THE TUV will not put forward a candidate in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, party leader, Jim Allister, has said.

Mr. Allister recently announced candidates within the upcoming General Election, but criticised the vetoing of an agreed non-party unity candidate in  Fermanagh and South Tyrone. 

The party leader spoke at the launch of TUV/Reform UK campaign today (Friday) in South Antrim.

He said: "In Fermanagh and South Tyrone, we sought to maximise the opportunity to regain that seat through an agreed non-party candidate. Sadly, that was vetoed.

"However, in keeping with the established tradition in that constituency we will not contest that seat."

Mr. Allister said the upcoming election was a "rollcall" for "unionists and democrats" who "have not given up on the Union" and "repudiate a partitioning border in the Irish Sea".

He continued: "A real distinction between TUV/Reform UK and both DUP and UUP is that they, sadly, have, through their operation of and resulting support for the Protocol, accepted that the Union as we knew it is gone.

"That never again should NI be a fully integral part of the UK, but rather should be a condominium part ruled by UK laws and part by foreign EU laws. That’s what accepting the Windsor Framework and the dishonest Command Paper means."

Mr. Allister added that the party would also not contest a seat in Upper Bann.

The TUV will run candidates in South Antrim, East Antrim, all four areas of Belfast, Mid Down, Lagan Valley, South Down, East Londonderry, Mid Ulster, Newry and Armagh, and Strangford.