I'd be very suprised if the UUP didn't run in SB next time around. After North Down, its natural territory for them.

The DUP never expected to win SB. If they're serious about it next time they won't run Pratt.

Couldn't agree more. Blair and Powell can not be trusted. Broken pledges, reneging on arrangements and a litany of other things.

While we (the UUP) entered into negotiations in good faith, with assurances from the government that if it went tits up they'd have our back, bar two occasions they took the path of least resistance and let the provos off the hook. While we can't single-handedly blame the government for the election result i firmly believe that their lack of bottle in facing down a republican movement that spied, robbed, mudered, maimed, abducted and was involved in training guerillas and gun-running, undoubtedly played a huge part.

It's now over to the DUP to see if they can fare better. I won't hold my breath although seeing as we cleared the battlefield of mines and fought most of the hard battles on our own (and took huge collateral damage in the process) you never know.

(Looking at the DUP now reminds me, perhaps rather foolishly, of that scene in Gladiator where the emperors son rides onto the scene after the opening battle scene asking where the battle is and was it over. Still better late than never guys i suppose).

Anyway, our government's approach to NI and tackling terrorism has been spineless. They hung us out to dry, and they'll do the same to the Dupers. Watch as the cracks and fissures appear among the two wings of the DUP when the pressure inevitably comes. You won't be able to blame Trimble or the rest of us anymore. Good luck!!!

carlos

South Belfast - natural territory? The UUP has been reduced to seven and a half thousand votes and two Belfast councillors - McGimpsey and Stoker. The DUP has hoovered up the vote of all those traditional unionists who voted for Margaret Crooks, Jim Clarke and Martin Smyth.

The pro-Trimble cabal mightn't like to admit it, but it was that generation of people who kept South Belfast safe for the UUP - they have gone and endorsed the leadership of the DUP (Martin Smyth and Jim Molyneaux appearing on DUP literature - I never though I'd see the day!) - we are now the mainstream voice of Unionism in the constituency.

Relying on out of date prejudices about what is the natural territory of one party or another is nothing more than a comfort blanket to ease the pain of an electoral hammering.

Chris - time for the DUP to quit stamping on the Prostrate body of the UUP and to start concentrating on sorting out a deal with nationalism ?

Davros

We have been aiming towards that. We had a deal in December - Gerry and co. couldn't live up to his side of it and so no executive was formed. The ball has been placed firmly in Sinn Fein/IRA's court - it is up to them to deliver on decommissioning.

Chris - you need to build bridges. Until your party improves it's dreadful image within the nationalist community - and I know that to some you will never be able to gain any sort of respect, you have to work round those people , the IRA could disband tomorrow and I think you would still be unable to achieve a functional and beneficial relationship with nationalism.

In the past the representatives of the unionist community were hopelessly disadvantaged by their being all over the place. Now there's one strong party and the boot's on the other foot - it's republicanism that's under pressure. You need to prove to nationalist community that you aren't the monsters your enemies make you out to be - and God knows you have given them plenty of ammunition for their PR machine. Can you rise to the challenge ?

( You is of course collective rather than your good self personally LOL )

"Good evening Mr. Trimble,

Speaking as a first time voter in this election, I would just like to express my regret at the number of seats taken by the DUP and your own loss of Upper Bann. I feel the people of NI have done you a disservice. The gamble you took back in the mid-90s, the gamble that you knew could destroy the UUP, was admirable. I think that you should now leave behind the sectarian and foolish people of the unionist community and go and enjoy real politics by standing as a Conservative MP in the next English by-election. I hope you continue to play a role in British politics and one day I would hope to emulate your achievements,

Yours sincerely,

Thomas"

The above is one of the "tributes" to the erstwhile leader of the UUP. It is being run on the UUP website. Given that Alex Benjamin was on-line a few minutes ago, perhaps he could tell us is is the position of the UUP that the Unionist community is "sectarian and foolish"? If not why is this disgraceful comment being run on the UUP's website?

It is clear that the DUP do not want to do a deal or share power - and never have done. Christmas was a clear example - they will do all the last minute posturing, manoeuvring and last minute goal post moving that is required to stimey and political progress.

Alex.Benjamin

Now to more important matters, when do I get that pint you promised to stand if the tallies for McGimpsey were wrong?

Fair Deal,

It's a fair cop guvnor lol, I'll definitely buy you a pint...i drink in bar bacca, i'll be the one at the bar annoying the barstaff with my Willy Loman-esque rantings of 'i coulda been somebody' lol

alex- I reckon there will be at least 10 people claiming to be Fair Deal and demanding a pint off you ;) Hard luck Mick - you published your picture LOL

Alex

Don't worry I know what you look like (the secret file is very thick LOL)and you should recognise me from my UUP days

Davros

Lies lies there is one and only one fair_deal LOL

You're right Stalford it is disgraceful to say that the unionist community is "sectarian and foolish" especially when that also applies to large sections of the nationalist/republican community too. More balance is required.

That said it really isn't necessary to leap up on to the soap box and try to make something out of nothing here. You won and what I want to see is your party pulling it's finger out and getting on with things. The days of ranting and raving are gone you have the power now - use it or next time around you'll lose it.

Dessertspoon

I wasn't "ranting or raving". I was attempting to demonstrate that for large sections of the Ulster Unionist Party the people who are being blamed for this disastrous election result are not the incompetent cabal running the party, but rather the voters - why else would such a sneering, condascending "tribute" have been put on their website?

It was merely an observation.

Ii was the weak spineless Trimble who hung himself out to dry.He and the UUP leadership and advisers were so foolish in their advice.

The UUP was divided. Seven years of crisis after crisis was enough.

No point nblaming Blair etc when he could'nt care less about N.Ireland.

The British people won't pay much to put Paisley in power.

His ethnic supervictim show could go on for a while yet, complimented by the red diesel republicans of course. A classic double act.

Good to see no shortage of fanatical fresh young volunteers for political martyrdom operations.

Thank you Mick. My very better half has already earamarked my winnings towards a new kitchen. She says it will still be there when some of those I backed wont!
TK

So, we have a fundamentalist unionist cabal in the acendancy. That's Ok then. Does anybody who is a friend of unionism realise how these people are preceived on the mainland?

As has been said succintly by Slugger, the only people who can destroy Unionsim are unionists, particularly Gospel singing space aliens who have as much resonance with mainland sentiment as Herod had with Nursery teachers.

All unionists know that their love for the union is almost completely unrequited. For unionsim to succeed as a moral and intellectual argument, it needs to modernise. Sadly with singing Billy et al we are firmly back to the future. David Trimble was not a perfect politician but he did more to dignify Unionsim than almost any other politician of his generation. We will suffer his loss accordingly.