#EP19 Daily Crack: The View debate and the best of the social media campaigns…

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So, the third of our election round ups (if we miss anything important, just stick it in the comment zone, or email me or David on the side).

Re The View debate (in no particular order), which started well, sagged in the middle and ended with a cacophonous crash. Mostly it involved a shuffling of cards within two odd sets of ‘families”: Unionists v Remainers.

➡️ Naomi recovered after floundering over her alleged Brexit flip flop. She handled Jim Allister’s with aplomb and used him as a foil. To a certain kind of liberal unionist she captures a mood of dismay and is clearly pushing into a space that was too cheaply vacated by the UUP.

➡️ Colum’s consistency allowed him field Carruthers’ opening salvo best. He scored positive points from praising Danny Kennedy for building roads and bridges with EU money. That he was the one Diane Dodds pilled in on at the end may convince his base he’s cutting through.

➡️ Danny suffered horribly in the opening question which put his own words back to him over how vital the EU was to funding infrastructure. And to be honest he never really recovered. He may even end up competing for the second Unionist place with Jim Allister.

➡️ Jim used the long period spent discussing transfers to get link Sinn Féin second preferences to Naomi’s candidacy. It probably worked well for him, but I’m not sure who is still going to come out for him. Unionism’s problem seems to be on the left, not the right.

➡️ Even Diane knows she’s not great on TV, so I doubt she expected to take major points out of this debate. All she really had to do was to stand up straight and a deliver a well crafted script. She probably got bonus points for laying into Colum at the end.

➡️ Martina’s best bit was switching from who the candidates might transfer to (which no one answered) to ask the audience, to get out and vote. Worst was her truly bizarre claim that she was single handedly responsible for the backstop. But she’s so far ahead it probably doesn’t matter.

Good example of the clear messaging here from Jim Allister from last night…

Out and about, the #EastwoodExpress references are turning up in the strangest of places, this time on the way to Balmoral Show (which has had an excellent turnout from politicians this year)…

Over at the Eastwood camp they’ve just launched a ballsy wee anti Brexit video which ends with the line “take back control of your future“:

Danny Kennedy this morning promises no return to a hard border…

Diane handing out the wee buns with confidence and supplying the tea to Liam Fox at the Balmoral show yesterday…

Meanwhile the latest from the Durkan Castleknock campaign…

Actually, I’m going to be cheeky and put a late one in for the SDLP. I like the formula break involved. The Bus is at the Airport this morning and he talks about the economic and emotional cost of emigration. Where’s Brexit? Well, “Brexit won’t help”. Modest, reasonable and credible.

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