I would once have thought South Antrim one of the UCU’s best chances of grabbing back a Westminster seat. Burnside’s not long gone and Willie McCrea’s not been popular with all of the base after dispatching a popular internal rival. Danny Kinahan’s not exactly a game changing candidate, but he sits on the ‘Alliance side’ of the party. Good for transfers from Alliance and soft nationalists you’d think. But it’s unclear to me how well he will appeal to that tranche of anti Agreement UUs that once voted for Burnside. The party has of course an opportunity to make more of the arrangement (shall we say) with the Tories before Cameron’s procession into power. But will they avail of it? And can Kinahan bring home the bacon to what is a very complex constitutency.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty