UUP

SDLP and UUP wiped out as Sinn Fein and DUP take 17 seats…

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It was a bad night for the moderate parties as the SDLP have lost all three of its Westminster seats and the UUP lost all two of theirs.  The DUP and Sinn Fein grabbed 17 out of 18 seats with Independent Lady Sylvia Hermon being re-elected in North Down. This will be a major blow for the new UUP leader Robin Swann as for the first time they lose all representation at Westminster. The SDLP will feel particularly aggrieved losing …

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What to look out for tonight

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It’s nearly all over as one of the quietest campaigns comes to an end but turnout is reported to be doing well in many places across Northern Ireland at 5pm. What should you look out for; For the UK wide picture as soon as it hits 10pm the main networks BBC, ITV and SKY News will publish the results of their exit poll, be cautious about other polls out there! Some folks got other polls mixed up in 2015 and …

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Slugger TV debuts on NVTV looking at key constituencies of #GE2017

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Slugger O’Toole: Episode 1 from Northern Visions NvTv on Vimeo. Slugger TV debuted on NVTV  last night with a panel of the Irish News Security Correspondent, Allison Morris and our own Alan Meban. We looked at the key constituencies of the campaign and some of the moments of the election campaign.   David McCannDavid McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from University of Ulster. You can follow him on twitter @dmcbfs

“So let nobody speak of a progressive or anti-Brexit pact either…”

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In Saturday’s Irish News, Newton Emerson with some impertinent points about electoral pacts in the forthcoming General Election on June 8.  From the Irish News Sinn Féin has ordered the SDLP to stand down, although sadly not to dump arms, in North Belfast and Fermanagh and South Tyrone. Let nobody call this a nationalist pact, as that would involve reciprocation and Sinn Féin has not offered to stand down anywhere.  Sinn Féin’s stance is doubly impressive when it risks handing …

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Fake News and False Balance undermine Victims’ Human Rights

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Last weekend was the second anniversary of the rightsinfo.org website. To mark the event, a panel discussion took place during which the site’s founder Adam Wagner stated that “fake news was old news in human rights” and that people “have been convinced by newspapers for years and years that human rights are a villain.” He was joined at the panel discussion by Buzzfeed Special Correspondent James Ball who said “The bigger problem is…essentially the much wider ecosystem of material which …

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UUP standing aside in North Down in favour of Lady Hermon

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Sylvia Hermon is one of the most successful independent candidates in our local history at a Westminster Level. She won the North Down seat in 2001, held the seat against a DUP surge in 2005, crushed her UCUNF opponent by double digits in 2010 and was safely re-elected in 2015. In 2017, she will continue her record as the MP for North Down. Now the UUP are realising that it’s not worth the battle and are pulling out in favour …

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Candidates for #GE2017

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Alliance Party (18 candidates) East Antrim – Stewart Dickson East Belfast – Naomi Long East Londonderry – Chris McCaw Fermanagh and South Tyrone – Noreen Campbell Foyle – John Doherty Lagan Valley – Aaron McIntyre Mid Ulster – Fay Watson Newry and Armagh – Jackie Coade North Antrim – Patricia O’Lynn North Belfast – Sam Nelson North Down – Andrew Muir South Antrim – Neil Kelly South Belfast – Paula Bradshaw South Down – Andrew McMurray Strangford – Kellie Armstrong …

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DUP and UUP fail to agree formal pact

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From the BBC’S Mark Devenport; DUP leader Arlene Foster and UUP leader Robin Swann said they would continue to discuss better unionist co-operation beyond the election. But they could not agree on an overall pact, despite the parties already deciding against splitting the unionist vote in some key constituencies. The report continues quoting both leaders; “Both of our parties want to see the strongest possible vote for pro-union candidates standing in all of the 18 constituencies across Northern Ireland,” they …

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Pat Doherty stands down as an MP

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Former Sinn Fein Vice President and MP for West Tyrone since 2001, Pat Doherty has announced he will not seek re-election. His successor will be local MLA, Barry McElduff, who will be defending a majority of 10,060 votes that the party achieved at the 2015 election. So far the confirmed candidates are, Daniel McCrossan of the SDLP and Alicia Clarke of the UUP. David McCannDavid McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from University of Ulster. You can follow him …

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Orange Order; We believe it is in Northern Ireland’s vital interests for as many Unionist MPs as possible be returned to our mother Parliament

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The Orange Order has issue a statement today urging the Unionist parties to show “unity of purpose” The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland recognises the critical importance and huge significance of the forthcoming General Election. As the United Kingdom commences the process of exiting the European Union it is essential a purposeful and stable Government is elected to act on behalf of, and deliver the best possible deal, for its citizens. Equally, it is of the utmost importance that Northern …

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The Pro-Remain Coalition failing with have consequences on June 8th.

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The short lived attempt to build a Pro-Remain coalition of sorts has now ended with the Greens pulling the plug and the failure of the other parties to agree on independent candidates. Alliance who were out of the traps early opposing the pact delivered an unusually strong criticism towards the Green Party over even entertaining such a prospect.  Initial Thoughts I was a supporter of some arrangement that brought together Pro-Remain forces in some shape or form. This would have …

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The saving grace of electoral pacts is that they’re short lived. There’s a longer and bigger game to play afterwards

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One sign of changed times is leading commentators  such as  Alex Kane Tom Kelly and Newton Emerson ranging across newspapers that not so long ago  would have stuck to simple uncomplicated messages for  well  understood and stable readerships. Times have indeed changed for us all. From my remote position in London however, Alex and Tom are making very heavy weather of the issue of electoral pacts on both sides of the divide.  They’re doing so for the best of reasons, …

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Without an anti Brexit pact United Unionism will win this election

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The move towards a DUP-UUP pact for the Westminster has already begun and, depending on how far the two parties are willing to go and the absence of any other pacts this could be a good election for unionism in terms of the total number of MPs returned. A successful unionist pact could deliver as many as 11 out of the 18 seats, their best joint return in 20 years. It could also see the return of 3 Unionist MPs …

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UUP stand aside in N.Belfast clearing the way for further talks with the DUP

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The UUP have confirmed they will stand aside in North Belfast, as well as West Belfast and Foyle. This effectively clears the way for the DUP Deputy Leader, Nigel Dodds to keep the seat, if the other parties don’t come to some sort of arrangement. Speaking about the election the party leader, Robin Swann said; “The General Election has been called and we have moved quickly to put Ulster Unionist Party candidates in the strongest possible position in advance of …

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The Way Forward for Cooperation between Pro-Remain Parties?

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This could be a watershed election, in the local context it could be the most important at a Westminster level since 1918. Northern Ireland holds just 18 out of 650 MPs and even in a hung parliament environment it can be difficult to get gain traction. What we lack in voting power, we have a potential to make up for in a strong signal being sent by the wider electorate. The dynamics of the race here are actually relatively simple, …

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Eastwood “We’re open to any discussion about how we can protect the remain vote in Northern Ireland”

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Chris had an excellent post up today about the possibility of having a Pro Remain Alliance for the upcoming election. At Stormont today, the SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood had some very interesting comments which are worth noting We don’t do sectarian pacts between two parties to keep out one community. We’re open to any discussion about how we can protect the remain vote in Northern Ireland, about how we can fight against the anti-Europe MPs and how we can protect …

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Key races to watch in Northern Ireland

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Now that the starting gun has been fired by the PM, what are some of the key races to pay attention to locally. There are quite a few and as this is Northern Ireland the health warning comes with the importance of the right candidates being selected to stand in the right constituencies. North Belfast Currently held by DUP Deputy Leader, Nigel Dodds Majority; 5,326 (Note this was with UUP and other Unionist parties out of the race). Dodds has …

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Swann makes his opening pitch as UUP Leader

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Robin Swann became the Ulster Unionist Leader yesterday. He candidacy was unopposed. He delivered his first speech as leader to the few hundred delegates gathered at the party’s AGM in South Belfast. On a single Unionist Party; So to those who seek a single unionist party, I ask them to consider carefully the consequences of such an outcome. A single unionist party would limit choice, stifle debate and quickly result in the depletion of Unionist votes at the ballot box. …

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Gerry Adams has been allowed to fill the vacuum at the heart of the talks

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Only the most basic information has emerged so far  out of the set piece statements from the  parties. Arlene Foster’s offer of a return to the Executive “without pre-conditions” and do sensible things like passing the budget  was never going to be enough to draw in Sinn Fein, whose  whole position was all about setting conditions. If she was ever going to give satisfaction on matching Sinn Fein’s  unmanageably long list of demands, why not give  some specific declarations of …

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Robin Swann set to become the new UUP Leader

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North Antrim MLA, Robin Swann is set to take over as the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party without a contest. Swann is currently the party’s Chief Whip and was involved with the Ulster Farmers Union. In a post on Facebook last night he said; I can confirm that I have submitted papers today to seek election as Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, after receiving support from across the Party including members of our Westminster, Assembly and Local Government …

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