Date Posted:Tue, Nov 04 2003, 06:46:13 GMT Author: Lynn Subject: Secret papers predicts six seat loss for UUP
Sunday Life > News
Publication Date: 02 November 2003
Secret papers predicts six seat loss for UUP
DISSIDENT Ulster Unionists have drawn up a secret paper, forecasting that the divided party will lose up to six seats in this month's Assembly elections.
The document, drawn up by a number of UUP dissidents before the scuppered peace deal with Gerry Adams, also reveals that the DUP has been actively targeting marginal constituencies.
The targets include Strangford, where Iris Robinson claimed victory for the DUP at the 2001 Westminster election, and East Londonderry, where Gregory Campbell ousted the UUP veteran, Willie Ross, in the general election.
Another prime target for the DUP is David Trimble's own Upper Bann base.
One former Assemblymember involved in the hush-hush poll said yesterday: "Based on these findings, across a wide range of constituencies, we could be in serious trouble.
"The worst case scenario is that we could lose six seats.
"That would mean returning 22 members to an Assembly.
"If the DUP was to improve its performance of five years ago by just two seats, the parties could be deadlocked."
The findings will come as a blow to Mr Trimble, and his closest aides.
"We're in no doubt the party could be facing a hammering at the polls," said one dissident.
"The only person to blame for that is the leader of the party."
But despite the fallout from the decommissioning fiasco, one Trimble loyalist last night laughed off fears that the party could be facing a humiliating thumbs down from the electorate.
"We have no fears about this election, and the idea of a Paisley take-over of unionism is just absurd," said the Trimble loyalist.
