"It was indisputably right that there should have been a single unionist candidate in Mid Ulster. Whereas agreed candidates, if attainable, make sense in marginal seats in Westminster elections, there is no read over to PR elections, where the luxury of choice inevitably maximises the unionist vote and where the general unionist interest is served by inter unionist transfers. Certainly in any election to Stormont those of us who oppose terrorists in government would have no one to vote for if only DUP and UUP candidates were on offer and in consequence the overall unionist vote would suffer.

 

"So inter unionist cooperation requires different forms according to the nature of the election: in first past the post (only Westminster) agreed candidates make sense in marginal seats, but in PR elections multiplicity of choice, with inter unionist transfers, is the key.

 

"Whether the UUP and DUP should merge, that is a matter for them, though, I would comment that in truth since the DUP stole Trimble's clothes and embraced the Belfast Agreement there is very little in policy terms to distinguish them and so their fusion would carry a certain logic. But if they do there will still be a need for, indeed a greater need, for an anti terrorists in government unionist alternative. So, TUV has no thoughts of going away anytime soon!

 

"Absorption by DUP is the inevitable logic of the UUP being DUP lite. If they wanted to prosper, then, I would have thought distinguishing themselves from the larger party was the obvious way to go and in that forging an Opposition in Stormont would be the route to go. And, if they need any tips my fees are most reasonable!