How will Northern Ireland vote in 2010?

Northern Ireland has its own distinctive party system, formed mainly in the proportional representation elections that have been in place there for decades now. However, the Westminster elections always raise new issues for Northern Ireland, and never more so than when these 18 MPs’ votes could be crucial in a hung Parliament. Paul Mitchell of the LSE Government Department looks at the possible results for seats across Northern Ireland, and the role the winning MPs might play.