As I've been trying to keep a (relatively) open mind on the link between the UUP and PUP in the non-assembly up to now, I found this piece from Alex Kane in the Belfast Telegraph quite interesting (hat-tip to Pete Baker). Kane is one of many members obviously concerned about moves by the UUP leadership to align the party with the political wing of the UVF and seems to be talking a lot of sense.

I particularly liked his statement that the UUP should not measure itself by the hypocrisy and inconsistencies of the DUP. It's a good point to make, particularly for those of us who are often too instinctively defend the UUP simply because they seem to be the lesser of two evils.

Follow up:

That said he does mount a defence against claims that unionists owe a moral obligation to loyalist terrorists. Contrary to current popular opinion, constitutional unionists have been 'reaching out' to loyalists "for years, through the Loyalist Commission, the links with the UPRG and the long-established channels between individual loyalists and UUP elected representatives."

He includes an interesting quote too:

"As a Unionist I have no particular desire to appreciate or venerate the Republican dead ... some of my colleagues and I might like to have added to their ranks ... and I am sorry to say that we did not have as much success as I would like to have been able to report ... "
David Ervine PUP MLA East Belfast, 10th April 2001

The final point I want to highlight is Kane's contrast of the way the Ulster Unionists dealt with Sinn Fein/IRA in the earlier years of the current peace process compared to the way they're treating the PUP/UVF. In effect the Ulster Unionists are cosying up to the PUP with no sign at all of an end to violence from the UVF, while caution was exercised at all times (including get-out clauses) in their dealings with Sinn Fein. Just something to ponder.