DUP Steps Aside In North Down

The DUP will not field a candidate in North Down at the forthcoming general election.

Making the announcement yesterday, the party said it had no intentions to pursue the seat, which is currently held by a fellow Unionist.

Incumbent MP, Lady Hermon, last week said she will seek re-election as an Independent candidate, following her resignation from the Ulster Unionist Party in protest at its electoral alliance with the Tories.

"The Democratic Unionist Party has decided to stand aside in the North Down constituency at the forthcoming general election in the interests of Unionist unity," a party spokesman said.

"As a party that is leading the campaign to bring about greater unionist co-operation we are not prepared to oppose a sitting Unionist MP."

The DUP said it will continue to pursue united Unionist candidates in South Belfast and Fermanagh/South Tyrone, where the incumbent MPs are Nationalists.

"We are prepared to reach agreed arrangements with the UUP either through the DUP running in one constituency and the UUP in the other or by agreeing unity candidates that both parties support," said the DUP official.

"We are determined to maximise the number of seats held by Unionists at Westminster so that Northern Ireland members can work together in the best interests of the people of the province," he added.

(PR/GK)