So, the sixth 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)…
Continuing a theme from yesterday’s Daily Crack, it turns out that in the 2016 EU Referendum, the SDLP spent £8,000 (more than half the £14,971 that went on the Assembly election the same year). Sinn Féin refused to disclose their spending, whilst the Greens spent £300.
In the arms race row about who campaigned and who didn’t that means the SDLP spent sixteen times Alliance who chipped in just £500 just months after spending £32,456 in the Assembly elections that year.
Niall Kelly shared the detail on Twitter…
We've seen a lot of campaign tweeting in the past few days over who fought the hardest for Remain in 2016. This report from the Irish News is a good guide as to who spent what @SluggerOToole pic.twitter.com/A9ddRaUSwD
— Niall Kelly (@niall__kelly) May 19, 2019
The BelTel reports Danny Kennedy warning against an “anti-unionist coalition”…
“It is clear that if two non-unionists were to be elected, it would embolden Sinn Fein to increase calls for a border poll,” the former Employment Minister said.
“The language used by a number of the candidates would make it appear that they are just anti-unionist rather than being pro-European, which adds to the concept of a latent anti-unionist coalition to stop Unionists winning two seats.”
In Dublin Mark Durkan is tangling with Sinn Féin rival for the Dublin seat over its accusation that Fine Gael (and Fianna Fáil) are passive supporting a single European army:
“I’m someone that’s never supported bombing. I didn’t support bombing in this country, I haven’t supported it in any other country. Sinn Fein cannot say that,”
Most memorable tweet of the campaign so far is this #WheresClare graphic from the Northern Ireland Greens, highlighting the lack of much coverage for them and the two formal debates on mainstream TV…
BBC NI Election Special is on Tues evening ahead of #EUelections2019
TUV, Sinn Fein, Alliance, DUP and UUP will be there. @ClareBaileyGPNI
isn’t invited.We’re asking the BBC to invite Clare.
Sign the petition 👇🏻 if you agree! https://t.co/BAFyUcwZP5 pic.twitter.com/TieBUfFoIo
— Green Party NI (@GreenPartyNI) May 19, 2019
Neil McCann is on the peace line…
Putting up posters on the peace line. Lovely reception from all. 😃😃 pic.twitter.com/mXXmonH1iw
— Neil Patrick McCann (@Koberah) May 20, 2019
And Jane Morrice’s #VoteJane2Remain campaign is on the go…
https://twitter.com/champs_champs/status/1129744368850669568
On one of its latest stops, the Eastwood Express meet an enterprising independent Lisburn and Castlereagh council candidate Jonny Orr who snagged Colum Eastwood for an interview in Lisburn who now has it up on his Facebook page.
The only news article under the Irish News’ European Election category focuses on Mark Durkan’s 8% showing in the Red C poll yesterday. The News Letter has a useful piece on how to vote and when.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
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