UUP's Tim Collins blames defeat on voter interest in ‘potholes and hedges’

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

An Iraq War British Army colonel blamed people being more interested in “potholes and hedges” than international affairs after failing to secure victory in a Northern Ireland constituency.

Tim Collins, the UUP candidate known for a rousing pre-battle speech he made while serving in Iraq in 2003, conceded after midnight as boxes were still being opened in the North Down constituency.

He said that independent unionist candidate Alex Easton appeared to be polling well as he defended his election campaign efforts.

“People in North Down, I think they don’t want someone who doesn’t live in Northern Ireland,” he told the BBC.

“They’re interested in local politics, they’re not interested in cutting VAT, they’re not interested in international affairs. They’re interested in potholes and hedges.”

Asked would he run again in Northern Ireland in five years’ time, he said he could not predict what he would be doing then.

He added: “I was asked to do this, and I’m happy to do it. I financed myself and I’m pleased I did it because I’m putting something back into Northern Ireland and I’m pleased to do that.”

He also defended comments he made during the campaign about the cost of insuring a car in Northern Ireland compared to insuring his Rolls Royce in England.

“It’s Northern Ireland, they don’t understand these things. The point I was making is it’s an expensive car, it is cheaper to insure in England than it is here,” he said.