Tuesday, February 06, 2007
NI Conservatives in listening mode?
Great new design for the local Tories blog… and they are canvassing for their new online policy survey...
Mick Fealty @ 09:43 PM
Hmmmn, UKIP are currently trying to rename themselves, ‘Independence’, which locally comes 2nd only to ‘Green’ as an unfortunate name.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 02:38 PMCrataegus,
thanks for that on the Greens. It certainly sheds some light on it for me.As for the SDLP forming alliances, can’t see it happening. At present, there is nothing to be gained by southern parties forming alliances with the SDLP.
This could change very quickly. This year’s Dáil election and if Sinn FĂ©in are totally in the policing tent could lead to a new dynamic.
If the Tories and Labour enter the fray then I can see greater pressure for Fianna Fáil to get involved.
If constitutional unionism in the form of British “establishment” parties looks to break down old religious divisions then constitutional republicanism in the form of the Irish “establishment” parties should certainly follow suit.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 02:53 PMCrataegus
thanks again.
To over play the environment pun Hell will freeze over before the “Northern” committee of the Irish Green Party gets one of my preferences.
Thankfully due to global warming ...
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 02:57 PMDarth
Remember, not all UUPers are natural Conservatives! Lady Sylvia?
Remmember also, there are some in the SDLP who, as they themselves say, would under “normal circumstances” be inclined to be Tory.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 03:20 PMI could not vote Tory No. 1, in NI.
I’d naturally be a ‘Tory’ and if I lived on the Mainland I probably would be inclined to go that way; however I really dislike and distrust Cameron. I know the other David was a little ‘sour’, but I’d have prefered him. Cameron was selected in desparation.
I believe in an Ulster party to fight our corner in Westminster.
However I’d certainly give the Tories a preference. How many candidates are you running (Julian) and where?
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 03:39 PMKarl, what became the Ulster Unionist Council in 1905 was essentially a merger of Conservatives and Liberal Unionists. As I understand it, Ulster Unionist MPs ceased to take the Conservative whip.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 03:43 PMUUP must be delighted to have lost Henry Reilly - who can forget his Talkback appearance!
Tories delighted he has joined UKIPPosted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 03:47 PMLet’s not forget that Unionism was mainstream national politics in the first quarter of the last centuary. What is now the Conservative Party was the Unionist Party in Lloyd Georges’ coalitions and Edward Carson was a towering presence on the national political stage.
One of the many negative aspects of devolution here was the marginalisation of Ulster politicians many of whom had successful cabinet careers at Westminster.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 04:10 PMBonarlaw
One of the many negative aspects of devolution here was the marginalisation of Ulster politicians many of whom had successful cabinet careers at Westminster.
Good point and with it a loss of experience.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 04:16 PMRemmember also, there are some in the SDLP who, as they themselves say, would under “normal circumstances” be inclined to be Tory.
Inclined to be Fine Gael, I’d say. Or don’t you get the whole ‘Nationalist’ thing.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 04:19 PMDec
Don’t you get the whole “United Kingdom” thing?
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 04:21 PMObserver
“I believe in an Ulster party to fight our corner
in Westminster. “Fair enough.
Every constituency or region needs people to fight their corner, just like us.
I want Ulster people to fight our corner, it’s just that I prefer these Ulster people to be in the national parties. Furthermore, I think we have a lot to contribute on areas outside our own corner.
There are a couple of i’s to be dotted - we’ll confirm our number asap but it is more than we have run before - I think that is good news.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 04:23 PMDon’t you get the whole “United Kingdom” thing?
Tragically, I do. I don’t get the automatic (and false) assumption that the more socially conservative members of a “100% United Ireland’ party would find a natural home in a British unionist party. Which was kind of my original point and one you clearly missed.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 04:31 PMDec
Yes, I do of course do get the whole nationalist thing, difficult not to really.
I’m jusy relating the bones of a conversation with said person, that’s all. On the constitutional issue, of course we differ but the point being made was that on other issues we might be closer. If we both lived in England or in Dublin now, we could well be in the same party. That’s not difficult to get the head round surely???
I think it just points out how messed up our politics has become here.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 04:31 PMDec
Believe me, no assumptions, automatic or otherwise, being made. Done that in the past and paid the price!
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 04:34 PMBonar,
“One of the many negative aspects of devolution here was the marginalisation of Ulster politicians many of whom had successful cabinet careers at Westminster.”I would say that this was more one of the negative aspects of most of Ireland getting out of the United Kingdom rather than the creation of Stormont.
Northern Irish politicians became marginalised in Ireland and in the UK.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 04:41 PMJulian
Thanks for the response. I would venture that messed up politics was inevitable in(and a permanent feature of) such a messed up state.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 04:52 PMThe problem for Ulster Unionism (and I know Irish Nationalism has many, related problems) is that the Unionist party has to try and be all things to all Unionists. Left and right, green and not-so-green.
This is because Unionism is essentially nationalism, albeit British Nationalism.
In the South, given rough agreement on independence and the constitition, politics has split left, right, green and catch-all.In Scotland, one can see the beginnings of this process, with ex-Tories eyeing up a PD party in the event of independence.
NI remains the battleground of competing nationalities as there is no agreement on it’s constitution position.
There won’t be either until social change allows it, as political parties follow social demand, rather than lead it.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 05:25 PMCrat
On the greens’ website they boast
“When Northern Ireland Climate Scientist Jerry Doherty heard that the Green Party is likely to take at least one seat in the forthcoming Assembly Election, he flew back from the Antarctic via Argentina and London to North Down and got stuck in to the Greens’ Assembly election campaign.”
It seemed a strange claim given all the emphasis on CO2 emissions.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 08:54 PMSlug
They are full of contradictions, but despite this I would still like to see them win a seat as it would give a bit of variety and increase the range of views. Apart from that Brian Wilson is probably a fine fellow and one less dreary boring Unionist won’t be missed.
Northern Ireland Green Party seem a bit amateurish probably because they are working on a shoe string so you have to make allowances.
As I said elsewhere I would be delighted if Alliance, Greens and Conservatives all won a seat in N Down, but I know that that is improbable.
Let us just hope it is a good election for Labour, some of the Independents, Alliance, Greens, Conservatives etc. As for the DUP and SF I hope they have the result they truly deserve.
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 11:05 PMTaking of websites my favourite is Hermon’s it has a big piece about her delight about being selected to fight the 2005 General Election....
Posted by on Feb 07, 2007 @ 11:27 PMMust say I think the Tory site is good - but DUP still the best.
Will it make any impact in the constituencies though?Posted by on Feb 08, 2007 @ 10:06 AMConservative site is good and if they can bolster half the support they had in 1992 in N.Down then they will win a seat. They have my vote
Posted by on Feb 09, 2007 @ 12:41 AM
