THE vocal and at times bitter public spat between Northern Ireland’s two main unionist parties in the wake of the RHI controversy in recent months has raised questions about any potential deal between the two should a snap election now take place following the collapse of Stormont.
Ulster Unionist MP Tom Elliott ended Sinn Fein Michelle Gildernew’s 14 year tenure at Westminster in 2015 down to unionist co-operation with the Democratic Unionist Party which at the time was under the leadership of Peter Robinson. The relationship between the party’s new leader Arlene Foster and UUP’s Mike Nesbitt now appears strained as each side exchange blows over the flawed Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). 
Mr. Nesbitt repeatedly called on Mrs. Foster to show “true, selfless leadership” and resign prior to Martin McGuinness’ sudden departure forcing her out of the job.
In response the DUP leader has told this newspaper: “Mike Nesbitt seems to have a very short memory”, pointing to the election of Mr. Elliott to Westminster. 
The question now is: where does the public bickering leave unionists in Fermanagh-south Tyrone?
Prior to the collapse of Stormont on Monday, Mr. Elliott refused to be drawn on whether or not Mrs. Foster should resign despite the comments by his leader.
“I am not getting into that debate because I am not close enough to the whole issue around RHI,” said Mr. Elliott.
Asked if he backed Mr. Nesbitt’s calls, he said: “That’s the party stance but ultimately it’s a decision for Arlene and her team. She has been firm all along.”
“Some people will be of the opinion it does make relationships more strained, there is no doubt about it,” he said.
Mr. Elliott revealed that unionists “on both sides” have spoken to him and said “maybe Mike has gone too far” in criticising Mrs. Foster. 
“But others are saying this is a huge disaster and he’s not going far enough.”
The Fermanagh-south Tyrone representative insists there has not been “unionist unity” here, but instead “we’ve had unionist co-operation.”
“That’s how I won my seat, that’s how Nigel Dodds (DUP’s North Belfast MP) won his seat. Politics and elections are swings and roundabouts.
“I wouldn’t count that the UUP will massively gain from this,” he added.
Asked if his reluctance to publicly criticise Mrs. Foster was out of concern for his own political career, Mr. Elliott said: “When you are in politics obviously your political career is left hanging in the balance.”
Mrs. Foster described the unionist pact between her party and the UUP in 2015 as “a strategic decision to unseat a republican.”
“I do regret that Mike Nesbitt seems to have a very short memory in relation to all of that. I think that has been reflected by the calls that have come into this office, from supporters of the Ulster Unionist Party who are quite angry by the stance that he has taken. For those of us who live in the west it important that unionism stays ahead. But for Mike Nesbitt it seems more important to attack a unionist leader,” she said.
When it was put to her that Mr. Nesbitt was in fact simply holding her to account, Mrs. Foster replied: “Well if he had been in the Assembly on December 19 he would have held me to account but he chose to leave.”
Asked if the two parties will work together in future, Mrs. Foster added: “If you are asking me do I believe the Ulster Unionists and DUP working together making sure we have unionist representation in our national parliament of course I do, of course I do. But Mike Nesbitt is making it very difficult.”