THE DUP meets for its annual conference this Saturday.

This is Gavin Robinson’s third as leader and the last time he has with the party faithful to make his case for why it should secure a seventh term as the leading party of unionism.

The DUP was once unassailable. Between 2003 and 2016, the party gained seats and, at its peak, commanded north of 60 per cent of the combined unionist vote.

Today, while still taking a majority of the pro-union vote, it is a diminished force, scoring vote shares in the low 20 per cent range.

Alex Kane: Let me tell you when a border poll will be called

David McCann: The DUP is in the fight of its political life. Has Gavin Robinson got a plan?

Recent polls have the party consistently polling in the mid-teens and, to make matters worse, the margins that protected so many seats in 2022 have now been eroded, leaving them vulnerable to unionist rivals.

There is a certain contradiction to the situation that the DUP finds itself in.

The party has arguably never had a better run in the Executive than it is enjoying today.

Paul Givan, in the Department of Education, receives many plaudits for being one of the most active........

© The Irish News