Was Jim Allister & the TUV DUPed?

Traditional Unionist Party Leader Jim Allister has accused the DUP of not honouring an electoral pact between the two parties made back in August which facilitated the co-option of a DUP councillor in Ballymoney and would facilitate a TUV councillor in Craigavon. Mr. Allister indicated that a council by-election was being forced because the DUP 'welched' on the deal.

Failure by Craigavon councillors to agree on a replacement councillor, following the earlier resignation of a TUV councillor, will cost the public purse £25,000 to £30,000 when the by-election is run early next year and has met with criticism from other parties and some members of the public.

Editorial

Most politically minded news-buffs will remember this story back in August and the threats of forcing by-elections in Craigavon and in Ballymoney and the inference at the time that a deal had been struck to off-set such elections. Whether the DUP like it or not, 'perception is reality' and there is a perception that they made a deal to safeguard their Ballymoney seat and in return would push through the co-option of a TUV councillor in Craigavon. 

The failure of the DUP to back the TUV candidate David Calvert and instead supporting an independent 'compromise candidate' not only affects the public purse but also their standing and their integrity, for in the minds of many a deal was done and having done nothing to dispel those rumours at the time, people believe them to be true and 'Perception is Reality'.

The matter is further exacerbated by the DUP 'wordplay' that followed, when their councillor Stephen Moutray admitted their was a deal, he said 'Our deal with Jim was that we would not oppose the co-option and we did not'.

Our View: The devil's in the detail and whilst the DUP might well have honoured its deal to 'the letter' it stands accused of not honouring the spirit of the agreement. At a time of electoral uncertainty for the DUP, one would have thought they would return to strong 'Christian Values' not stand accused of 'wordplay', 'spin', 'welching' or of wasting public money when most of their constituents do not have two pennies to rub together. The DUP would do well to remember the electorate of Northern Ireland have long memories.