What about the steak and kidney pie?

There are days when Northern Ireland Unionism is dysfunctional. And then there are days when it is comically dysfunctional. Today fits the latter.

The context is negotiations between the er...constructive wing of the Ulster Unionist Party, led by David Trimble, with Sinn Fein, about how to get the Northern Ireland Assembly up and running again. Trimble must keep at least some of his hardcore Unionist supporters onside while inevitably making some concessions to Sinn Fein. But of course Ian Paisley won't be happy, regardless. Here's how it's playing out, from the Irish Times news update:

As [Trimble's party] launched a poster depicting fish and chips and their new slogan "Simply British", Dr Paisley said the electorate would not be "fooled" by the image.

"When the votes are cast, it will be easy to see who has taken the battering," he said.