Election 2007 – Page 8 – Slugger O'Toole

“aesthetically unappealing, but it is a triumph for London and Dublin”

Pete Baker on March 12, 2007, 1:45 am

| Readers 22

And if you find Peter Shirlow’s viewpoint too pessimistic, there is an alternative. From his academic colleague at Queen’s, Paul Bew – soon to be in another place but, for now, writing in the Sunday Independent [free reg req] The British government insists that all will be well. British officials acknowledge that neither the DUP nor Sinn Fein is exactly focused on reconciliation, but they believe that the power-sharing structures of the Good Friday Agreement are so strong that they …

“the election results reflect a deeply fractured society”

Pete Baker on March 12, 2007, 1:18 am

| Readers 25

Veteran punk band Stiff Little Fingers played the Ulster Hall on Friday and one of their tracks, Alternative Ulster, provides both the starting point and the conclusion to the Observer’s Henry McDonald’s survey of the political landscape post-election. Given my previous post, it won’t be a surprise that the stand out quote, for me, comes from Queen’s University’s Dr Peter Shirlow who, as Henry McDonald notes, said the outcome did not necessarily entail a move towards historic compromise. “I think …

DUP: Winners yes, but with some work to do…

Mick Fealty on March 10, 2007, 8:49 pm

| Readers 7

In case it has escaped some of our reader’s notice, the biggest winners of this election were the DUP. If you put the three defector’s seats into the pot already you might argue that they added only three seats to Sinn Fein’s four, but it puts them sufficiently far ahead to give them four Executive seats to Sinn Fein’s three. One of those defectors, Jeffrey Donaldson had this to say about his old party: But former Ulster Unionist and re-elected …

To infinity and beyond.. or, at least, beyond 26th March

Pete Baker on March 10, 2007, 8:31 pm

| Readers 1

Regardless of what the actual message from the electorate was, the question that remains is – What next? The Belfast Telgraph’s Chris Thornton returns, in another 10 minute slot for their online video output, this time with editor-in-chief Ed Curran, to review the situation – and, in part, the discussion he had last week with Mike Smyth and host Michael McMillan. Meanwhile their colleague Noel McAdam picks up on the main topic they consider, the credibility of the government’s March …

Will we have power sharing?

Mick Fealty on March 10, 2007, 3:27 am

| Readers 3

Great discussion between Chris Thornton and Mike Smyth on the possibilities of getting a deal… who do a great job in holding down an irascible Michael McMillan as chair… Rare occasion on which heat co-exists with light!! Mick FealtyMick 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

Blair and Ahern mesmerised by shadows..

Pete Baker on March 10, 2007, 2:19 am

| Readers 2

According to the joint statement from Prime Minster Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern – “The message of the electorate is clear.” Riiight.. sure it is.. But it gets better worse, Tony Blair’s also promoting the idea that the election was actually about those ‘bread and butter’ issues – “The issues were amazingly, in a sense hearteningly enough, water rates, health, education and the economy and so on.” Issues which, admittedly, all parties sought to highlight in advance.. even if …

Open Election Thread (4)…

Mick Fealty on March 10, 2007, 12:02 am

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Some of our commenters seem to have lots to talk about other than the topics of the current stories. To kick it off, can I pitch a question at our Nationalist commenters (though since this is open I hope it doesn’t restrict the conversation). In the past, we have expended gigabites of bandwidth in discussing whether or not some politicians are or are not Unionists. It is often a strangely moveable feast. For instance, BP1078, responding to SouperSoupy‘s note about …

‘Unionists’ only just in the majority…

Mick Fealty on March 9, 2007, 9:07 pm

| Readers 4

It’s all over bar the shouting (and crying)… Final news: Deeney holds at the expense of the SDLP; and Burns nicks South Antrim. I left Sammy Gardiner’s transfers out when I talked to Sammy, so Ward was not as close as we thought. But there is close to three nationalist seats in Upper Bann next time out. The final totals make very interesting reading:DUP increase their status as top party with 36 seats. That should give them four seats in …

Deeney to squeak home….

Mick Fealty on March 9, 2007, 7:14 pm

| Readers 5

From Sammy (who’s in transit) who reckons that Deeney should squeak home against SDLP Josephine Deehan, who should then face the fight of her life against the DUP’s Alan Bresland, with the odds tipped slightly in favour of the latter. That would bring the number of ‘unaligned’ MLA’s to nine – not counting the PUP’s Dawn Purvis accomplished performance in East Belfast to deny the UUP a second seat. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers …

Northern Ireland’s first Green MLA…

Mick Fealty on March 9, 2007, 6:02 pm

| Readers 3

All that talk of real issues and manifestos and finally an issue based party is now just 44 votes away from breaking Northern Ireland’s highly problematic glass ceiling. It looks certain that Brian Wilson will be Northern Ireland’s first Green MLA in North Down. Just two elected so far, with Alliance taking the second seat. The DUP’s Peter Weir should come home shortly. Sitting UUP MLA Alan McFarland will likely have a tough fight on his hands with Alan Graham …

South Belfast: The real joker in the pack…

Mick Fealty on March 9, 2007, 5:24 pm

| Readers 8

This was fascinating. South Belfast, once an Ulster Unionist banker, now has a majority of non Unionist representatives. Five of the six elected MLAs all made it to ten percent. It’s also the most conspicuous block on the DUP landscape, and an abject failure of the party’s vote management. We understand that some time Friday pm, they abandoned the preformed schema, and began handing out Stalford 1 leaflets at places where Jimmy Spratt had been slated for the top slot. …

BBC: Two, rather than four, main parties…

Mick Fealty on March 9, 2007, 4:02 pm

| Readers 1

The BBC’s line is that there are now only two big parties, rather than four. Without doubt, some history was made on Wednesday, not least the collapse of Ulster Unionists. At 30% percent of the vote going to the DUP: it looks like three in the last UUP stronghold of North Down. On the Nationalist side, with a smart, focused and clever deployment of its considerable manpower Sinn Fein achieved what it arguably could not do through the media in …

Sinn Fein second in Lagan Valley…

Mick Fealty on March 8, 2007, 10:56 pm

| Readers 11

Because of boundary changes, this is may be the first and last time Paul Butler takes this seat. But he’s done a tremendous job in getting out his vote out, and a hell of a lot more… Someone deserves credit here for an extremely hard worked campaign (93% turnout in Lagmore). If you look at the figures, they seem to have penetrated not only the SDLP’s vote, but some of Alliance’s too. Jeffrey Donaldson DUP Elected 1 9,793 23.4 Paul …

BBC Gaffes…

Mick Fealty on March 8, 2007, 10:31 pm

| Readers 2

Given our major gaffe of not being here when he action was happening it ill betides us to sneer other’s minor slips Reader Dáithí notes: · As usual, superior coverage from the BBC covering today’s elections. However some delicious slip ups and gaffes which is making the marathon broadcast all the more enjoyable. I’m trying to keep a record of all the ‘Electionballs’ over today and tomorrow. Add below if coverage on UTV (and incidentally live on RTÉ until 1800 …

West Belfast…

Mick Fealty on March 8, 2007, 10:21 pm

| Readers 3

Stunningly good vote management from Sinn Fein in West Belfast. Gerry Adams SF6,029 17.8 Elected 1 Sue Ramsey SF 4,715 14.0 Paul Maskey SF 4,368 12.9 Jennifer McCann SF 4,265 12.6 Fra McCann SF 4,254 12.6 Diane Dodds DUP 3,661 10.8 Alex Attwood SDLP 3,036 9.0 That looked like a big ask beforehand, but it is clear the Shinners put the work in to their three men and two women safely in, before (it would seem) setting off to other …

Sammy has the figures…

Mick Fealty on March 8, 2007, 9:34 pm

| Readers 2

Having spent the crucial period of this election count wending back and forth trying to get our server up again for the crucial period, all I can say is you can get all the figures from Sammy… Mick FealtyMick 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

Rowan to top poll in Holywood…

Mick Fealty on March 8, 2007, 6:36 pm

| Readers 4

Lot’s of gossip, but few reliable facts so far. Most of the guestimates I’m getting are just that. Fair Deal is taking point on the real figures. Marion Smyth in North Down was spotted with a large smile on her face when the Crawfordsburn box was opened. Some concerns amongst the Greens that they had under worked their one realistic chance of a seat, but spreading their effort too thinly elsewhere seems to have been allayed somewhat recently. Again, according …

Human Rights and the parties…

Mick Fealty on March 7, 2007, 9:26 pm

| Readers 1

Patrick at Amnesty International has looked at the manifestos from a Human Rights angle. Worth cutting out to keep for future reference… Mick FealtyMick 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

Just like a lunatic fantasy…

Mick Fealty on March 7, 2007, 8:47 pm

| Readers 1

Jonathan Freedland looks to Ulster’s Odd Couple (Paisley and McGuinness, in case you hadn’t guessed) sparks some hope that the apparently intractable Middle East dilemma might find a plausible release from its gory Promethean rock. Mick FealtyMick 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

Election Updates…

Mick Fealty on March 7, 2007, 8:44 pm

| Readers 1

Clearly we are going to try to keep you up to date as much as we can, but as Will Crawley notes, the BBC also have a text message update service. Text the word “election” to 81222. Updates will arrive in your inbox from 2 pm tomorrow. Mick FealtyMick 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, …