Fermanagh and a "minor local party"
Arlene Foster told the Politics Show that she is willing to step aside as a Westminster candidate in order to make way for a unionist unity runner in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. But despite the apparent willingness of some local UUP activists to discuss an accommodation, any local investigation of pact possibilities continue to appear likely to founder on the rock of the Conservative and Ulster Unionist pledge to field candidates in all 18 seats.
I caught up with the Tory NI spokesman Owen Paterson, who is in the USA for St Patrick's Day and found him unimpressed by the Enterprise Minister's readiness to sacrifice her parliamentary ambitions. He characterised the DUP as a "minor local party" and pledged to offer voters in Fermanagh as elsewhere the chance to vote for a cross UK party.
Some unionists see the entry of the SDLP's Fearghal McKinney as a development which will weaken Michelle Gildernew, making Sinn Fein's difficulty a single unionist's opportunity. But despite that, and the courtship of former senior police officer Norman Baxter, as things stand this argument looks likely to go round in circles.
P.S. Some may resent our politicians heading off in droves to celebrate St Patrick's with President Obama. But spare a thought for my Inside Politics interviewee Owen Paterson who suffered cancelled flight connections, waterlogged luggage and hardly any sleep en route. I contacted him on an Amtrak train as he tried to make his way from New York to Washington D.C. Fortunately his mobile phone line was good enough to record an interview, but Mr Paterson had to keep his voice down throughout our conversation to avoid waking his fellow passenger slumbering in the next seat!
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