Stormont minister to fight council seat

The North is set for a bitter election contest after it was confirmed today that the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has selected one of its top politicians to fight a Co Fermanagh council seat.

DUP Enterprise Minister in the Stormont government, Arlene Foster, has been chosen to contest a by-election forced by the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) after the death of a DUP representative.

The unionist split means the seat may be seized by republicans, while unionist hard-liners opposed to the DUP sharing power with Sinn Féin may also enter the contest after derailing a DUP by-election campaign in February.

Today the DUP confirmed Ms Foster was the unanimous choice of party members to fight the the Enniskillen seat on Fermanagh District Council in an election set for September 17.

The election was forced when UUP councillor Bertie Kerr blocked attempts to co-opt a DUP member to replace the deceased Joe Dodds, father of DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds.

“This by-election will be a fight to keep the seat held by Joe in unionist hands,” said Ms Foster.

“It will be a hard fight and everyone knows that it will be a battle between the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Fein as to who will take this seat.”

She hit out at the UUP move to push for an election and added: “The DUP was the lead party in this area at the last election and only the DUP can stop Joe Dodds’ seat from falling to a republican.

“My campaign will be about unionist unity – we must all come together to hold this seat.”

In February the DUP forced a by-election on Banbridge District Council for a seat in Dromore when the UUP wanted to co-opt a representative on to the council.

However, votes seized by the Traditional Unionist Voice, led by former DUP member Jim Allister, rocked the DUP campaign and saw Ulster Unionists hold a seat they were expected to lose.

The latest by-election comes as some grassroots DUP supporters are said to be opposed to the party’s decision to enter government with Sinn Féin.

Meanwhile, the DUP is under pressure to agree deals with Sinn Féin on a series of outstanding issues, including the transfer of policing and justice powers to Stormont.

The stand-off between the parties is increasing the political temperature ahead of the Fermanagh poll.