland – like anywhere else in the Western World – should have the right to vote a party out of office and have an opposition.

“Doesn’t Mrs Foster recognise these democratic imperatives or does she believe that we in Northern Ireland should live under an elected dictatorship with parties which cannot be removed from office?

“Unionism can only unite on the correct basis. TUV desires unity in order to achieve proper democracy for our Province. Let’s have unity on the basis of removing McGuinness from office entirely. That is a policy around which all true Unionists could rally.

“Additionally, we note the silence from Mrs Foster’s party which greeted our call during the election for a reversal of legislative change which opened up the door to Martin McGuinness becoming First Minister – something in which the DUP were complicit.”