Playing the Orange Card
I've just come off air after hosting the first of a series of special election Inside Politics. My guests were the DUP leader Peter Robinson and the Greens' Steven Agnew.
Picking up on the deal in Fermanagh to back the independent unionist candidate Rodney Connor, Mr Robinson argued that although the DUP and the Conservatives and Unionists have already chosen their candidates in South Belfast there's still time for a deal to try to regain the seat for unionism from the SDLP.
No sooner had my programme finished than an e-mail dropped into my in-box from the leaders of the Orange Order and Royal Black preceptory in Sandy Row. It was a letter to Sir Reg Empey urging him to apply the Fermanagh model to South Belfast. The loyal orders went so far as to say that "we feel so strongly about this issue that we will direct our members and friends not to support any party that indicates they are not prepared to stand aside for an independent non-party candidate in South Belfast."
So that puts it up to Sir Reg. If he says yes then he would play into the hands of critics, like Steven Agnew on today's programme, who have branded the Fermanagh deal "sectarian". If he says no he risks the possibility of Orange Order voters boycotting Paula Bradshaw.
And if today's Sunday Times is to be believed the choice between the two unionist parties may in any case be a one election wonder as discussions continue about creating a single unionist force prior to next year's Assembly elections.
Tomorrow the Assembly votes on appointing a new Justice Minister with the Alliance leader David Ford expected to beat the SDLP's Alban Maginness to the job. This element of the Hillsborough deal is hitting its nominated deadline, but we are still waiting to see the promised draft bill on parades. The Hillsborough timetable envisaged its completion in late March and its publication in late March or early April. Some sources are telling me the draft bill will probably be published tomorrow.
I'm 
Comments