Saturday, February 09, 2008
Two defections and one selection…
THE deputy chairman of the DUP’s youth association, Edward Hanna (25), has announced he will be joining the Ulster Unionists. The ex-DUP executive member claimed: “The centre of DUP politics has moved from its community base and people have taken to being very arrogant and not entirely out of touch but certainly politics driven by the people. The DUP completely ripped up their manifestos after the elections. There was no consultation with the people, there was no consultation anywhere.” The DUP responded: “In this case it would be best described as sour grapes. It is up to Mr Hanna if he wishes to use arrogance and rumours as an excuse and cover.” More unusually, the former chairman of the SDLP’s Bangor branch, Andrew Muir (pictured), is joining the Alliance Party. And in the Foyle constituency, Sinn Fein has selected Martina Anderson to take Mark Durkan on in the next general election.
Muir told the Belfast Telegraph his decision was in no way a criticism of leader Mark Durkan.
But he argued that with the SDLP on course to merge with Fianna Fail this year, the time was right to realign himself with a party “in tune with the real issues facing Northern Ireland today”.
“The politics of Northern Ireland are now fundamentally different than in 1998, when the Good Friday Agreement was signed, never mind 1970 when the SDLP was formed,” he said.
“As a passionate supporter of the Good Friday Agreement, the Alliance Party provides me with a natural centrist home in the post-nationalist era we now live.
“The threat of terrorism and environmental catastrophe now means that the need for European unity outweighs desires for old fashioned Irish unity.
But an SDLP spokesman claimed Mr Muir’s departure was motivated by personal ambition.
Belfast Gonzo @ 02:26 PM
Well Ken, for a start if people get togeather to develop a shared future instead of pissing and moaning about what fecking flag to fly or what is the national anthem etc actual important things like climate change can be debated and solved rationally instead of tribal politicians trying to make “Them’uns” look like chumps.
Weak. Disagreement on one issue does not prelude agreement on another, nor is climate change particularly likely to be high up the list before economics under any system. Try again.
Posted by on Feb 13, 2008 @ 03:02 PMI’ll repeat myself,
Alliance need to win 1st preferences away from Unionists and transfers from the SDLP to consolidate their position in Antrim and Down. They don’t yet have much of one elsewhere.
It follows that Alliance’s focus needs to be on the failures and contradictions of reactionary Unionism in, for example, the constituency I’m sitting in now; East Belfast.
There is little tactical advantage in squabbling with the SDLP. Attacking the SDLP for a lack of post-modern detachment from “nationalist projects” won’t lend much credibility to Alliance’s accusations of cynical photo-opportunism in the Paisley-McGuinness partnership.
What Alliance argues is that a shared, peaceful and prosperous society should be our first, middle and last priority and that if that society (assuming it is indeed shared, peaceful and prosperous) decides on Irish unity, joint sovereignty or federal union with England, Scotland and Wales, that needs to be OK for all of us despite our own first preferences..and that we’re allowed to keep arguing for peaceful change to that decision if that’s our continuing ambition and if we can be arsed.
The SDLP need to take votes from SF so; although they may agree entirely with the position outlined above, they need to sell a shared society as the only valid or likely route by which a peaceful, prosperous, united Ireland can be built.
Both positions are right. Neither conflict. In fact I’d claim that they’re almost entirely the same.
The only difference is that Alliance is effectively the liberal opposition to reactionary Unionism and the SDLP the liberal opposition to “revolutionary” SF...and that because of these differing missions they need to use different spin.
They are territorial/community franchises on (almost) the same product. Fighting between themselves helps neither.
In fact if Alliance can’t be civil with the SDLP we may as well give up.
Posted by on Feb 13, 2008 @ 05:36 PMAre you seriously saying that Alliance should only be concentrating on being unionists with a small u? Are you also suggesting that there are no catholics will vote for Alliance and no protestant will vote for SDLP? You are very innocent and blinkered if thats really your view.
Posted by on Feb 13, 2008 @ 05:50 PMTake a look at Alliance’s electoral and territorial base Pounder.
I don’t think Alliance need to be small “u” unionists. They need to be “post-nationalists” or even “post-unionists” (and unionism is another nationalism) to persuade unionists of the benefits (and lack of risk in) a shared future. This is what they are.
And for some small “n” nationalists Alliance is the only way to get elected in some constituencies.
I’m a prod. I give the SDLP my first preference vote in North Down partly to register than North Down is not entirely free of all_Ireland aspiration.
I am a member of the Alliance party because as an east Belfast chap I care more about taking the walls down around Short Strand than I do about the border.
Also, while my first preference is a united Ireland, as I come from “the unionist” community” (and as I’m neither blinkered nor innocent) I know that developing a stronger liberal constituency and a greater esteem/affection for nationalist/catholics within unionist/prod land (by which I mean more every day contact and friendship) is the only way to build towards what I’d like - a normalised and united Ireland for my kids so they don’t have to waste their time on all this shit.
Does that help?
Posted by on Feb 13, 2008 @ 06:21 PMAre you seriously saying that Alliance should only be concentrating on being unionists with a small u?
Er, they are unionists with a small u.
Posted by on Feb 13, 2008 @ 06:56 PMDid anyone see today’s newsletter with the latest Eddie Hanna installment?? Apparently headquarters dug out his resignation letter and apparently it didn’t bear much resemblance to his comments over the weekend
Posted by on Feb 13, 2008 @ 09:56 PM
