Republicans could land a double whammy on unionists if they form a pan nationalist front for June's crucial Euro poll.
For the first time in 30 years, nationalists are within reach of snatching two of the North's three MEP seats.
And if that result was repeated in the General Election in 2010 and the following year's Stormont poll, the Shinners' Uncle Gerry will see his 'united Ireland by 2016' dream become a reality.
A double seat victory in June will require both massive turnout and well disciplined tactical voting by Northern Catholics.
The unionist family is split three ways between the UUP's veteran MEP Jim Nicholson, the DUP's Diane Dodds – wife of party deputy leader Peter – and defending TUV MEP Jim Allister.
A nationalist double whammy also depends on an evenly split unionist vote, as well as considerable middle class Protestant apathy.
All it takes is tactical voting by Protestants – especially by Orangemen – either away from Allister, or giving the DUP a bloody nose for snuggling up to Shinners at Stormont, and the nationalist double bill is cancelled.
Choice of candidate is not the problem for either the Shinners or the 'SDs'. Sinn Féin has ex-Stormont health chief Babs Brown, while the SDLP is thinking smart with former Belfast Lord Mayor Alban Maginness.
Even if Protestants swallow DUP crap about Babs topping the poll, that's no guarantee the Shinners can top that by pulling in a second nationalist.
To build a solid pan nationalist front, the Shinners will have to dump Emperor Robbo in the Executive.
The perception in republican strongholds that Sinn Féin is nothing more than the DUP's wee British lap dog in the Assembly is starting to become more than a nasty whisper.
Forget the bull that the concept of the Chuckle Brothers died with Big Paisley having to quit as First Minister.
Robbo and Marty McGuinness are certainly no Brothers Grimm – more like the Cosy Cousins because Stormont shows no signs of collapsing.
Provided Babs doesn't blurt out a pro-IRA speech at the grave of some snuffed out Provie, and Alban doesn't become an 'All Bum' with lame-duck policies, then the pan nationalist front is back in business.
The double whammy also needs transfers from Alliance and the Greens. And this pan nationalist front must also put the political boot into dissident republicans.
The Shinners and SDs should revamp themselves as a new version of the former Stormont Nationalist Party. Otherwise, it's out of the pan and into the fire for Northern republicans.
Just proves it takes a Right-wing radical Presbyterian to sort you nationalists out. Make the cheque out to the buggered Presbyterian Mutual Society.
