Smallest News Conference Award
On Friday morning I found myself almost on my own (so far as hacks were concerned) at a Socialist party news conference. They were announcing the defection from Sinn Fein of Fermanagh councillor Domhnall O'Cobthaigh. He objects to what he regards as Sinn Fein's right wing drift in implementing, along with the other Stormont parties, cuts, job losses and the privatisation of services. He made it clear that he wants to build cross community left wing politics and has no truck with republican dissidents who want a return to the troubles.
Mr O'Cobthaigh is setting an example to others by not just resigning from Sinn Fein but also giving up his council seat. Since he only got the seat as the result of a co-option he felt it wasn't right to hold on to his place. He thinks a by-election is unlikely given Sinn Fein's strength in his ward.
On the topic of co-options, the Environment Minister Edwin Poots told my colleague Martina Purdy that the legislation required for a mass co-option of councillors could run in to trouble at Westminster because some MPs weren't convinced it was democratic. Assuming the major parties won't risk a rash of by-elections this could mean that many of the MLAs and ministers who had intended to stand down to clear the way for future "super councillors" will instead by trapped as "double jobbers" for some time to come.
I'm 
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