A leading Northern Ireland politician has called for pro-Union parties in Scotland to forge an pact to contend the 2015 Westminster Elections.

Nigel Dodds, deputy leader of the DUP, made the appeal for a Scots pro-Union alliance, claiming it would be a "sensible course of action", at his party's conference at the weekend.

He made the claim amid ongoing discussions about Unionist and Nationalist pacts in Northern Ireland parties in the run-up to next year's poll, as well as the potential for a hung parliament at Westminster.

But Mr Dodds claims have been dismissed as lacking a grasp of politics on the ground in Scotland and failing to recognise Labour as the dominant Unionist party.

Mr Dodds, who is also the MP for North Belfast and is the favourite to succeed Peter Robinson as the DUP leader and thus become next Northern Ireland First Minister, said: "The two largest (UK) national parties are regularly polling below two-thirds of voters. Both are polling below what they need to gain a Parliamentary majority. New forces have arisen in English politics.

"And in Scotland 45% may not have been enough to win the referendum but it would be enough for the SNP to do real damage in 2015. Northern Ireland is not the only place that Unionist pacts would be a sensible course of action."

But Dr Neil McGarvey, a lecturer in politics at Strathclyde University, said that while there were parallels between Northern Ireland and Scotland they were limited.

He said: "There would be political costs for any party going into a pact as it would alienate core supporters. Labour can forget about an alliance with the LibDems. They're only strong up north where Labour aren't. What would the Tories have to offer and who else is there?

"Labour are so dominate amongst the Unionist parties at Westminster parties there's nothing in this idea for them. I can see (potential next Labour leader) Jim Murphy or Neil Findlay taking the Gordon Brown approach of not working with the Tories."

Elsewhere in his speech Mr Dodds reflected on the outcome of the Referendum, stating: "After the most recent challenge to our United Kingdom we join with our Scottish kith and kin in celebration of their victory over the nationalist and separatist forces in the Referendum.

"Wasn't it great to see the Scottish people turnout in such numbers, and wasn't it great to see the Queen given her heartfelt wish, the preservation of the Union."