Preparing for Inside Politics
I'm in the office getting my head together for this lunchtime's Inside Politics. After the week that's been the Pope's letter on child abuse in the Catholic Church and the demands for a northern are likely to dominate my discussions with the Sinn Fein Education Minister Caitriona Ruane and the SDLP MLA Alban Maginness.
My guests are Fionuala O'Connor and Austin Hunter. Besides talking to them about child abuse, I shall try to get a question in about other political developments such as yesterday's confirmation by the Conservatives and Unionists of 8 more candidates. The new force now has
Picking Tom Elliot in Fermanagh and Paula Bradshaw in South Belfast appears to scotch the talk of unionist unity candidates in both seats. The Conservative Ian Parsley's confirmation in North Down was predictable, but puts it up to Lady Sylvia Hermon to make clear her intentions.
And of course 17 candidates means one is missing. The seat is South Antrim and I notice that the speculates that this is because of disagreements between the UUP and the Conservatives over the candidacy of Adrian Watson following his remarks on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Ulster's Nolan show about whether he would be happy to have a gay couple stay as guests in his bed and breakfast.
I'm 
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