The Ulster Unionist Party has completed its nominations for all 18 Assembly constituencies and signalled is readiness to confront the strong DUP challenge. A party spokesman insisted yesterday it had to complete preparations whether or not the current Assembly is dissolved on March 21st in time for a May 1st polling day as planned.
Mr David Trimble said 44 candidates will stand in all constituencies, a departure from the 1998 election when the party did not contest all seats. There is no Ulster Unionist representation in either West Belfast or Foyle.
The list includes some notable changes from the current UUP team in the 108-member body due to deselection decisions affecting four Assembly members, three retirements and one expulsion.
A former lord mayor of Belfast, Mr Ian Adamson, was deselected in East Belfast as was Mr Ivan Davis in Lagan Valley. Mr James Leslie was deselected in North Antrim and Ms Pauline Armitage in East Derry was not able to seek selection as she remains suspended from the UUP. She was disciplined for her failure to support Mr Trimble in the Assembly vote for First Minister.
A South Antrim member, Mr Duncan Shipley-Dalton, is standing down and his seat will be contested by the vociferous anti-agreement MP, Mr David Burnside. Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, the Lagan Valley MP, is also standing for the Assembly.
The UUP altered its policy last year to permit MPs to seek Assembly nominations, thus paving the way for both anti-agreement MPs and Trimble critics to seek election to Stormont.
Mr Peter Weir, elected as a UUP member for North Down, was expelled for not supporting Mr Trimble. He has since joined the DUP. The list contains 19 sitting Assembly members, the remaining 25 are hopefuls.
Mr Trimble said last night: "This is one of our strongest teams and I am confident we will increase our representation when the time comes for the people to decide who should represent them in the Assembly." Referring to the DUP challenge, he added: "In a sense this is an act of completion by the party in readiness for the contest. We are in good shape to go to the electorate, to present our case for devolution and see off the challenge posed by our opponents." Senior Ulster Unionists have told The Irish Times they are confident the DUP will not overtake the UUP in the Assembly, despite making considerable gains at the Westminster election.