UUP-Tory alliance chooses candidates
THE Ulster Unionist-Conservative alliance has finalised all but one of its general election candidates.
The Conservative and Unionist joint committee, which decided on nine candidates in February, agreed on eight of the remaining nine which were ratified by both parties executives at separate meetings on Saturday.
However, agreement could not be found in South Antrim, where the UUP proposed Antrim Mayor Adrian Watson but the Tories vetoed his candidature.
The Conservatives are understood to be unhappy at his publicly-stated opposition to homosexuals sharing a bed in his guest house.
Both parties believe that, with the right candidate, the seat - currently held by the DUP's William McCrea - is one of the most winnable in the Province.
Only two of the 17 Conservative and Unionist candidates, Ian Parsley and Irwin Armstrong, are Tories.
One Conservative admitted to being "very disappointed" that only two Tories have been chosen to represent the alliance.
The candidates agreed on Saturday are:
East Antrim – Rodney McCune
East Londonderry – Lesley Macaulay
Fermanagh and South Tyrone – Tom Elliott
Foyle – David Harding
North Antrim – Irwin Armstrong
North Belfast – Fred Cobain
North Down – Ian Parsley
South Belfast – Paula Bradshaw
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 14 February 2012
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Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
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