DAME Arlene Foster is teaming up with former Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson in a bid to drum up support for the union.
The former DUP leader, ousted ignominiously last year, is reportedly planning a UK-wide tour with Baroness Davidson to stem the rise of nationalism.
News of the initiative, reported by The Sun, comes as polls show growing support for a united Ireland and Scottish nationalism.
Sources close to the tour told the paper that the pair hope to shift the limelight away from SNP Nicola Sturgeon, who recently launched a fresh bid to hold a second independence referendum.
The report said the ex-DUP leader-turned-GB News host will lead the charge, making appearances in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
It came as Dame Arlene. writing in the Sunday Telegraph, also pledged her support for Liz Truss for new Conservative Party leader.
She said Ms Truss “has proved to be the Union's most passionate advocate”.
She writes: “In recent years, while others appeared to give up on the Union during post-Brexit negotiations in the name of political convenience, Truss always backed it. Despite the fact we are talking about the Conservative and Unionist Party, her stance took real bravery.”
Dame Arlene says that given “ongoing threats to the Union”, a leader is needed with the determination and creativity “to persuade voters who may be wondering what benefits the Union really brings to them”.
In the article, she announces a new group, Together UK Foundation.
She writes: “We will bring mainstream pro-Union voices from across the entire country to highlight the benefits that the Union brings to us all - mostly without us realising it.”
Dame Arlene says the new group “will be explicitly non-party political in our approach".
“While I would welcome the arrival of a conviction Unionist into No10, we know Unionists exist in other parties too,” she adds.
“Only recently, Angela Rayner, Labour's deputy leader, made clear her support for the Union and her commitment to fight for its maintenance. We look forward to working with mainstream politicians from across the UK.
Last month the former Storrmont first minister who resigned as DUP leader a year ago after a coup led by Edwin Poots said she had left the party and was “advocating on behalf of the union now in a non-party political way”.
She said would be working to “allow people to know why the union is something that will exist into the future, is economically, politically, socially, culturally, better to be in the United Kingdom – and I’ll continue to put a positive case for the union wherever I am.”
Dame Arlene has previously said that she would leave Ireland in the event of reunification.
