Mark Durkan is expected to benefit from lack of unionist pact
UNIONIST party leaders agreed NOT to field a single unionist candidate in the Foyle constituency in a bid to stop Sinn Féin taking the seat from the SDLP, Derry Daily has learned.
DUP leader Peter Robinson and UUP leader Mike Nesbitt reached agreement on single candidates in four constituencies.
The deal between them means there will be a single candidate from the two main unionist parties in four constituencies.
The DUP will step aside in Fermanagh and South Tyrone and Newry and Armagh.
The UUP will step aside in East Belfast and North Belfast.
However unionist sources confirmed they would not agree a similar strategy in Foyle, fearing a strong single candidate would take unionist votes away from sitting SDLP MP Mark Durkan.
The sources said the move would hinder Sinn Fein’s Gearoid O hEara in his bid for the seat.
“There has always been a unionist vote for the SDLP in Foyle in order to prevent Sinn Féin’s chances of taking a seat and an agreed candidate may have diluted that vote,” one leading DUP member in Derry confirmed.
“It’s a sham fight really and we expect Mark Durkan to hold the seat with the help of tactical voting from unionists. We didn’t want to do anything which scupper that.”
Sinn Féin faces an uphill battle now to hold Fermanagh and South Tyrone but could hold on in Newry and Armagh.
However their chances of taking north Belfast from Nigel Dodds have been dealt a hammer blow by the unionist pact and Alliance’s Naoimi Long will struggle to hold East Belfast.
The SDLP has ruled out an election pact with Sinn Féin.
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