Could Right-Wing Nationalists Ever Vote DUP?

An intriguing letter in yesterday’s Irish News from DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley in which he made a pitch on behalf of his party to Catholic working class voters. (The letter itself is paywalled, but the full thing is well worth a read). In the article, Buckley wrote that

“Let me be clear: the DUP is the only Executive party consistently standing for the ordinary individual, including the working-class Catholic nationalist who is too often ignored by those who claim to speak for them on major issues like uncontrolled and illegal immigration and the matter of common sense…Nationalists should know that in us they have an ally against the coalition of Sinn Féin, the SDLP, Alliance and the Greens, whose policies make daily life harder for ordinary people in Newry, west Belfast and beyond. The DUP will continue to give a voice to those who feel unheard. We will speak plainly where others equivocate and we will not shrink from defending the interests of working people, regardless of background.”

One of the more unfortunate aspects of the fundamental political divide in Northern Ireland is how it tracks along ideological lines as well as constitutional preferences. Sinn Féin and the SDLP are considered left-wing whereas the UUP, DUP and TUV are considered right-wing. Not only does this mean that the consociational requirement to have representatives from both right-wing Unionism and left-wing Nationalism is partially responsible for the dysfunction in the Executive, but it also likely feels disenfranchising for left-wingers passionate about their Unionism, or right-wingers eager for a united Ireland. Fundamentally, Buckley’s argument is for those who might otherwise be natural supporters of his party if it were not for the constitutional question to set that question aside for the time being and to give his party another look. It could be argued it is an appeal for politics as it should be and it’s not even unprecedented, as this story from a few years ago of a West Belfast based Catholic Priest admitting he would vote for the DUP over either Nationalist party reminds us.

Whether that appeal succeeds though is anyone’s guess.

Slugger Team

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