Ford set for Assembly 'panto'

Alliance leader David Ford was today preparing to be the back end of a ‘‘pantomime horse’’ to get David Trimble re-elected Northern Ireland First Minister.

Mr Ford admitted his cross-community party has had great difficulty re-aligning some members as unionists to reverse last week’s vote which saw Mr Trimble narrowly defeated.

But he insisted the decision to temporarily re-designate Alliance MLAs in order to meet Assembly rules was done to ensure the power-sharing institutions weren’t wrecked.

Mr Ford said: ‘‘If some of us have to go through a pantomime this morning in order to ensure we get that long-term stability then I’m prepared to be the back half of a pantomime horse for one meeting only.’’

Mr Trimble and SDLP leader in waiting Mark Durkan need more than 50% support from both unionist and nationalist Assembly members if they are to be elected First Minister and Deputy First Minister in the Assembly.

On Friday two rebel UUP MLAs voted against their party leader, ensuring they fell one short of the tally needed.

The hardline Democratic Unionists have launched a High Court challenge to today’s fresh poll in which Mr Trimble will use re-designations from the centre-ground Alliance and Women’s Coalition parties to secure sufficient unionist backing.

Alliance agreed to come to his rescue following a weekend of intense negotiations, during which Mr Ford held out for promises that Assembly voting structures will be re-examined.

At present only the votes of parties classed as either nationalist or unionist count in crucial ballots.

No guarantees of voting changes have been given, but a pledge to carry out a full review has been given, Mr Ford told BBC Radio Ulster.

He added: ‘‘I’m not interested in a short-term fix, I’m not interested in the glory of the Alliance Party, I’m prepared to swallow hard for the good of the whole community.’’