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(Liam Clarke, Belfast Telegraph)

The inevitable effect of the hunt for a unity candidate is further division of the UUP.

Basil McCrea, the party's Lagan Valley MLA, has already said he wouldn't remain in the UUP "if there is any suggestion of unionist unity – or enhanced unionist co-operation that looks to all of the world like it is unionist unity".

He added, in a BBC interview, that this included a joint candidate in the Mid Ulster by-election.

Yesterday (Friday) Mr McCrea, who faces a disciplinary hearing, said: "I won't comment any further but I am already on the record on this."

His friend and ally John Mc-Callister, in South Down, takes a similar stance.

The DUP is more united on co-operation. It doesn't even rule out supporting a UUP member if a suitable non-party person isn't forthcoming.

The chances of unionists actually winning the election are low. Mid Ulster is now a safe republican seat and, although Martin McGuinness was Sinn Féin's top vote-getter, the party expects that a single unionist candidate would help increase turnout for it.

It risks turning the election into a sectarian headcount in a constituency which is more than 65% Catholic. The outcome of that is fairly predictable.

This article appeared in the January 26, 2013 edition of the Belfast Telegraph.

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