A plan to present a candidate who isn’t tied to a party but representative of a unionist standpoint for the Fermanagh and South Tyrone Westminster seat in the approaching British general election has been put forward. Jim Allister, the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), confirmed he had talks with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) regarding the constituency which is a verge of change, this happened on Friday preceding the July 4th vote.
During the previous general election in 2019, a minimal difference of 57 votes was noted between Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew and the downtrodden unionist competitor Tom Elliott. In the 2015 election, Elliott, an ex-leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), managed to clinch the constituency, which marked the first unionist victory since 1983; however, Gildernew recaptured it for Sinn Féin in just two years.
Gildernew, however, will not be defending her seat because she decided to compete in the European elections under the Irish Midlands-North West constituency. Sinn Féin is still to reveal who their candidate for Fermanagh and South Tyrone will be.
While the DUP’s temporary leader Gavin Robinson advocated for unity among unionists and collaboration with other parties with a goal to enhance the unionist presence in Westminster when speaking on Friday; UUP’s leader Doug Beattie expressed his opposition to any electoral coalitions among unionists.
Diana Armstrong, a local councillor, is expected to be the UUP candidate for Fermanagh-South Tyrone. On Sunday, Beattie told PA news agency that “The UUP came extremely close in the last Westminster election, missing out by a mere 57 votes to Sinn Féin. This makes us the most likely to elect an MP who will be present and fully represent constituents.”
Only last week, the DUP and the TUV declared they would not be presenting candidates in the North Down constituency and instead would support independent unionist Alex Easton, who is contesting against the current seat holder Stephen Farry (Alliance). The UUP have chosen ex-military leader Tim Collins as their candidate. On Sunday, Allister confirmed he had received contact from the DUP about Fermanagh-South Tyrone.
The Sunday Politics programme of the BBC was informed that a non-partisan candidate with the ability to gain the backing of all unionists would be an optimal solution. Achieving this, however, is contingent on complete agreement, with even one dissenting party proving a potential hindrance. The current stance and objectives align with this vision.
Ascertaining the feasibility of this approach is complex due to organizational politics. Jim Allister, the North Antrim MLA, has yet to disclose if he will participate in the forthcoming general elections in the UK. His party, the TUV, has made clear its intention not to support any candidate favoring the Windsor Framework agreement.
The selection process for the TUV is coming to a close with the final announcement expected within the ensuing week. Alongside, TUV has also disclosed their recent electoral alliance with Reform UK. Led by Richard Tice, the party had insufficient time to officially register for the Northern Ireland constituencies. However, the party has made a commitment to support the TUV candidates entirely throughout the campaign, which also includes financial support. – PA