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>ALLISTER RESPONDS TO PAISLEY CHALLENGE 06/11/09 05:42 >EST > >Jim Allister of the TUV (Traditional Unionist Voice) >has >said he will let the electorate decide in a battle for >the >North Antrim Westminster seat. > >Mr Allister indicated he intends to challenge Ian >Paisley's >seat after the performance of Traditional Unionist >Voice in >the European election. > >On Wednesday, the DUP MP issued a challenge to the TUV >leader. > >Speaking from Westminster, Mr Paisley said his former >DUP >colleague was "very welcome to come and get a hiding in >North Antrim". > >Mr Paisley said although the TUV polled well in the >European >elections, his party was still defeated by the DUP. > >He said: "The election was won because he didn't get a >seat. >He stole the seat from me, Jim Allister had not >political >breath except for what he took from me." > >Speaking today, Mr Allister said the former DUP >leader's >words were "hollow". > >"Ian Paisley tries to claim it as a triumph. He says >there >was no defeat, everyone knows there was a defeat," he >said. > >"If the DUP are in the business of sleepwalking out of >Monday into the future, well I'm quite content that >the good >people of North Antrim and elsewhere will continue to >give >us the resounding type of result there was on Monday. >What >we need is a system where you can have opposition, >people >who are both in and out of government." > >"A voluntary coalition where those that are in >government >are bound by policies that they all support." > >Traditional Unionist Voice took almost 70,000 votes >from the >DUP. >_______________________________________________________ >___

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