Politics

DUP and UUP join forces in Westminster electoral pact

Sinn Féin MP says parties coming together ‘is a challenge to progressive politics’

First Minister Peter Robinson: described his target for the British general election as being “returning East Belfast to DUP hands”. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
First Minister Peter Robinson: described his target for the British general election as being “returning East Belfast to DUP hands”. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Amanda Ferguson
Tue Mar 17 2015 - 21:29

The two main unionist parties in Northern Ireland have joined forces to form what is being described as an "historic unionist pact" ahead of the Westminster elections on May 7th.

The Democratic Unionist Party and the Ulster Unionist Party revealed they have agreed a pact involving four parliamentary constituencies, to increase the chance of "pro-union" candidates being elected.

In East Belfast both parties will encourage support for Alderman Gavin Robinson. Gavin Robinson, no relation to party leader and First Minister Peter Robinson, is a former Lord Mayor of Belfast.

He faces competition from sitting East Belfast MP - Alliance Party deputy leader Naomi Long - who won the one time safe unionist seat in 2010, unseating Peter Robinson. The DUP leader recently described his number one target for the British general election as being "returning East Belfast to DUP hands".

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The parties have also agreed to encourage support in Fermanagh & South Tyrone for UUP MLA Tom Elliott.

The seat is currently held by Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew, who won last time by just four votes.

In North Belfast, where Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly is hoping to be elected, both the DUP and UUP will encourage support for DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds MP.

In Newry and Armagh, both parties will encourage support for UUP MLA Danny Kennedy. The current MP in that constituency is Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy, but his party colleague Mickey Brady is this time hoping to retain the Westminster seat.

Sinn Féin has five MPs elected to Westminster. It is an abstentionist party, so MPs work over in London, but do not take their seats or take part in votes.

Peter Robinson said: “Those who support the Union will recognise the significance of this pact...This is the most comprehensive electoral agreement between our two parties in the last 29 years...I want to see unionists cooperating.”

UUP leader, Mike Nesbitt said: “We began these discussions in October proposing an anti-abstentionist arrangement for Fermanagh & South Tyrone and North Belfast.

“Since then it has become clear that there is potentially a once in a lifetime opportunity to take back Newry & Armagh, albeit this will be extremely difficult to achieve.

Sinn Féin MP Conor Murphy said the coming together of the unionist parties “in an election pact on a narrow sectarian and conservative agenda is a challenge to progressive politics”.

“These parties have no vision for the future and are happy with crumbs from the Westminster table,” he said. “This demands a strategic response from those of us who wish to see a society based on equality, inclusion and the protection of the most vulnerable.”

He said “nationalists, republicans and other progressives should come together to ensure maximum representation for parties committed to defending the core public services of health, education and the welfare state.

Mr Murphy said that Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness would be speaking to the SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell “at the earliest opportunity to explore an appropriate and strategic response to this pro-Tory alliance”.