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The TUV leader and North Antrim MP issued a scathing response to the overwhelming victory of the Sinn Fein-backed independent Ms Connolly as head of state, defeating Heather Humphreys of Fine Gael by a huge margin. Mr Allister said: “Contrary to the spin, Catherine Connolly’s election as president of the Irish Republic is no great leap forward for an all Ireland. Quite the contrary is the case. “Ms Connolly’s election is in fact a disaster for anyone promoting an all Ireland. She will be a toxic and divisive figure. Connolly represents the most militant and ideological strand of southern nationalism, and she will be deeply unpopular among unionists — even more so than her predecessor, which is quite an achievement in itself.” Mr Allister added: “Far from advancing their cause, the nature of this election has set back the so-called agreed Ireland project. The campaign descended into open sectarianism, particularly after Sinn Fein entered the fray in support of the ultimate winner. The treatment of Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys — targeted and abused because of her Protestant background — exposed the ugly undercurrent of intolerance that still runs through southern politics. “If this is what “inclusivity” looks like, it will repel rather than attract.” Mr Allister said: “Catherine Connolly may well become an embarrassment for the Republic on the international stage. Her far-left instincts, her hostility to traditional western allies, and her eagerness to insert herself into political controversies could put her on a collision course with key western governments. “For unionists, this election changes nothing. If anything, it reinforces the conviction that our future lies securely within the United Kingdom, not in a Republic increasingly defined by ideological extremes and cultural intolerance. “The successful campaign exposed the hypocrisy and sectarianism which lies behind the ‘agreed Ireland’ spin. “Ms Connolly’s election marks a moment of clarity. It reminds us why Northern Ireland’s place in the Union must be defended with even greater determination.”
