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| Unionist parties agree poll deal | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Ulster Unionist Party and Jim Allister's Traditional Unionist Voice have announced a voting agreement for next year's European election. | |
| The move aims to ensure Mr Allister and Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson retain their seats in the poll. | The move aims to ensure Mr Allister and Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson retain their seats in the poll. |
| Mr Allister's defection from the DUP over power-sharing with Sinn Fein means three unionists will contest the poll. | Mr Allister's defection from the DUP over power-sharing with Sinn Fein means three unionists will contest the poll. |
| The Ulster Unionists and TUV have agreed to work to encourage voting transfers between their two candidates. | The Ulster Unionists and TUV have agreed to work to encourage voting transfers between their two candidates. |
| Traditionally, the three seats on offer have gone to two unionists and one nationalist. | Traditionally, the three seats on offer have gone to two unionists and one nationalist. |
| The TUV and Ulster Unionist Party said they are concerned to retain the two seats for unionists in the election, which is based on proportional representation. | The TUV and Ulster Unionist Party said they are concerned to retain the two seats for unionists in the election, which is based on proportional representation. |
| This allows voters to select their preferred candidates in numerical order. | This allows voters to select their preferred candidates in numerical order. |
| In a joint statement, Sir Reg and Mr Allister said: "We agreed on the priority of retaining two unionist representatives in Europe. | In a joint statement, Sir Reg and Mr Allister said: "We agreed on the priority of retaining two unionist representatives in Europe. |
| "This should be the overriding priority of all unionists in respect of this election. Such is only attainable by full utilisation of transfers between the unionist candidates. | "This should be the overriding priority of all unionists in respect of this election. Such is only attainable by full utilisation of transfers between the unionist candidates. |
| "Thus, we agreed to recommend such a voting strategy to all unionist voters." | "Thus, we agreed to recommend such a voting strategy to all unionist voters." |