Employers must be prevented from dividing their staff with a two-tier workforce which discriminates against immigrants, the Socialist Environmental Alliance manifesto in the North said today.

Journalist and civil rights campaigner Eamonn McCann is to run for Westminster, it emerged today.

There will be a major realignment in unionism in Northern Ireland in the post-David Trimble and Ian Paisley era, it was claimed today.

The North's two main unionist parties appeared to be on collision course at the next British general election after the Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists confirmed they would contest a key Ulster Unionist seat.

A former Stormont minister was waiting today to see if his bid to run for Westminster's parliament will get the backing of colleagues in South Belfast.