Allister: accordo con DUP solo questa volta
Allister: deal with DUP is ‘a one-off’
The deal which stopped two council by-election battles is a “stand-alone” agreement, Jim Allister has declared.
The Traditional Unionist Voice leader said after a lot of DUP “bluster” it appeared the pact would probably never be repeated.
The DUP, however, said it remained interested in talking to all unionist parties for mutual benefit — and a further arrangement between the two bitter rivals for next year’s general election cannot be ruled out.
It was also confirmed that Mr Allister travelled to the home of the DUP’s Mervyn Storey to negotiate the ‘quid pro quo’ deal under which the TUV agreed not to force a Ballymoney by-election if the DUP would return the favour in Craigavon.
Both declined to reveal full details of their discussions but Mr Storey yesterday accused his former colleague of “bottling it” and said the real reason for the TUV withdrawal was a paucity of suitable candidates.