The Alliance Party will meet nationalist councillors in Belfast tonight to discuss the prospect of a Sinn Fein lord mayor. The city council will elect its next mayor on Monday night. Sinn Fein is the largest party in City Hall and will receive SDLP support for the top position. However, Alliance holds the balance of power on the council and Sinn Fein needs its support.
Alliance has refused to say how it intends to vote. The Sinn Fein candidate is Mr Alex Maskey, from west Belfast. While there has been an SDLP Lord Mayor, Sinn Fein has not yet held the position.