It is increasingly bizarre that is was DUP MLA Robin Newton who announced major changes on SF’s team at Belfast City Council while Cllr Tom Hartley declared any changes would merely be about phasing out dual madates:
Sinn Féin is replacing a number of Councillors at City Hall in line with our party’s policy of phasing out dual-mandates
With Deirdre Hargey, previously suspended from SF and dropped as a council candidate in 2005 over her actions during/following the murder of Robert McCartney, now having replaced Alex Maskey MLA – three other SF council positions lie vacant.
None of these vacant positions were held by dual mandate representatives:
Máire Cush (Lower Falls)
Christine Mhic Giolla Mhín (Upper Falls)
Are they the right two? Who is the other? Cunningham? – it is hard to keep track of SF moves on that council.
It is clear that IRA veteran Jim ‘Flash’ McVeigh will be co-opted to one of these seats, with a wide expectation he will then lead the SF group on Belfast Council but it is by no means clear who will replace the other two dropped representatives.
There is a clearout of SF on Belfast Council going on and so far the only person getting close to calling it right or talking about it openly is a member of the DUP.
Surely that is just contempt for the electorate?
UPDATE: As noted by Stephen in the comments SF have selected future candidates – no link to anything on why 3 Councillors’ positions are currently listed as ‘vacant’.
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