Aiming for 10
The DUP launched its manifesto at the Ulster Hall this morning. There was an acknowledgment from the leader that "there is no perfect political party and if voters wait for perfection before they exercise their franchise they will wait long indeed". But the DUP did not dwell on its recent travails. Instead when I asked whether Peter Robinson's leadership was benefical or detrimental to the party in this election, Nigel Dodds sprang to a forthright defence of his leader's track record.
The party concentrated on the increasing possibility of a hung parliament and the chances it offers local politicians to cut a good deal for Northern Ireland. Although nominations are due to close tomorrow, the DUP says it would still back a last minute unity candidate for South Belfast (the victims campaigner Willie Fraser claims to have talked to all sides about being such a unity candidate, but instead he is putting his name forward in Newry and Armagh).
That said, in the event there's no deal the DUP say voters should return Jimmy Spratt as, it hopes, a tenth member of its Westminster team.
The 72 page DUP manifesto is stuffed full of proposals on everything from creating a special economic zone here to cutting the number of departments both at Stormont and at Whitehall.
On the economy, the DUP backs reducing VAT on construction work to 5% and lowering corporation tax. However did anyone consult the Finance Minister Sammy Wilson about this? The DUP manifesto says "We have a particularly strong case in Northern Ireland for a reduction in corporation tax. Northern Ireland suffers from having a land border with another EU state and a step change is needed in the province's economy. Any reduction in corporation tax for Northern Ireland should not be on the basis of a compensating reduction from elsewhere or the Northern Ireland block grant. "
However a published today from Sammy Wilson on a recent Economic Reform Group report advocating such a measure argues the Group's understanding is flawed and the Finance Minister "would advise against engaging further with HM Treasury on this issue at this point in time." Maybe Sammy will argue there's no direct contradiction because the DUP manifesto is calling for no cut to the local budget. Nevertheless the tone of his answer seems to jar with the manifesto pledge.
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