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# Doubts over Conservative NI strategy
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/doubts-over-conservative-ni-strategy/
- Published: 2008-09-30T12:09:34.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:41:45.000Z
- Author: Tom Griffin
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:49

**Tom Griffin (London,** [**OK**](https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom)**):** Lord Trimble seems to have caused some jitters in the Ulster Unionist Party with his suggestion that [the Conservatives will fight every seat in the UK ](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern%5Fireland/7640555.stm?ref=opendemocracy.net)at the next general election. Is he hinting that the talks between the two parties may lead to a full merger?

Not everyone in the UUP would be happy about that prospect, as the lively comments thread over on [Three Thousand Versts](http://threethousandversts.blogspot.com/2008/09/faint-heart-never-won-fair-er-cameron.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) indicates.

In an [interview](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern%5Fireland/7642197.stm?ref=opendemocracy.net) with the BBC's [Mark Devenport](http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markdevenport/2008/09/a%5Fpassionate%5Funionist.html?ref=opendemocracy.net), David Cameron has admitted that the talks face some difficulties.

Meanwhile, [Jeffrey Donaldson](http://www.dup.org.uk/articles.asp?Article%5FID=3767&ref=opendemocracy.net) of the rival Democratic Unionist Party has claimed that a link-up aimed at defending the union may end up strengthening nationalists. 

*In the last Westminster election, the arrogance of David Trimble and his coterie of advisors cost Unionism two Westminster seats, now it seems he wants to exert a similar malign influence in the next Westminster election from the comfort of the House of Lords.* 
  
*People well recall that in 2005, the DUP offered the Ulster Unionists the chance to pick either South Belfast or Fermanagh and South Tyrone to run a single Unionist candidate. The UUP rejected this offer and both seats were lost to Nationalists and Republicans.* 

Blogger [Redemption's Son](http://redemptionsson.blogspot.com/2008/09/with-help-of-ulster-unionists.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) shares Donaldson's concern about splitting the unionist vote, but it's difficult to see how an electoral pact would square with Cameron's vision of the Conservatives as an anti-sectarian force, particularly in [South Belfast](http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/asb.htm?ref=opendemocracy.net), where it would mean allying with the DUP against the moderate nationalist SDLP.