Without wishing to appear too pedantic.. *ahem*

It was scanner, not a digitial camera. :)

And probably worth pointing out that Kate Hoey is standing again as the Labour Party candidate in the Vauxhall constituency.

It should be pointed out that they both went to university together and her backing of Arlene is solely personally, this is just a case of who knows who, if Tony Blair was friends with Tom Elliott then he could have been on appearing on Tom's literature.

I don’t really get how Kate Hoey can "admire her work", will someone please inform what work has Arlene done in Fermanagh? She only got elected on the back of another party but then cowardly defected: I wouldn’t really call this an work to be admired.

"..if Tony Blair was friends with Tom Elliott then he could have been on appearing on Tom's literature."

I seriously doubt that he would though, FYU.

Well off course he wouldn’t have, I was just using him as an example of a politician backing another just because they have been friends for along time.

If Arlene thought that the best way to beat Sinn Fein was getting the backing of a british minister she should boli her head

What else would you expect from an ardent northern ireland supporter and someone so happy about a 'national' stadium.

stand up for the 'ulster' men

Does Kate agree with Arlene's party leaders views on the Pope being the antichrist.

Is Mr Blair's children unclean ??

This person was sports minister within a Labour administration.

I'm surprised she never banned the the Keano flags at Man U matches

It's nice to know Kate can take time to endorse candidates in N.I. It takes her away from the passion she has put into supporting fox hunting which is a really big issue in the inner city London constituency of Vauxhall - ah yes Vauxhall, easy to forget the place, it's just the safe seat Kate has been lucky to land. No need to waste much time seeking re-election there. It's in the bag. What a wonderfull electoral system we have.

Kate H has had quite an intreting political trajectory from her days in the Troops Out Movement in Britain then going against her party line supporting Bob McCartney.........

Kate Hoey was in Troops out ! Are you sure? I always thought she was a staunch Unionist.

Colm - yes but it was back in the 70s along with Clare Short et al....she was going through a 'radical' phase... photographic evidence does exist....!

In the 70's it was virtually compulsory for aspirant candidates, especially if "tainted" by a connection to Ulster.

She also took part in the Bloody Sunday marches in London in the mid seventies.

"Kate H has had quite an intreting political trajectory from her days in the Troops Out Movement in Britain"
Even Labour candidates are allowed to wise up!

I just wonder why she continues to represent an inner city London constituency when clearly she would be better of representing a seat in N.I. where her true interests lie.

I just wonder why she continues to represent an inner city London constituency when clearly she would be better of representing a seat in N.I. where her true interests lie.

Possibly reasons similar to why Martin McGuinness isn't contesting Foyle ? ;)

I don’t really get how Kate Hoey can "admire her work", will someone please inform what work has Arlene done in Fermanagh?

FYU, good point I was told she is working in a law practice in Lurgan or possibly Portadown, can anyone confirm

From Arlene's DUP bio

"My goal is to return to this unfinished business and give unionists the chance to now evict Michelle Gildernew as MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone."

Those with an historical appreciation may find the unintentional irony above quite amusing...

Sadly it will all be lost on those of the heavily reformed and revisioned Unionist persuasion.

FERMANAGH AND SOUTH TYRONE (Eastwoods)

Michelle Gildernew (SF) No Offer
Arlene Foster (DUP) 12/1
Tom Elliott (UUP) 25/1
Tommy Gallagher (SDLP) 100/1

Good night Arlene

ok
i know tom elliott will get beaten by arlene but he should still run.
A sinn fein MP is better than a DUP MP.

Just to tell everyone, the previous post was not from me!

Is there a way of tracing commentars on this site?

Tiny,
Arlene Foster is a qualified solicitor and works in a highly esteemed solicitors practise in Portadown.
However, she only works two mornings per week and as someone who knows her well she says she will not be practising at all if the assembly is up and running again.
So she is very committed to her job as an MLA.

So it was you Thomas that wrote that comment and try to pass it on as me, I should have expected it from a person like yourself, maybe arlenes ways are rubbing off on you - her treachery and your stupidity leaves an unsafe mind!

Mr Ovens

Its hasrd to know what comments are comeing from you and which are being misrepresented, you seem to be facinated with this Thomas guy you really do need to realise that Fermanagh is becomming DUP territory as the vote there is likely to rise significantly for them.

Kate Hoey endorsing Arlene is significant and so is Robert Saulters.

James Cooper failed to be elected MP because him and the party he represents allienated the orange order so why should orangemen in FST now vote UUP Tom Elliott is only a figurehead to attract the orange vote.

Arlene could yet be MP of FST in 2005 if we get behind her, Vote ARLENE AND FORGET TOM.

Ovens,
I did not post either comments as Fermanagh Young Unionist or Enniskillen DUP. It seems that someone knowing my email address posted both comments. I wouldn't put it past you but I am keeping a lines of enquiry open.

Roger,
A question in what way really is kate hoey and saulters significant? They are just personal backings and the majority of the people here know that, It doesn’t help then when Saulters has suddenly been appearing on TV lately beside Paisley.

I’m afraid to tell you that then they didn’t alienate over 17,000 people!

Thomas,
Don’t really know whats happening here with some of the postings, my suspicions would fall on Roger at the minute, its a shame some people just cant play fair

FYU,
Saulters is significant becuase he stands as a symbol of traditional unionism.
That is why he is backing so many DUP candidates and also David Burnside.

Enniskillen DUP,
He isn’t a symbol for traditional unionism, he just sees the DUP as the better party and for the DUP's luck he is also the Orange Grand master. Its not hard to tell what his stance on the GFA is, if he was pro-agreement then he wouldn’t have been backing these candidates. Its solely one mans single view.

Kate Hoey is endorsing Arlene because she thinks that she would make an excellent MP and will be an asset to unionism as a whole. It shows Arlene's potential when, with her involvment in Friends of the Union, she has made such a strong impression on such a prominent member of that group

Not the only DUP candidate who has had a prominent impression recently

A question was asked about what Arlene has done in F&ST to be admired. The local DUP infra-structure (staffed offices) and Arlenes efforts to highlight issues including the many unsolved murders in the area, including the Poppy Day Massacre are welcome.

Staffed offices? The office in Skea that to my knowledge is only open one morning a week and even then the DUP finds it hard to man it, I dont think the Kesh office is doing much either, would you like to elaborate the Remembrance Day bomb claim? I haven’t heard much about that, the unsolved murders - any examples off certain cases?

According to Fermanagh Young Unionist on Kate Hoey and Arlene Foster: "It should be pointed out that they both went to university together"

Really? Kate Hoey was born in 1946 and attended Ulster College of Physical Education and City of London College in the 1960s. She was elected MP for Vauxhall in 1989 - the year young Arlene started Queen's in Belfast. Nice work on the facts, Fermanagh Young Unionist.

The result in FST last week, in which Arlene comfortably outpolled the UUP, is a vindication of her stance (which was brave, not cowardly). The UUP had the opportunity to hold the seat when they could have selected Arlene back in 1991, instead of Mr. Cooper.

1. As exFYU has just pointed out there is quite a big age difference between Arlene Foster and Kate Hoey, so the going to university argument is rubbish.

2. As for AF working in Portadown not Fermanagh. Well if I recolect correctly she spent many years working in Enniskillen in the practice of a certain James Cooper and only moved from there at about the time that Fermanagh UUP selected him instead of her. I would suspect that if these events are connected.

3. The unionist electorate of Fermanagh seem to have passed their verdict on the UUP and the way they treated AF. Fermanagh South Tyrone was always a seat where the DUP only had a small vote. Thanks to Cooper et. al. that is no longer the case, it might even be lost for good.

As has been said Kate knows Arlene from her political involvment and endorsed her on that basis not because she was a university pal.

YFU if you google on arlene's name and remembrance and bomb you should get some links. Arlene has also been involved in FEAR