Sir Reg Empey’s talks with Jim Allister seems to have left the UUP leader open to jibes that he is never done looking to do pacts and deals – even with the unlikely bedfellows of his rivals in the TUV.
But is at blunder of bigger proportions or commonsense pro-Union politics?
Since taking the helm of the Ulster Unionists, three years ago, there has been an Assembly pact with the PUP.
Then there is the on-going coalition talks with the Conservatives.
Now there’s voting strategy discussions with the TUV.
Not to mention the often suggested, but yet to happen, meeting with the DUP to assess potential electoral deals.
In his defence, the UUP leader is using his position, positively, to explore the potential for maximising the unionist vote and ensuring pro-Union parties work together on matters relating to the Union.
On this occasion, he has explained there is “definitely no pact” with the TUV but simply an agreement that unionist parties should encourage widespread use of the transfer system in elections to ensure their supporters transfer to other pro-Union candidates.
But in talking to the TUV, before the DUP, has the UUP leader made a mistake, offering a lift up to the TUV, perplexing his own party members and rattling Peter Robinson’s cage?
He has certainly angered the DUP leadership – said to be furious at the development and, rightly or wrongly, viewing this as some sort of UUP-TUV signal that they are the two parties entitled to the two European seats winnable by unionists next June!!
I understand that the UUP-TUV meeting was rather hastily arranged between the UUP and TUV on Monday morning – and at the TUV’s request.
The TUV then prepared the short statement that went out – though it was cleared by the UUP and released by UUP MEP Jim Nicholson also.
Sir Reg, at one stage, was not sure about even publicising the discussions.
But the TUV pushed ahead, and hence Jim Allister pulled off a small but significant propaganda coup.
Here was the MEP portrayed as a co-equal (electorally) and engaged in the type of pro-Union discussions that, until now, Peter Robinson has only talked about.
What impact this has on the already fragile UUP-DUP relationship remains to be seen.
The UUP Executive has given itse party leader the go-ahead for a meeting with the DUP chief (on electoral strategy) – but are those dicussions now less likely?
Or worse still for the UUP, in sitting shoulder to shoulder with the TUV, has Sir Reg sent out the message that his party is (in European elections) of the same standing as the TUV, rather than tens of thousands of votes ahead, as it would have expected to be.

Read more about the UUP-TUV talks..

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/politics/Sir-Reg-rejects-talk-of.4587618.jp