Can you feel the force?
So last night after an extensive courtship, the Ulster Unionists and the Conservatives finally consummated their relationship and are now officially linked together under their rather unwieldy but politically expedient name of "Ulster Conservatives and Unionists - New Force". Cue inappropriate wisecracks about the Third Force and the NF.
Alternatively you can visit this website which bills them more snappily as just "Conservatives and Unionists", and which in an earlier incarnation had claimed to be the official website of the two parties' Joint Committee.
In the joint spirit of the new experiment I invited both Sir Reg Empey and Owen Paterson to talk to me for tomorrow's Inside Politics. Amongst the topics covered in our discussion are the likely attitude of the party's only MP, Lady Sylvia Hermon, to the "New Force", how a future Conservative government might tackle the designation system at Stormont and whether Sir Reg will take the opportunity provided by David Burnside's resignation to add a woman to his all male team.
As usual the programme will be broadcast on BBC Radio Ulster at 12.45 pm.
P.S. Whether it's a political success or not, the "New Force" promises to be good news for whoever gets this job.
I'm 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~23~RS~)
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UCUNF? It doesn't take a genius to see the fun people are going to have changing that on promotional material...
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Mark
CAN YOU FEEL THE FARCE?
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
The UUP have done it again. A potentially smart political move has been tarnished by crass ineptness in the choosing of a crackpot title for the new grouping.
As for adding a woman to the UUP team, Mark, you can expect a lot of obfuscation from Reg. The only purpose that women serve in the UUP is making tea and sandwiches.
The UUP just don't get it. They're mired in a 1960s mindset. For them, modernity is an alien concept.
Abandon hope, all who enter here.
Susie
Carryduff
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Hi Mark,
I just wanted to mention the article on the BBC NI website on the Conservatives wanting to change the way N.I. is governed at present and bring it back to the way it used to be with majority, one sided government of all the people. I wonder if this is part of a new U.C.U.-N.F. strategy to win back DUP voters? But what's the catch?
I think it will take at least a generation before the UUP, DUP, SF, and the SDLP to work together in a normal coalition government, like the one in New Zealand. I hope a new Conservative government on the mainland will not lead to old wounds been opened and bring grief to a new generation in N.I. It's fair to say that we've seen enough war and hatred.
Peter Mac Adaim
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I notice from SluggerOtoole, that the all mention of the UUP have been removed and erased from their new website: www.conservativesandunionists.com
It seems the UUP didnt know what they were signing up to. Sounds like they have learnt nothing from the Belfast Agreement.
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It is about time that we in NI start thinking and acting like rational people. We can not afford to miss an opportunity to put our country back on its feet. The vast majority have now embraced the more settled life style and should now start to look at the way we govern ourselves. Firstly we must understand that there will be no easy money being thrown about. We just have to look down south to realise what that entails with their so called tiger economy being built on sand which is now quickly eroding now that the EU tide is going out. So what we need is a shift to main stream politics and concentrate on the matters in hand. It should not really matter what a party calls itself it should be judged by its policies. So let’s hope we will soon have parties that cover the spectrum from full blown capitalism to out and out socialism and start dealing with our economy, education, health Etc. Etc.
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#4 Well given the relative performances of the respective parties is that really surprising?!
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the name is not important, what is, that this offers the choice of real politics on issues that matter to the ordinary people instead of the current greed for power and bigoted self interest ideals that dominate stormont,s two leading parties.
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mark why arent you doing a piece on the spat between the UUP and Tories over their website?
Apparently 10 mlas are "expressing concerns" because the UUP logo will not appear on campaign material
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Name is a bit crazy, but it's the politics which matter.
I think that the link will certainly see a change in the political landscape here. Just look at the DUP reaction. They're under pressure, not only from the UUP/Tory link, but also from Allister.
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Im not sure its the DUP under pressure. The UUP and Tories can even agree on a logo. Look at the bitching between them on various blogs they really do hate each other.
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