The Telegraph reports that a Conservative minority government would rely on an
‘informal understanding’ with Unionist MPs and that David Cameron is preparing the ground for co-operation.
It’s a courageous plan, in the Sir Humphrey sense. Many journalists argue that Cameron has a duty to preserve the Union. Certainly he does, but his overtures to the Ulster Unionists have been self-defeating. There is an assumption that the Unionist parties are conservative. Besides conserving the Union, they are not.
Back in February, I reported that the Tory alliance with Reg Empey was serving only to eviscerate the UUP, as its socialist and social democratic factions revolted against Tory alignment. Sylvia Hermon, Christopher and Michael McGimpsey, Shelia Davidson and Peter McCann have all either said they will not stand under a Conservative banner or resigned. Since then the UUP’s candidate in South Antrim, Adrian Watson, has been ousted
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