Friday, February 08, 2008
Dromore, posters and the Battleship Potemkin
Right: it is now less than a week until we know the outcome of the Dromore by election. I will again reiterate that this is not the largest political contest ever on earth and it may (only may) be less significant in world terms than the US Presidential primaries. However, it gives me something to blog about so here goes.
The outcome is still pretty unclear. I see from the Dromore Leader that the TUV candidate Keith Harbinson has challenged the DUP candidate to a public debate tonight at 8pm but I have not heard whether or not the DUP will show up so the prospect of a debate is by no means certain.
Whatever the outcome of the election it will be interesting but as I have said before there is a grave danger of people reading too much into it. This especially applies to the TUV. A victory here will not mean that we are about to see the agreement come crashing down. I do not expect to be standing amongst a victorious crowd at the steps of Stormont having won final victory on Thursday or Friday. Though as an aside I was there for a walk with my four year old two weeks ago and thought the steps would be great as the Odessa steps in a remake of the Battleship Potemkin. Equally a defeat should not result in everyone packing up and going home, nor me returning to my remarks about caves which I have been chastised for making before. A good showing for any parties other than the DUP might well, however, be seen by the DUP as a (very small) shot across their bows and make them think a little more carefully about the PR problems inherent in the “love in”. The only problem with this is that Paisley must have been told previously about the problems his public bonhomie with McGuiness is causing with the electorate and indeed within his party. Despite this he seems to persist with this nonsense which I cannot see as gaining many / any liberal unionist votes and alienates more traditional unionists of any party.
If, however, elections were won and lost on the basis of posters alone the Greens would be on the cusp of a heroic victory considering that they have rather cleverly recycled theirs. Also on posters it seems that the DUP are angry that theirs were removed from Kinallen. As the DUP rightly say removing election posters is illegal; the opposite of “Bill Posters will be prosecuted”, remember that one?
Turgon @ 07:25 PM
DUP 2 WIN
Paul Stewart will walk it!
The DUP is the ONLY Party representing Unionism.
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 07:36 PMTurgon “If, however, elections were won and lost on the basis of posters alone..”
Local Churches are asking God to get in on the act with their poster ‘Pray for Dromore’. Local clergy have not given any explanation as to how the Good Lord is going to resolve the many conflicting requests He is getting. He has also been completely thrown by the many local atheists who are trying to get His ear – they usually don’t get in touch unless they are in a really tight corner. Latest reports say that He has decided to go on holiday to the US on 13 February – their election is much easier to handle, the Baptist has His vote already!
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 08:19 PMSPOIL YOUR VOTE THE DUP AND ALLISTER ARE JOKES.
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 08:20 PMI was in Dromore last weekend and saw the TUV crowd and a large mob of DUPs also on the march.
Bored and looking for a laugh, I rolled down the window and yelled Lundy traitors to both groups before speeding off, my only regret is that they weren’t near a puddle so I could drench them....
Much fun, I recommend any bloggers with a car go down to Dromore and do it this weekend, their little faces just fell. Serves them right, bunch of arrogant, self obsessed twerps.
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 08:27 PM[aside]DUP and SDLP members jump ships
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 08:46 PM“Bill Posters will be prosecuted”
Why? What did he do?
Not that one surely?
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 09:19 PMTurgon -
In you opinion is it a straight race between the DUP and TUV? How do you rate the UUP chances?
I’d also be interested in hearing Dromore voter and Michael Shillidays view on the UUP chances. I’m sure they’d take interesting positions.
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 09:53 PMIgnited,
I honestly have no idea at all.Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 10:10 PMOn another note, I’d say SF would be very interested in this seat as building or retaining the vote in the two wards that fall under LV for the Assembly, Gransha and Quilly, would be essential for any slim hope they have of retaining their MLA with the boundary review.
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 10:33 PMJust how did the DUP posters manage to ‘blow’ down yet Harbinson’s survive on the same pole. I’m sure they’ll be very keen to know what the other ones were made from that they could survive the light breeze that night....
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 10:34 PMOh slap it up them, like the DUP aren’t guilty of tearing down the oppositions posters. The problem is that these guys are all ex DUP so duppers are having their own tactics used against them and they don’t like it every much. Forgive us if we don’t cry too many tears for them..
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 10:57 PMThere seems to be some doubt as to whether any posters were ever erected in the first place!!
This election would be easy to call were it not for the fact that Paul Stewart is a complete prat and universally unliked in his own area. As for Carol Black - she seems to think the only reason she should be elected is because she is a woman. And what about the Green Party - she’s just had a baby and seems to think that should give her a ‘green card’ into politics - catch a grip. What a bunch of complete light weights. Vote for Keith Harbinson or David Griffin, because they seem to be the only candidates with an IQ worth anything.Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 11:09 PMthe outcome is very simple,
the TUV and DUP will end up splitting the unionist vote, UUP split it further, finishing just behind the DUP but just ahead of the TUV, in a very close race but,,
the SDLP comes through the center to take the seat in a shock victory
SDLP,
DUP
UUP
TUV
SFmark my words lol
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 11:11 PMLOL! Nice one Ruth Rodgers ("cunningly" disguised as aghast - see above)
It seems the Dromore Leader can’t even find a neutral journalist these days.
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 11:16 PMsdlp members jumping ship....nothing new there…
doesn`t even rate as a news story
TUV....
Tiresome
Uninteresting
VoicesPosted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 11:17 PMThat would serve them all right...despite knowing for at least six months that Tyrone Howe would resign they still can’t get it right and reel from one gaffe to another.
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 11:19 PMaghast,
If you hover a pointer over your name on the posts above it gives the email address you entered. Whoops.
Posted by on Feb 08, 2008 @ 11:29 PMIn relation to Dromore, from the UUP angle, a Young Unionist officer Alex Redpath has written this piece about the UUP’s chances in Dromore, it makes interesting reading:
http://www.belfastyu.org/2008/02/dromore-by-election.html
Posted by on Feb 09, 2008 @ 12:02 AM*laughs*
I love Basil’s great canvass plan. Talk about amateurs. Having to using the semi-independent 4 person teams in a council bye-election just shows the entire party can’t manage to get enough people together for a proper canvass of one seat in a tiny area. That alone would make me put their chances at slim to nothing. One experienced canvasser out of four! And its the only seat being fought? That is rubbish.
Posted by on Feb 09, 2008 @ 12:14 AMThe TUV meeting in Dromore Town Hall was packed – but the room would not have held more that about 100. Someone, who has lived in the town for 50 years, said that they only recognised 8 locals – even if that is way too low, there were certainly a lot of voices from across the province, one contingent from Co Tyrone. The meeting was very well conducted – no rowdies, that is unless you consider an enthusiastic and exuberant rendering of The Queen to be so! One questioner, who sounded pro Protestant Paramilitary, was quickly and firmly dealt with.
The panel consisted of Jim Allister MEP, Keith Harbinson candidate and Willie Ross UUP/ Ex UUP. Although I do not support their political analysis / position, they all presented their case very well – even if bending the facts to near breaking point at times. There analysis, that the primary driving force at Stormont at the moment is personal self interest, had a ring of truth about it. Jim and Willie are of course accomplished public speakers but Keith is a bright young man who demonstrated that he could catch up with them very fast given the opportunity – he would certainly outshine a majority of those at Stormont - sorry Keith, that was intended to be a complemented! The substance of the speeches contained nothing new – although you could be forgiven for thinking they did by the sound of audience response. Sorry guys, but I thought there was a little of the child liking to hear the same familiar and ‘comforting’ story again and again.
Having said all that, there was a tangible sense of hurt and betrayal in the meeting - whether you consider that to be justified or not is another matter. That was the single thing which struck me most. I, in the main, do not agree with their reaction to recent events, but, am convinced that their views cannot simply be swept aside. Most of the people in the meeting appeared to be decent folk whose views deserve to be dealt with more understandingly than is the case in many quarters at present.
I will not be voting for the TUV but would encourage more ‘moderates’, like myself, to listen more carefully to what they have to say and how their supporters feel. That might just help prevent the same old cycle starting again.
Posted by on Feb 09, 2008 @ 12:59 AMI was there too. It was standing room only at the back and I think there were even some people outside the door.
The most notable absentee was the DUP candidate - Stewart - who evidently didn’t feel secure enough in his arguments to show up for the debate. He did, however, manage to send a half wit on his behalf who muttered “rubbish” throughout the meeting - even when Allister said MMG was a self-confessed IRA man!
As Dromore Voter says, there was a great sense of betrayal in the meeting but there was also a resolve to do something positive and take a stand against the corrupt abomination at Stormont.
Posted by on Feb 09, 2008 @ 01:34 AMYou would just love the voters to do something totally unexpected for once.
Yawn
Posted by on Feb 09, 2008 @ 06:44 AMI imagine that like me, the rest of the world will little care nor scarcely note whatever may pass in Dromore.
But beware, Turgon, anyone who raises the sacreligious prospect of “remaking” The Battleship Potemkin will not easily be forgiven and their name will remain anathema to posterity.
I had the great pleasure of watching it again recently. It is to cinema what Michaelangelo’s David is to sculpture - unique and quite flawless.
Posted by on Feb 09, 2008 @ 10:44 AMAfter an in depth investigation, we have just unearthed the fact that DUPR decided last week to go for the ultimate objective – a DUP landslide in Dromore. They enlisted the help of a local developer, who they ‘know of’, and persuaded him to excavate a very large hole beside the main Belfast Road. Unfortunately, the local Roads Engineer caught on, and advised the party that Government property could not be used in this way during an election. He promptly arranged for the section office to dump a few loads of blinding on that one and told DUPR to b****r off public property.
Very early this morning Jeffry woke with a brilliant idea tearing around inside his head – how about promoting a UUP landslide on Wednesday! At 3 am PSNI officers were seen protecting the very frustrated local MP digging an enormously deep hole at the UUPR Black office in Market Square, he is certain that the UUP will disappear into it, for ever, on Wednesday.
Fortunately Jeff was not seen by Basil, who was doing some overtime with Carol at the front of the Black Office. They had decided to come clean and change the hording strapline from ‘New Face - New Ideas’ to ‘Old Faces - Old Ideas’. To reinforce the change in strategy they are creating a photo opportunity today in Dromore Old Peoples Home and have invited veteran Jim Molyneaux to attend – unfortunately Basil Brook Sen is no longer around.
Footnote - Our research team are examining the Alex Redpath bucket of whitewash and will report findings later.
Posted by on Feb 09, 2008 @ 11:32 AMSomething tells me the Drmore Leader will be getting a phone call on Monday at 9am from the DUP and UUP. Ruth Rodgers in the soup!
Posted by on Feb 09, 2008 @ 01:16 PM
