THE Chairman of the Traditional Unionist Voice in Fermanagh has expressed his dismay at the decision by the Ulster Unionist Party to select Tom Elliott to fight for Westminster next year.

Alex Elliott, a cousin of the Fermanagh-south Tyrone MLA, says it is the wrong move believing that only “a non-party candidate who is an unashamed unionist” will be able to win the Fermanagh-south Tyrone seat.

There had been discussions between the UUP and the Democratic Unionist Party about working together on “ousting” Sinn Fein’s Michelle Gildernew from Westminster. It appears that proposal has not been endorsed by the UUP, much to the TUV member’s frustration.

In a statement released to The Impartial Reporter, Mr. Elliott said: “At the last Westminster election TUV stayed out of the contest, even though the independent candidate was selected without any consultation with us. Rather than galvanising unionists in Fermanagh and South Tyrone with the idea of recapturing the seat from republicans he failed to catch the imagination of the electorate. His vote of just over 21,000 was the worst unionist total in the history of the constituency “We and many other ordinary unionists outside of party politics have watched with dismay as the DUP and UUP look set to make mistakes again and hand our seat in the mother of Parliaments to republicans.” Mr. Elliott, who failed to get elected to Fermanagh and Omagh District Council back in May, wants to see an agreed unionist candidate fight for the seat in the general election.

“Mike Nesbitt suggested in the lead up to the UUP conference that his party would give the DUP a free run in North Belfast in return for the DUP standing aside in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. No consideration was given to unionists who voted for other parties in the constituency.

“Sadly this week we learned that the UUP had gone ahead and selected Tom Elliott as their candidate for Westminster – without so much as an assurance from the DUP that they would give him a free run much less an attempt to reach out to unionists who don’t support either the UUP or DUP.

“Unionists in this constituency are crying out for a credible unionist candidate who can rise above the petty party political squabbling and backroom deals. TUV is up to the challenge of seeking such an individual. The question is – are others?” asked Mr. Elliott.

TUV Fermanagh also hit out at the UUP in a Facebook post, writing: “Can you trust the UUP in Fermanagh with the future education of our children? The initial support by Councillor Harold Andrews for the close of Lisnaskea High School suggests ‘no’. Further foul attempts by Councillor Alex Baird in putting the boot in to the Collegiate Grammar reinforces that UUP cannot be trusted with the future education of our children.” And in a comment directed at Mr. Elliott, TUV Fermanagh added: “TUV still waits to see where the Westminster UUP candidate really stands as regards being 100 per cent fully committed to support the Collegiate to remain as a separate entity?” Tom Elliott was involved in inter-party talks at Stormont yesterday and was not available to speak to this newspaper. However, a UUP spokesman responded to the comments by the TUV.

“Tom Elliott’s position has been very clear on the post primary sector for controlled education in Fermanagh. He had a letter published in this paper in April stating that he supported all the schools in the county, that position has not changed. As well as not supporting closure of any of these schools, including Lisnaskea High School, Tom Elliott has been a dedicated supporter of moving the new-build for Devenish College forward.

“Indeed he has consistently lobbied the education minister on the matter, something the TUV appears to have failed to do. Maybe they would now reconsider their position in dealing with the education minister given that a TUV candidate in his year’s council election campaign in Fermanagh said that he would work with Sinn Fein - a clear change of policy for that party,” said the spokesman.