00:00 Right, he's already gone.
00:12 To date no agreement has been reached in our negotiations with the government and there
00:16 remains a number of important issues that have to be finalised if we are to see a restored
00:22 Assembly and Executive.
00:25 And to be clear we want to see the re-establishment of the Executive and Assembly and we're working
00:31 towards that objective.
00:34 The DUP wants to secure an agreement that provides the basis for the institutions to
00:38 function with stability and in a way that is meaningful for everyone in Northern Ireland.
00:45 Building sustainable foundations is vital to allow Northern Ireland to move forward
00:50 and to secure support from both Unionists and Nationalists.
00:55 Factually we have made further progress on many of these issues since Christmas and have
01:03 worked constructively with the Secretary of State and his team on the issues which include
01:07 matters relating to the Windsor Framework and those elements where we need to see significant
01:16 improvements.
01:17 The DUP Party Officer team met on Friday.
01:21 To be clear that meeting was not a make or break meeting as indicated to some media outlets
01:27 by some unnamed, apparently DUP sources.
01:32 Those stories are factually inaccurate and are sourced by those not present at these
01:39 vital meetings and often by those outside of the DUP itself.
01:45 We will not be giving a detailed and running commentary on our internal meetings and structures
01:51 except to make clear that we are not negotiating with ourselves as some have reported.
01:57 We continue to negotiate with the Government.
02:02 On Friday I provided our Party Officers with a detailed update on the contacts and discussions
02:08 that we have had with the Government and we are of the view that given the progress that
02:13 has been further secured that we will endeavour now to close the remaining gaps between us.
02:22 As such together with some colleagues we will be meeting again early this week with the
02:29 Government engaging with the Secretary of State and his team to discuss the state of
02:33 play and to ensure that the remaining issues can be satisfactorily finalised recognising
02:41 the progress that has been made since Christmas.
02:44 There were reports, certainly it has been speculated on Friday, that you had this meeting
02:52 with your Party Officers and because you didn't feel the deal was strong enough and you didn't
02:57 have the support of your Party Officers you retracted or decided not to go for a vote.
03:03 Are you saying that's not the case?
03:04 Well Tracey your question presupposes that a deal has been made, that agreement has been
03:10 reached and that is not the case.
03:12 I am very clear that we have made significant progress but there are a number of outstanding
03:17 issues that need to be finalised and this week my focus along with my colleagues will
03:23 be on securing that progress so that we reach the moment where we can make a decision but
03:29 we are not there yet.
03:30 So Geoffrey just to be clear I was told and it wasn't somebody outside the DUP told me
03:37 this that this was a yay or nay meeting.
03:40 Can you tell us if you are denying that's the case?
03:44 I mean what was it about if it wasn't that?
03:46 Well I regularly meet my Party Officer team to update them on the progress we have made
03:51 in the negotiations.
03:53 That was the main purpose of the meeting on Friday and to decide on the next steps and
03:59 that is what we have done and this week I will be taking forward those further discussions
04:04 with the Government to finalise the outstanding issues and reach the point where we are ready
04:10 to make a decision.
04:11 The claim by some was that this was a final take it or leave it meeting and you were spooked
04:16 by the fact that it was leaked beforehand?
04:18 Categorically not.
04:20 I am afraid the so-called senior DUP sources who made this claim are ill-informed.
04:27 They are not people who are around the Party Officer table.
04:30 They are not people who are privy to all of the detail that the Party Officers have been
04:38 dealing with.
04:39 They got this wrong and the media should be careful about who they listen to because I
04:44 am afraid there are some very ill-informed people out there who don't know the truth
04:49 of what is happening and as such simply make things up.
04:52 Are these people trying to damage your leadership?
04:55 Well they will have to explain if they are prepared to step out from behind their anonymity
04:59 what their real motive is.
05:02 But I am very clear, none of this spooks me, phases me.
05:06 I am focused on the job I need to do.
05:09 I am working closely with my Party Officer team to deliver the outcome that we need for
05:16 Northern Ireland and to make a decision once we have concluded these negotiations.
05:20 Frankly a lot of what you have said to us about, still not there yet, you could have
05:24 said and you have said over the past few months, a lot of people are now tired waiting for
05:29 the DUP.
05:30 What is it that is more important than public sector workers getting a fair day's pay for
05:36 a fair day's work and for the health service getting itself out of the mess it is in and
05:40 for the buses running on time?
05:42 What is more important than that?
05:44 Well all of those things are important and that is why we have gone to the Government
05:48 and we have said very clearly to the Secretary of State that he should release immediately
05:53 the extra funding that has been secured for our public services and that includes the
05:59 Public Sector Pay Award.
06:00 The Secretary of State has the power to do that.
06:03 The Secretary of State has the money to do that.
06:05 The Secretary of State has the responsibility at the moment to do that in the absence of
06:10 Stormont and he should get on with it.
06:13 We will continue to work to get an agreement that enables the sustainable restoration of
06:19 devolved government in Northern on a stable basis on which Unionists and Nationalists
06:24 can give their support.
06:26 That's what I'm working towards and our priorities in a restored Stormont will of course be to
06:31 continue addressing the issues within our health service, our education system, ensuring
06:36 that our public sector workers are properly rewarded for the vital work that they do but
06:42 having secured the extra funding the Government should simply get on with it and deliver that
06:47 funding so that our public sector workers and our public services are properly supported,
06:54 properly paid and properly funded.
06:56 Sir Geoffrey, might it be the case that the real crunch point that has come within Unionism
07:01 is a deep divide on whether or not to be pragmatic about things like how to deal with trade and
07:09 whether or not to be pragmatic about the return to Stormont and that that is a divide that
07:12 breaches all three parties and that spans all three parties and that you are now at
07:16 the thick of?
07:17 Well I am very clear Ben that the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland support Stormont,
07:24 support our devolved Government and want to see the institutions restored but a key element
07:30 of that restoration is that Unionists as well as Nationalists can support the basis for
07:35 the restoration of our devolved institutions and that is what I am working to achieve,
07:40 to make the progress that we need measured against our seven tests, to ensure that the
07:46 problems that were created by the protocol in relation to our ability to trade with the
07:51 rest of the United Kingdom, I want to restore and protect our place within the UK and its
07:56 internal market and I want then to restore the institutions and see them delivering for
08:01 everyone in Northern Ireland.
08:02 Sir Geoffrey you are talking about you are going to finalise arrangements now, the Government
08:05 have said that they are done talking about all of this, so where is any of this going
08:13 given the fact that most people and I am sure yourself are running out of patience for this
08:18 whole process?
08:19 Well the Government are still talking and I will be meeting with the Government this
08:24 week to finalise the outstanding issues and to get to a point where my party can make
08:30 a decision and it is in everyone's interest that we do that and I am confident the Government
08:37 will engage to the point where we get an outcome and then we can make our decision.
08:43 Have you reached your David Trimble moment or are you reaching it?
08:48 Well some people have said it is a Geoffrey Dalton moment, some people have said it is
08:53 a David Trimble moment, I am not into that personality stuff or histrionics, I am focused
08:59 on getting the job done, I am focused on making the progress that we need measured against
09:07 our seven tests to see Northern Ireland's place within the UK and its internal market
09:13 restored and our political institutions restored as well.
09:18 I am in the business of providing the leadership that is needed to get that done and that is
09:23 what I am doing.
09:24 Would you ever say back me or side me?
09:26 I think it is a question for my party collectively and that is why our party officers are the
09:33 people who will make these decisions.
09:36 Yes as party leader it is my duty to lead that approach, it is my duty to lead these
09:41 negotiations but it is ultimately the party officers collectively who will come to a decision
09:48 as to whether we have made the progress that is required.
09:52 Thank you.
09:53 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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