Is Mrs Dodds the DUP’s Sarah Palin?

For weeks I’ve been hearing complaints from the minor parties that neither Sinn Fein nor the DUP were willing to let their candidates appear on television with those of the minor parties. It’s the kind of powerlock you can use, if you are one of the big boys, er girls… But it never crossed my mind until last Thursday’s comparatively poor performance by Diane Dodds (leaving an impressive Jim Allister the last word was poor negotiation on the DUP’s part) that they might be trying to protect the candidate… Yesterday’s Politics Show served to underline her lack of experience, and perhaps the reason her DUP handlers were keen to keep her apart from Allister’s not inconsiderable skills (although it takes a poor briefing, not to mention an utter lack of understanding of how national governments interact with the European Commission, to open up three losing fronts). Remind you of anyone?

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