Many of you will have seen the television coverage of my party’s conference, held at La Mon hotel.

It was a very successful two-day event which included training workshops, a business breakfast and exhibitors from various organisations including the Glentoran Trust, who are currently collecting parcels to send to the soldiers serving in Afghanistan. My office, along with the other DUP offices in Belfast, is a drop-off point for anyone who wishes to donate a parcel and I am pleased to say that people have been very generous.

My office has received a number of donations and as far as I am aware, the Trust now has in excess of 1,200 parcels to send out to Afghanistan. 

As we look towards the forthcoming Westminster election, the DUP has launched a campaign in South Belfast aimed at increasing unionist co-operation and ensuring the seat is returned to unionism at the next General Election.

Party members and supporters will deliver around 20,000 leaflets throughout the constituency over the coming days and weeks throughout South Belfast making the case for an agreed unionist candidate as well as providing contact details for all local DUP representatives so that constituents can get in touch with any issues of concern.

We are keen to make all our representatives as accessible as possible to the people of South Belfast. 

As we deliver the leaflets, we will be knocking doors and speaking to people. We relish the opportunity to interact with the electorate and hear their views, and constituents often tell me that if unionists worked together we could achieve even greater success.

The DUP is ready and willing to co-operate with fellow unionists, despite the fact that we are the biggest party in both the South Belfast and Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituencies.   

My colleague Nigel Dodds commented in his speech at the annual conference that the DUP has learnt its political lessons and the party Executive has recently ratified a raft of changes in how the party operates both internally and externally.

Peter Robinson clearly indicated our intention to take our case to the grassroots of our community. That is what we are doing. The DUP has been working hard to see South Belfast won back for unionism and will continue to do so. Our campaign will continue to ensure this key seat is returned to the pro-union fold.  

As a result of their link-up with the Conservatives, the Ulster Unionists now have a very protracted selection process. Each of the parties has to select a candidate and then it goes to a Joint Committee for a final decision. It will be interesting to see who they finally choose to go forward.

I daresay it will be sometime yet before we find out and I must say I am disappointed that Sir Reg Empey (and his master David Cameron) seem to be disregarding Peter Robinson’s repeated offers of co-operation to agree a single unionist candidate both in my constituency and in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. Don’t forget this would benefit both parties and would increase unionist representation in the House of Commons.

As we all know, Michelle Gildernew refuses to take her seat in Westminster because of her Republican credentials. It would be shameful to return an absentee MP yet this is exactly what will happen without unionist co-operation. 

As we have said time and time again, my party is committed to seeing an agreed unionist candidate in both South Belfast and in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. My party’s message to the Ulster Unionists is clear - we will work with you to ensure both seats are returned to the unionist family and will give you first choice.

We urge you to think carefully before throwing away this golden opportunity which only comes along every five years.