Unionists 'unaware' of secret discussions
SENIOR DUP and Ulster Unionist figures say they know nothing about reported secret talks between the two parties' upper echelons about unity.
According to the Sunday Times, members of both parties are in advanced negotiations about a deal whereby in constituencies where five unionists could possibly be elected to the assembly, the DUP would secure three candidates to the UUP's two.
Agreed candidates would be approved by a joint DUP-UUP committee, the paper said, in a deal similar to the UUP's problematic selection procedures with the Conservatives last year.
Two senior Ulster Unionists said they were unaware of any talks but did not express surprise at the report, given that several senior party figures have publicly supported a deal with the DUP.
DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson said that he was unaware of any talks but repeated his party's support for such an engagement.
"It is a necessity for unionists to maximise unionist representation in the assembly," he said.
"I have no doubt from my own contact with grassroots unionists that there is a huge appetite for greater unionist cooperation and unity.
"I think we would be keen to see the discussion going forward but I am not going to pre-empt the outcome or indicate what our preferred outcome would be."
However, if the Ulster Unionists agree to such a deal it could threaten their relationship with Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative Party.
A UUP spokesman said that there had been "no agreement with anyone" on the issue.
UUP leadership contender Tom Elliott said that he had no knowledge of talks and insisted that there must be "good faith shown by the DUP" in the Stormont executive before any deal.
"There is a lot of suspicion (about any deal) at the moment," he said
"Until we have some good faith shown by the DUP in terms of the workings of the executive, I'm not going to involve myself and wouldn't recommend anything to the party."
On Saturday the UUP's ruling executive rejected a proposal to use postal voting in the leadership election, which it is thought may have favoured Mr Elliott.
It is the first time that the UUP's entire membership – thought to be between 2,500 and 3,000 – is eligible to vote for the leader and the contest is planned to take place at Belfast's Waterfront Hall on September 25.
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
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