UNIONISTS ARE ON THE MARCH

With new leader Tom Elliott planning to mount a root and branch examination of the party in a bid to rejuvinate its fortunes, local activists are already preparing their own strategy with two new faces spearheading the campaign for the Assembly elections locally.

Now that sitting member, Rev. Robert Coulter, is prepraing to exit the political scene, it is widely anticipated that the Mayor of Ballymoney, Councillor Bill Kennedy, will complete a rapid rise up the political ladder by joining his colleague, Robin Swann- the other potential candidate - in an attempt to wrest at least one seat from the three occupied by the DUP contingent as well as retaining that won by Rev. Coulter in the last elections..

Although there has been no official confirmation and local activists keeping tight-lipped, the names of Kennedy and Swann are thought to have already been submitted to party headquarters as the candidates of choice for North Antrim.

Councillor Kennedy, who only joined the party recently, was not prepared to make any comment, but it is felt he would prove a popular choice amongst his colleagues and it is also believed he stands a realistic chance of taking a seat.

One local member said: "Bill has shown he is competent in politics and would be an ideal person to represent the people of North Antrim."

At this stage the DUP's Mervyn Storey appears certain to stand along with his Ballymena colleague, Paul Frew, and with the new rules on occupying positions in Stormont and Westminster depriving Ian Paisley Junior of the opportunity to test the electorate, there are rumours that Ian Paisley Senior could well be persuaded to stand again adding some weight to the party's campaign. If that isn't the case, local councillor, John Finlay, would relish the opportunity to put his name forward.

Boundary changes should ensure majority unionist representation in North Antrim, but the hopes of both the DUP and Ulster Unionists will be seriously challenged by the news that the TUV's Jim Allister, has declared his intention to return to the political scene and he will almost certainly try his luck again in North Antrim.

This mix will certainly make the outcome much less clear and it all adds up to an intriguing battle.

The SDLP's Declan O'Loan and Sinn Fein's Daithi McKay should make up the nationalist representation with Jayne Dunlop fully expected to throw her hat into the ring for the Alliance party.