Everything Ulster - Election 2005

RECENT public declarations by senior (and some not so senior) members of the Ulster Unionist Party that they will be backing Jimmy Spratt and other DUP candidates rather than those from their own party have been seen as the death knell in the coffin of the Ulster Unionist Party. Indeed it's hardly something that can be seen as in any way good. But is it really the end?

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With Lord Molyneaux and outgoing MP Martin Smyth (among others) backing Jimmy 'Splitter' Spratt in South Belfast, against the UUP's Michael McGimpsey, the Belfast Telegraph are now saying that with a split unionist vote, the SDLP's Allisdair McDonnell could sneak through and take the Westminster seat. Should this happen, who will the people blame? The Ulster Unionists for failing to select a candidate that could unite the unionist vote? Or the DUP for deliberately splitting the vote for their own selfish partisan interests?

Lord Molyneax has also backed former UUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson, now standing for the DUP in Lagan Valley. With even the prospect of party leader David Trimble's Upper Bann seat being under threat, how many seats can the Ulster Unionists hold in this election?

They should be fairly safe in South Antrim with David Burnside, and on a good day David Trimble, Lady Sylvia Hermon (North Down) and Michael McGimpsey could win. If all 4 do, David Trimble may well retain his leadership. Anything less and he will be in deep, deep trouble.