We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
THE DUP HAS said it will step aside for their rivals the Ulster Unionist Party in the Fermanagh South Tyrone constituency.
DUP leader Arlene Foster made the announcement as the UUP comes under pressure not to run a candidate against her deputy Nigel Dodds in North Belfast.
In a statement today, Foster said she believes in unionist co-operation and parties working together to maximise representation.
But incoming UUP leader Steve Aiken has indicated he is not in favour of participating in unionist pacts for the December 12 poll.
A unionist pact saw Ulster Unionist Tom Elliott win the Fermanagh South Tyrone Westminster seat in 2015, but Sinn Fein’s Michelle Gildernew won the seat back in 2017.
Foster said: “The people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone deserve to be represented in the House of Commons rather than an absentee MP standing on the sidelines.
“Despite the DUP being the largest unionist party in the constituency, it is right to put wider interest ahead of narrow party politics and indicate our support for Tom Elliott to re-take this seat.
“This is something voters from across the unionist community want to see happening and we will be urging DUP supporters to put their full weight behind Tom’s campaign.
“Every vote will matter in this election and the votes of Northern Ireland MPs could again be crucial in the new Parliament.
“It is more important than ever to have MPs who will turn up and speak up for their constituents where it matters – inside the House of Commons.”
Sinn Féin last week singled out Dodds, who won a majority of just over 2,000 votes in North Belfast in 2017, as one of its key targets as it aims to increase its number of MPs from seven to eight.
The party is running Belfast Lord Mayor John Finucane against Dodds.
It emerged last week that police are investigating threats again Ulster Unionist staff members over the electoral pact row.
“it is right to put wider interest ahead of narrow party politics” – Arlene Foster, Ha, Ha, Ha. Well that’s a good one.
@Fr. Fintan Stack: I would not trust the wicked witch from the North
Why don’t they just step aside full stop OFF THE PLANET altogether
Is the DUP taking hard drugs,there brotherhood in the UDA threatens there fellow unionists the UUP.now they want to support the UUP in a seat its probably not going to win,all to save Dodd’s seat in north Belfast,somebody needs to tell them unionism is dying out and their days are numbered.what a bigoted hatred party they are
@dick dastardly: The worst thing about North Belfast is the son of murdered Human rights lawyer is standing for SF. The SDLP are running a vote spoiler to ensure he doesn’t win the seat and that the DUP candidate holds the seat. This is how FF show their influence in the North.
@DaMoons: if John finucane wins that seat for Sinn Fein in north Belfast,that’s going to be a huge change in the demographics of Belfast,something the DUP are frightened of their lives over
@dick dastardly: Exactly.. It scares the pants off them.
@DaMoons: The SDLP don’t stand a chance. The nationalist vote in north Belfast is an anti DUP vote and that will be strengthened in light of Brexit etc. North Belfast is a game of changing demographics
@DaMoons: Really? That’s outrageous if true.
@Anne Marie Devlin: the SDLP plitting the vote last time out was the primary reason John Finucane not winning last time out. They plan to do it again.
@DaMoons: 100% correct. Shambles of a party who dont quite know where they fit in, spout about being Irish but would happily spent there days drinks tea with tories around westminster. Eastwood intent on splitting the vote in foyle too. Seats will be lost to UUP and DUP if SDLP rock the boat enough. Both pro leave parties. Alliance has hoovered up majority of middle ground SDLP voters
@dick dastardly: would that mean they’d have to move some walls if that happened? Perhaps change the flags and repaint the curbs for good measure
@Doire: UUP aren’t pro leave
@DaMoons: SDLP should stand aside in North Belfast and sf should stand aside in Foyle or South Down
@Joe Johnson: SF already hold those seats. Why would they stand aside on seats they already hold?
She or the likes of elliott represent nothing or no one bar bigotry hate and division and nobody who wants this Island that we all live on to be a place of peace and prosperity should vote for the likes of Sammy Wilson and Co.
The DUP gang showed that they would rather burn the economy of northern Ireland and its businesses to the ground and put up walls and jeopardise peace on our Island to get a pat on the head from from a tory party member living across a sea in England.
@Supes Kz: tick tock tick tock for 32.
Is it just me or does her arm look really long in that photo?
@Anto H: it does alright & I can see this shot being photoshopped with a little bit of a moustache on the upper lip!!
@Anto H: Jesus,could have done with her in the lineout for the rugby in japan.
Dodds is obviously in trouble
The first rule of politics is: Get Elected!
Trimble’s UUP were completely outflanked by the DUP’s opposition to The Good Friday Agreement. Paisley fought to stop Trimble sharing power with the SDLP and Seamus Mallon by branding Trimble a traitor and the GFE as a betrayal.
The DUP used every dirty trick at their disposal to decimate UUP support in Westminster elections then, when they took over in Stormont, they formed a government with SF and Martin McGuinness without a whimper from their supporters.
Now Aiken is being offered an unopposed run to finish second to SF’s Michelle Gildernew in exchange for shoring up DUP’s Nigel Dodds’ support.
It’ll still leave his party with no seats in London compared to the ten from the DUP.
Aiken’s decision fight DUP fire with a bit of his own fire might be twenty years too late but it shows some bit of backbone. Colum Eastwood should take note.
No serious political party should countenance a strategy of deliberately shunning support and votes in order to strengthen a direct opponent, even if it means striking a blow at a common enemy.
That’s a perfect recipe for irrelevance and obscurity.
Fosters salute hand in that picture is questionable.
Or put up to be interpreted that way.
@Eddie Michael: hail…..
@Reuben Gray: Hydra
D. U. P – Stands for…. DON’T UNDERESTIMATE PISSEATINGNETTLELOVERS
Susan Boyle JR
Narrow mind UUP/DUP CRONIES
@Brian Flavin: I think you are missing the real situation here, the UUP are rejecting the proposed cronyism of the DUP
I am no fan of Arlene, the DUPs, the UUPs and any of the bigotry they stand for. Neither am I a fan of SF. But I can’t help seeing this as a real healthy change in politics. I believe in your vote counting for the candidate you voted for. To combat Stephen Aikens tactics Arlene is playing another game to try to ensure a loyalist seat remains at the behest of her own party. It will probably work but a teeny tiny bit of me likes to think that Aikens process of not doing a pact is a good thing. (I’m probably thinking very naively tonight, I’ll be better tomorrow;))
@2thFairy: she stepping aside to ensure green and orange politics continue. The DUP are saying we would rather have anyone as long as not sinn fein
@2thFairy: Not at all. DUP have made a series of bad judgements and are afraid of losing their grip on NI politics. Not running in a sest they wouldn’t win, just to save one of their failing candidates.
They sold their souls to Tories for a short term payout, hoping to ruin their country (NI) just to they could cling to their parent who wants rid of them. Desperate and despicable.
Sums her up – a right arm-pit!
Ah just leave it at first four words of headline and that’ll do us all nicely!
Ah the great S.D.L.P. The most irrelevant party since the monster raving looney party,I remember Gerry Fitt (r.i.p) proudly marching for civil rights,and later proudly taking his seat in the Lords.
That just about sums them up.
The first 4 words of the headline were so encouraging.
Elliott practically is DUP, I’m surprised he hasn’t already joined them given his hardline anti nationalist stance on just about everything
Trunchbull…
They should reconsider the system…..
Looks like the threats worked
The DUP are something you would see straight outa Russia,they would be Putin’s propaganda machine they’ve the same values!!
Back to my book of “The Anatomy of a blade of Grass”
Could the headline not just stop st DUP steps down.
Sexy isn’t she?
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
These cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
Non-TCF/GVL Vendors
have your say