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Alliance man 'no plans to switch' Email suggests Parsley defection
(about 1 hour later)
Alliance councillor Ian Parsley has dismissed speculation he is about to defect to the Ulster Unionists or the Conservatives. The BBC has seen an email which suggests that Alliance councillor Ian Parsley could be poised to leave the party for the Ulster Unionist-Conservative link-up.
The North Down representative is set to leave his job as an official with the party to begin working for a Conservative-funded think tank. Earlier, Mr Parsley dismissed speculation that he was about to defect.
But he has told the BBC that he intends to remain a member of Alliance. The North Down representative is beginning a new job with a Conservative funded think-tank.
However he said he would consider over the weekend whether his new job made his party membership untenable. He is expected to make a statement at 1500BST on Friday.
His new post is with the Centre for Social Justice, a think-tank set up by former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan-Smith. Mr Parsley currently works as an official with Alliance but is set to begin a new post with the Centre for Social Justice, a think-tank set up by former Tory leader Iain Duncan-Smith.
Mr Parsley was the Alliance Party's European Election candidate earlier this year. He was first elected to North Down Borough Council in May 2005. Despite this, he originally dismissed speculation that he was planning to leave Alliance.
But BBC political reporter Stephen Walker said he understood that Mr Parsley had been formally assessed as a potential candidate for the Ulster Unionist-Conservative pact.
"I have certainly seen an email that was addressed to him and talked in such terms as though he was a would-be candidate," our correspondent said.
"It talked about a timeframe so if he comes out and says he's not going to join the party he's certainly had discussions with them and he has certainly been down that road."
There's also speculation that the Ulster Unionists and Conservatives want Mr Parsley to stand against current North Down MP Sylvia Hermon in the upcoming Westminster election.
She has refused to endorse the link-up between the two parties and it's thought unlikely she will stand under the joint banner.
Mr Parsley, who was a member of the Conservative Party as a student, was the Alliance Party's European Election candidate earlier this year. He was first elected to North Down Borough Council in May 2005.