IT was somewhat appropriate that Rosemary Barton was pictured at a kick boxing club this week after a furious row broke out between her and Democratic Unionist Maurice Morrow.
The war of words came after it emerged that Mike Nesbitt will select the SDLP as his second preference after his party when he votes in the snap election on March 2.
The UUP leader told the BBC that he would be “standing square” behind the notion of potentially going into government with the SDLP by transferring his second preference vote to the party. 
Mr. Morrow said the decision by Mr. Nesbitt shows “he is unfit to be a Unionist leader.”
“In advocating support for the SDLP in preference to other Unionist candidates he is supporting same sex marriage and a united Ireland. I challenge Mrs. Barton to distance herself from the maverick and opportunist stance of her party leader.”
The remarks resulted in a furious response from Mrs. Barton who said the DUP is “populated by stubborn and archaic representatives such as himself [Mr. Morrow]”.
She blamed the party for “scandals, arrogance and incompetence which have done more to destabilise Northern Ireland than anything else over recent months” referring specifically to the controversy over the botched green energy scandal.
Meanwhile, Sinn Fein’s Jemma Dolan held a sign outside the office of DUP leader Arlene Foster this week, calling for an end to “corruption”.
“My generation sees the ‘cash for ash’ politicians as dinosaurs, totally out of touch with where people are at. It’s now time for voters to turn their anger into action,” said Miss Dolan.