ULSTER UNIONISTS and the DUP have agreed to stand aside in Fermanagh South Tyrone in favour of an Independent “unity” candidate in next month’s Westminster election.
Rodney Connor, who retired as chief executive of Fermanagh council last month, will stand as an Independent who will take the Conservative whip in Westminster. However Mr Connor, who has never been a member of a political party, said he will vote as he sees fit in relation to Northern Ireland.
The move was announced early yesterday and follows weeks of difficult talks between the DUP and Ulster Unionists.
The agreement has been hailed by unionists anxious to see Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew lose the seat she won narrowly in 2001 and retained in 2005.
Mr Connor said yesterday: “It is vital that a constituency so far geographically removed from Westminster has its voice and influence maximised in the House of Commons.”
DUP Minister Arlene Foster, who was intending to stand for her party in the constituency, said: “The DUP has always made it clear that we are prepared to step aside in the event that an Independent unionist candidate could be agreed.”
Referring possibly to South Belfast where unionists want a single candidate to confront SDLP MP Alasdair McDonnell, she added: “When unionism is divided unionism is weakened. I have no doubt that Fermanagh and South Tyrone can set the example for other areas in Northern Ireland to follow.”
Ulster Unionist Tom Elliott said the constituency “can no longer be allowed to suffer isolation for party-political reasons – the entire community must have access to national and international politics and economic opportunities”.
The Conservatives had insisted as late as Thursday they would field joint candidates with the Ulster Unionists in every constituency including the 18 in Northern Ireland.
The parties have jointly formed an election platform under the banner of the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force.
Yesterday however the Tories denied there was a U-turn. Northern Ireland spokesman Owen Paterson said his party respected the Ulster Unionist decision and claimed the Tories had not been in any negotiations with the DUP.
“We recognise that Fermanagh and South Tyrone has characteristics that are unique within the UK,” he said.
Criticising Sinn Féin’s abstentionist stance at Westminster he added: “It has been without any democratic representation for the past nine years. It is the one constituency where there is currently an abstentionist MP, where a single cross-community candidate could lead to the restoration of democratic representation at Westminster.
“In recent weeks and months there has been an upsurge of public opinion across Fermanagh and South Tyrone to find such a candidate.
“Rodney Connor has impeccable cross-community credentials and has a first-rate record of public service going back many years. He is hugely respected and admired on all sides.
“We therefore respect the decision of our Ulster Unionist colleague in Fermanagh to stand aside in his favour.
“We have had no discussions with the DUP on this matter at all. We are pleased by the fact that Rodney Connor has indicated that he will take the Conservative whip and support David Cameron, while always standing up for his constituents. If elected we will welcome him to Westminster.”
Sinn Féin, the SDLP and Alliance all criticised the decision branding it cynical, sectarian and tribal. Ms Gildernew, who has a majority of 4,500 for Sinn Féin, said: “The motivation behind this is to take me out of this seat. The unionist parties have cobbled together a regressive deal based on a negative agenda. It is about base sectarianism, and the old agenda of division and inequality.”
SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie said: “David Cameron is guilty of propping up sectarian politics and reinforcing sectarian division. It serves as proof that his pledge that his party’s foray into political life here was non-sectarian is a lie.”
Alliance’s Stephen Farry said: “For the Conservatives to be a party to this pact undermines any vestiges of credibility to their claim to be representing change and a new type of politics.”