Quietly and with a sense of purpose the Tories are making plans for a hung parliament.

A key part of the contingency plans include an increased effort to woo the Unionists. As Guido revealed in yesterday’s Sun column, promises are being made and the outlines are being drawn of a deal to be struck should the eight MPs of the Democratic Unionist Party hold the balance of power next May.

One canny senior unionist cheerfully tells Guido that he thought a cut in corporation tax for companies in Northern Ireland was a done deal. The rate would be cut from 20% to “12% or 13%” to compete with the lower tax rates offered by Dublin. “Anything but 12.5%, we’re not harmonising with the Republic. No!”