Traditional Unionist Voice

They're on 15%.

And then the TUV are up two points.

on 14 percent, so they're equal now with the DEP.

So that may be seen as a reward for their more hard line stance around the tree tree issue and calling for Michelle O'Neill to go, but definitely it's not a good result for the DUP.

So one of the things I think that within the unionist field that you're going to have to see is that the DUP are going to have to get used to playing with others.

They're going to have to get used... to have incredible partners alongside of them.

Because again, Jim Alistair said kind of the quiet bit out loud for many people in the UUP and the TUV, They believe these unionist unity calls are only there to serve the DUP.

They're not there to serve wider unionism.

John Burrows also unionist party maintained their status as the most popular unionist party in this latest Lucid Talk survey.

The TUV the only unionist party to gain support since the summer.

They're now neck and neck with the DUP in this polling.

But it wasn't as good reading for the Alliance Party.

She told Unionism to get off its knees.

She said she was not joining the TUV at the moment.

She talks with new legislation that could ban politicians from government and she denies having her strings pulled by Bryson.

Is this now an independent politician who might regret leaving the bosom of the party she took comfort in for many, many years? Or does the DUP have something to worry about? What's Carla Lockhart all about? Well, I started by asking her why she decided to quit the DUP.

weak or a strong leader?

Gavin and I disagreed on a fundamental principle.

What is wrong with the TUV that meant you didn't want to go there?

My political thinking is, unionism, there is a fire has been lit within unionism.

I think that you're not an infrequent visitor to Dublin.

And I think one of the things that's been encouraging over the last few years, notwithstanding all the things that have been discouraging, is that there are more people from the DUP, maybe less folks from the TUV, but certainly from unionism who do come down to Dublin and do engage and that there is political engagement across the place.

not necessarily heralded in public and indeed sometimes it's better that it isn't i think that's all very much for the positive so thank you very much for joining me i hope everyone enjoyed that and she will talk to you soon cheers bye-bye

thank you thank you

The notion that somehow out of this there will blossom and bloom a unionist unity, I think is unlikely and certainly unlikely before the election.

And will Carla Lockhart stay on her own path or eventually join the TUV?

I made a plan that if it came to the point where she needed a political home, she'd be very welcome.

With a lot to get through, I'm joined by the Belfast Telegraph's Stormont reporter, Andrew Madden, by the former editor of the newsletter and unionist commentator, Ben Lowry, and by commentator, Alex Kane.

Where are we

going now? Where are we going now? Well, within unionism, and obviously this is a big story within unionism, I don't think we're going anywhere significant prior to the Assembly elections, because I think the thing about the elections is the Assembly elections, as Jim Allister was saying this very morning, is a proportional representation system and there'll be a real seeing of where the parties lie.

And the DUP being vulnerable, there's not going to be much willingness in the Ulster Unionist Party or in the TUV to give them a lot of slack until we see and we can never be sure that Sinn Féin will do well and we can never be sure that the UUP and TUV will do well until actually the election happens.

I cite those examples because those are the examples that people predict.

Well, you're about to find out this morning.

Mr Buckley wrote in a newsletter on Saturday that And he's now inviting the DUP, the Ulster Unionist Party and the TUV to talks saying unionists are sick, sore and tired of infighting.

He says he's been the subject of a dirty tricks campaign.

He says he's been attacked and abused over his call for unity, branded a lightweight.

What is more important, Johnnie, unionist unity or the future of the DUP?

I've always been clear it's country first over any political party.

I've heard that language used by UUP representatives, by TUV representatives.

I'm elected by the people to speak up for what I believe in.

I can tell you, Protestant people...

I'm fed up to the teeth with the DUP, TUV and Jamie Bryson who's wagging their tails for them.

We're all just sick of it.

The DUP are only doing this here now to try to gain brownie points, but I'm going to tell you it's not going to happen.

David, thank you.

Good morning to you.

We've also been speaking this morning to the leader of the TUV, Jim Allister.

Well, I think that the DUP sadly has made the wrong choice.