Race on for Maginnis successor

Headache for Trimble as Maginnis steps down

The race is on for an Ulster Unionist General Election candidate to replace veteran politician Ken Maginnis.

Party vice-chairman James Cooper, who is a supporter of the Good Friday Agreement, and Arlene Foster who is anti-agreement, are fighting for nomination as the party's candidate in the Fermanagh/South Tyrone area.

The seat was held by Mr Maginnis, 62, for the last 18 years but he announced last week that he would not be standing for re-election.

However, he said he hoped the party would retain its Westminster seat.

Mr Cooper and Ms Foster, who is an honorary secretary, are both solicitors and work in the same office in Enniskillen in County Fermanagh.

Arlene Foster: Hoping for party backing

Ms Foster said she wanted to try to redress the current imbalance within the unionist community.

Speaking on Radio Ulster, she said: "I am anti-agreement, yes, but I also believe that there are a number of unionists who voted in favour of the Good Friday Agreement, but who also would now have difficulties with the way in which the Belfast Agreement is being implemented.

"So I don't think it's just a case of anti-agreement and pro-agreement candidates in this election.

"This election, I believe, is of vital importance in Northern Ireland and especially in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, it's very important to secure the seat for unionism."

However, also speaking on BBC Radio Ulster, Mr Cooper said he was confident of receiving the party's nomination.

James Cooper is also "confident" of nomination

He said it was unfortunate that Ms Foster seemed to want to fight the nomination battle on a "yes"/"no" re-run of the referendum on the agreement.

He said: "It is true there is concern in the unionist community that the agreement is all give and nothing in return.

"But I believe the vast majority back the present leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party and our policies of working to deliver decommissioning and the assembly."

Mr Cooper added: "I hope the DUP won't split the vote by fielding a candidate. I hope they realise that all they can achieve is to hand the seat to republicanism."

The constituency association is scheduled to hold its selection meeting on 29 January.

Mr Maginnis said his decision to stand down was prompted by a desire to work to his own schedule and not by criticism from anti-agreement colleagues.

Embattled leader

The Fermanagh/South Tyrone seat has previously been held by Bobby Sands, the IRA man who died on hunger strike in 1981.

Mr Maginnis won the seat from Owen Carron, Bobby Sands' election agent who succeeded him following his death in May 1981.

In his role as UUP security spokesman, Mr Maginnis has been a high profile politician.

He has been strongly pro-Good Friday Agreement and has been seen as one of the closest allies of embattled party leader David Trimble.

His decision not to seek re-election is seen as a blow to the pro-agreement faction of the UUP, which lost a formerly safe South Antrim seat to the anti-agreement Democratic Unionist Party in last September's by-election.