Basil's Near Defection

Jeff Peel has confirmed the persistent rumour that Basil McCrea had considered defecting to the Tories:

"The fact is that McCrea once considered a partnership with the  Conservatives to be an absolute necessity for the UUP. McCrea made clear to me – and Owen Paterson, Conservative spokesman on Northern Ireland at the time – that he may even defect to the Conservatives if the UUP was not prepared to do the deal."

Chekov has expressed his concern about a lack of substance in the UUP leadership debate.  It looks like there is even less substance to Basil.  McCrea denies Peel's recollections so perhaps our SoS could provide some clarity.