ALLIANCE LEADER David Ford has accused his party’s recent European candidate Ian Parsley of stumbling down a political “blind alley” after he defected to the British Conservative Party.
The North Down councillor yesterday announced he was joining the British Tories which in turn are linked to the Ulster Unionist Party through UCUNF (Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force).
His move has triggered speculation that he could be UCUNF’s agreed candidate in North Down in the next British general election, which is due by May next year. Lady Hermon is the sitting UUP MP but it is well known that she is totally against the UUP-Tory link-up, although she has yet to declare on what platform she might stand in the general election.
Mr Parsley, who was the Alliance candidate at the last European elections, said he would remain as a councillor but sitting as a Conservative. He is also quitting his post as policy officer with Alliance to take up a new job with the Tory think tank, the Centre for Social Justice.
