"No woman need apply"
I've just come off air from Inside Politics, where my guests were Sinn Fein's Bairbre De Brun and the Greens' Steven Agnew. Ms De Brun is in the comfortable position of being the bookies' favourite to top the poll, but she's trying not to sound complacent. I asked her whether she felt Northern Ireland would be better represented if the DUP recaptured their seat from Jim Allister. Although she reflected on the strong possibility of two women being elected, she didn't exactly endorse the DUP's candidacy (which would be the last kind of endorsement they want).
The Greens' Steven Agnew was happy to celebrate the forthcoming DUP reshuffle if its spells the end for climate change sceptic Environment Minister Sammy Wilson, although he admitted that the minister has been a worthy opponent for the party.
Over on the TV, the Politics Show was hosting a debate involving the four biggest parties and the outgoing TUV MEP Jim Allister. Early in the campaign on Hearts and Minds and on this blog I wondered whether the DUP would field Diane Dodds against the TUV leader because of his well honed debating skills. They have met in various hustings, but not, until today, live in one of our studios. Although this wasn't a tight intra-unionist debate, my eyes did not deceive me - there they were, with only Alban Maginness between them.
Predictably Mr Allister directed his fire at the DUP's sharing power with Sinn Fein, with double jobbing and political dynasty building thrown in for good measure. However Mrs Dodds hit back, pointing out that the TUV leader employs his own wife and daughter but only in back room roles. She argued that this meant his policy was that "no woman need apply" for high profile elected positions (a line borrowed to some extent from Arlene Foster's clashes with the former UU minister Sam Foster at the time of the Fermanagh by-election).
If you didn't catch the debate it will be on again at 10.10pm tonight on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ 1 or on the I player.
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