SOUTH Belfast. A constituency of contradictions: from the housing wastelands of semi detached havens in Four Winds and Carryduff through to the housing wastelands of the Lower Ormeau terraced communities. Where a bus can pass through property values of a few thousand pounds to hundreds of thousands of pounds; where the Malone Road fashionistas can head to the polling booths along with the Donegall Pass working class families.
And, it could be one of the most interesting constituency battles of the Westminster campaign.
As the clock ticked down to the close of nominations, Sinn Féin parliamentary candidate Alex Maskey pulled out of the race to allow a clear run for the SDLP’s Alasdair McDonnell.
Then the DUP’s Jimmy Spratt offered the Conservative and Unionist’s Paula Bradshaw an Assembly seat if she stood aside.
But dig a little deeper.
Sinn Féin had little hope of taking the seat.
And the DUP offer was a time limited offer, because come this time next year there will be an Assembly election.
In other words, sometimes the headlines can obscure the political machinations behind the news stories.
Other candidates are also standing in South Belfast. They are Alliance MLA Anna Lo and the Green’s Adam McGibbon.
Pity they couldn’t have had a row to make it even more interesting!
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