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The DUP's Simon Hamilton has been pronouncing the last rites on UCUNF, arguing that the fact that the "New Force" won't jointly contest next year's assembly elections shows the "disaster is drawing to a close".

The Conservative Co Chair Andrew Feldman says his party's "clear preference" is to continue the link with the UUP but this will have to be reviewed depending on who succeeds Sir Reg Empey in September. The view from Conservative Central Office is that their local activists shouldn't stand against the UUP next May. This will no doubt cause some frustration amongst local Tories who want to pound the campaign trail.

Back in Comber, meanwhile, Mr Hamilton has now ended the apparent divide between himself and his fellow MLA Michelle McIlveen. In 2007 the two DUP MLAs attracted some negative publicity when they opened separate constituency offices staring directly at each other across a side street in the County Down.

But over the 12th weekend, the two MLAs moved in to a shared office in the town's main square. Their old premises are now on the market. And they made their move before the Stormont CSI programme called for more shared space and an end to division.

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