Dreaded Vote of Confidence

David McNarry has the strangest way of pledging his support for a Minister. As the proposed new stadium was again the big issue at today's meeting of the committee of Culture Arts and Leisure, and although nobody called for the resignation of the Minister, Edwin Poots who is still in America, the possibility was raised by the UUP MLA.
The alleged rewriting of the Minister's statement yesterday in light of pressure from within his party was enough for Mr McNarry, who favours the stadium's location in Belfast, to wonder if Poots, who favours it in Long Kesh-Maze, was considering resigning.

"Are the reports true that the statement was discussed prior to its release at a party meeting?" pondered Mr McNarry. "How were the party in receipt of this statement. Is it normal for his statements to be scruitinised by his party before being released? In view of these points, is the Minister considering his position now? Has party influences interfering with his Ministerial role, and therefore judgement?"

If that wasn't bad enough, he continued to say that recent media speculation has placed the Minister in a position whereby "he looks like a MInister only accountable to his party and not to this committee or the Assembly as a whole" and "he is a Minister not in control of his own destination." Mr McNarry, who is the deputy chair of the committee said that Mr Poots may be considering resignation as the only "honourable" option open to him.

Having done so much stirring Mr McNarry then proceeded to say that he rated the Minister, and his resignation would be "regrettable", even though no member other than him even mentioned the possibility at the meeting.
Nelson McCausland, a party colleague of Mr Poots, however dismissed the media reports as a "non-issue". David McNarry is likely to get the chance to ask Mr Poots in person if he is going to resign, if he hasn't already, as they are writing to request a "a single issue meeting" with the Minister which should be scheduled for some time around July 23.

This still gives the DUP time to call an end to the in-fighting, but it seems that on this issue senior party members will be looking to further up the ante in what might be a battle for hearts and minds which could prove fruitful in any future leadership campiagn.