AE22

Slugger TV looks at Ground Hog Day in Politics

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Sarah Creighton talking on Slugger TV from the nvTv studio

February 2 was Groundhog Day. Sarah Creighton joined Alan Meban in the studio to discuss whether there are any signs of change in the political stalemate that’s gripped Northern Ireland for last year, and they looked ahead to how the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement will be marked in April and the upcoming local government elections in May. You can come along to the next Slugger TV recording at the Look North! The North Belfast Festival by booking your space here David …

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Slugger TV looks at the main parties after #AE22

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Slugger TV is five years old! This month Anna Mercer from Stratagem and Chris Donnelly look at the state of the parties following the Assembly Election. David McCannDavid McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from University of Ulster. You can follow him on twitter @dmcbfs

Lough Neagh Constituency Profile – STV for Dunnocks

| Readers 1362

One of the less talked-about constituencies in this election has been that of Lough Neagh. You might think that an electorate principally composed of birds would have found a natural home on Twitter, and actually they have, but they’ve had the good sense and decorum to conduct their campaigns on a restricted Twitter Community. No need to have Jim Wells, let alone anyone else, sticking their oar in. Like many Special Parliamentary Areas, the members representing the Lough had all …

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UTV Leaders Debate-Low key campaigns don’t drop their guards

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The leaders of the five main parties gathered in South Belfast today for the UTV Leaders Debate, which is the first of two of these debates in the 2022 Assembly Election campaign. Marc Mallett as usual was the moderator and there were two new faces with Doug Beattie and Jeffrey Donaldson taking part for the first time. The experienced debaters returning from 2017 were Colum Eastwood, Naomi Long and Michelle O’Neill. The debate was divided into three main themes, Executive …

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Slugger TV reviews the 2022 Assembly Election Campaign

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This month Slugger TV reviews the 2022 Assembly Election Campaign with Brendan Hughes from Belfast Live and Activist & Commentator Liz Nelson. Hosted by David McCann. David McCannDavid McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from University of Ulster. You can follow him on twitter @dmcbfs

In an election in which SF is likely to “beat the DUP”, they may also lose something in the process..

| Readers 5997
sunflower, yellow, flower

What an odd election. We know something is coming, but not sure what. Overseas journalists talk casually about Sinn Fein being on the verge of power when in fact what’s coming ought to be a levelling up of status between SF and the DUP. They’ve been in power for twenty years. But as I look around the constituencies the rise of the middle shows that losses are going to be very hard to avoid for both Sinn Féin and the …

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And the winner is … ranking the PEBs: Slugger’s verdict on the party broadcasts of #AE22

| Readers 3664

It’s back! The Slugger review of the Party Election Broadcasts. Starting all the way back in 2014, we are returning to award the best party election broadcast of the 2022 Assembly campaign. This year we are assembling the same judges as in 2019 to help us decide who won the battle on TV. We have our own Alan Meban, the Belfast Telegraph Crime Correspondent, Allison Morris and Director of Brown O’Connor Communications, Chris Brown. How does it work? Each of …

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SDLP meet for the first time in four years with opportunities and battles ahead.

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The SDLP met in Bellaghy for their first conference since 2018. The small crowd of around one hundred delegates gathered at the Seamus Heaney homeplace. This is the first time since 2018 that delegates have gathered together in person. Last time the conference was something akin to a wake as they reeled from a disastrous General Election in 2017. This time they meet with two MPs and a minister in government, but the party has challenges going into this election. …

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Slugger TV looks at what it’s like to be an MLA

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In this episode, we are two former MLAs and Junior Ministers, Megan Fearon and Emma Little Pengelly who talk to us about what it is like to be an MLA and run an election campaign. David McCannDavid McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from University of Ulster. You can follow him on twitter @dmcbfs

Slugger TV looks at the polls and strategy for #AE22

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This month Slugger TV talks to two former party strategists about what the parties will be thinking about going into the next election. We have Brendan Mulgrew (For SDLP advisor and Partner in MW Advocate) and Lee Reynolds (Former Director of Policy for the DUP and SPAD). NVTV and local broadcasting lost a very special person last week. Marilyn Hyndman very sadly passed away. She was someone who edited, checked over and supported Slugger TV. We hope you enjoy this …

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Scores on the doors: 2022 Assembly Election lay of the land

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We are 104 days away from the Assembly Election. Set for Thursday 5th May, we will be able to decide who we want to take Northern Ireland forward for the next few years. Where will the parties be targeting and defending? I have put together a list of where is under threat for each of the main parties and where could they make some gains. These things are moveable feasts and dynamics can change throughout the campaign. Sinn Fein-Currently holds …

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Stormont’s economic forecasts and the 2022 Assembly election provide the opportunity for a different approach.

| Readers 2845

By Philip Wilson Amid the furore of recent weeks, a recent Finance Committee slipped under the radar with some interesting facts about the future of Northern Ireland’s economy. Stormont’s financial settlement for this financial year is something of an aberration as overall expenditure has risen from last year’s £24 million to £28 million for this year. Much of this must be credited to the willingness of the Treasury and Bank of England to go above and beyond in their COVID-related …

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AE22: Targets for the main parties next year

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It is 15 months away, but lockdown boredom and messing around with numbers, he is the lay of the land going into the next Assembly Election. Alliance The happiest people looking at this are the Alliance Party, gains to be seen across Northern Ireland and on numbers, none of their 8 seats are under threat. Around 10 target seats are there for them, with varying degrees of effort required. The low hanging fruit are places like North Belfast and South …

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