Candidate-itis
Westminster candidates are now coming out of the woodwork so fast it's hard to keep track of them. The TUV added Keith Harbinson today in Lagan Valley, whilst we had the local MP Jeffrey Donaldson confirming he'll be defending his seat there earlier this week, plus the release of a similar statement from Gregory Campbell in East Londonderry.
Gerry Adams' predictable defence of West Belfast came accompanied with the revelation that his wife Colette is being treated for cancer. In North Antrim we've still yet to hear who will carry the DUP's banner but the TUV leader Jim Allister made good on his threat to storm the Paisley stronghold. There's the added complication of another hardline unionist Lyle Cubitt probably throwing his hat in the ring - could that cost Jim Allister a few vital votes?
Of course we've already had Mike Nesbitt's high profile conversion to Ulster Unionism, and today one of those he beat for the nomination in Strangford, Colonel Colin Heron, has complained about what he calls the "parallel process" involving the former Victims Commissioner.
There had been due to be a meeting of the Conservative and Ulster Unionist Joint Committee today to determine an almost final list of candidates, but it didn't happen. That's partly, I gather, because one of its members was away in Monte Carlo on business (some people have all the luck).
If that meeting had gone ahead, the UUP would have hoped to have held an executive this weekend to ratify their joint candidates with the Conservatives. However it's been put back (seemingly for the umpteenth time) not just because of the Monte Carlo diversion, but more to give the UUP leadership a few more days to try to resolve its North Down headache.
There's discussion of Lady Sylvia Hermon getting "special dispensation" to run as an Ulster Unionist in North Down without taking the Tory whip. But should this be treated at face value? Or is it just an attempt by the UUP to show they have done their utmost to keep her in the fold? Given the apparently categorical Conservative insistence that she must take the Tory whip, has Sir Reg Empey got any room for manouevre?
We are now told the UUP Executive will be convened on Wednesday, although it still seems doubtful that North Down will be sorted out by then.
If a way is found for Lady Sylvia to be the candidate maybe the matter can be fast tracked. If not, any other candidates who come forward before nominations close at 5pm on Tuesday will presumably have to be given some time to make their case. That said, if the outgoing MP defends her seat as an independent it still seems most likely that the UCUNF Joint Committee will give the task of fighting her to a Conservative - potentially the former Alliance Euro candidate Ian Parsley.
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