6 County Assembly Elections - 5th May 2022

[Gael80]

Why does Alliance HAVE TO decide to be Orange or Green?
Surely their whole point and reason for existence is that they're neither.

They don't have to but if in the event of a border poll they would need to chose a United Ireland or Union.. They could say we will leave it up to individual members to vote / canvas for what they want but then that causes a split in the party.

There'll be a split in the party either way if/when a border poll happens because if Party chose either side then members might get the hump and defect

It's called democracy. I don't know what Alliance would do but I presume they'd have a think tank producing balanced research on everyday issues. They would then provide space for their members and voters to make their own decision during the campaign debate. Most political parties don't have a specific directive on how to vote during referendum's.

[marty34]

Why does Alliance HAVE TO decide to be Orange or Green?
Surely their whole point and reason for existence is that they're neither.

They can"t sit on the fence forever.

Some day soon they'll have to make a decision.

[6th sam]

Why does Alliance HAVE TO decide to be Orange or Green?
Surely their whole point and reason for existence is that they're neither.

They don't have to but if in the event of a border poll they would need to chose a United Ireland or Union.. They could say we will leave it up to individual members to vote / canvas for what they want but then that causes a split in the party.

There'll be a split in the party either way if/when a border poll happens because if Party chose either side then members might get the hump and defect

Alliance have made impressive gains , and are a soft choice for those that aren't wedded to the constitutional debate. Their success is an indication that in peace , the middle ground has strengthened.
Ironically they are a bigger threat to a United ireland than the entire unionist bloc. SDLP appear to have increasingly become less green. Many of Their greener voters are clearly moving to SF, as many of their softer voters are now choosing Alliance. Incredibly imho, many Soft "nationalists" are now voting Alliance, thereby holding back the potential demographic surge in the nationalist vote. Alliance are likeable , like most middle grounders , but in supporting the status quo, they remain effectively a unionist party , and are the biggest barrier to a United Ireland. Soft "nationalists " voting for Alliance, may as well be voting for the DUP, as unless they vote nationalist, a border poll will remain as far away as ever .

[Rossfan]

There are 2 "Border poll" scenarios
1 a test the water type where Alliance advuse their members and supporters to vote as they see fit.
2 where there's an agreed plan/outline of the "New Ireland" (agreed by all except political unionism of course), where Alliance would have had input into it.
In that scenario they'd likely advise to vote for.

[red hander]

Nationalist  vote share around 42 %. It hasn't really changed in 25 yrs something Ellis O Hanlon had great pleasure in pointing out. What the bitter cretin didn't point out was that the Unionist vote over 25yrs has dropped by nearly 20% to 38%. It's also fair to say that the Alliance party is now a lot more 'green' as reflected in their transfer patterns. I still find it odd though and plenty seem guilty of it on this site that a nationalist would pick Alliance over SDLP - wtf. Anyway the Alliance can't keep spoofing for much longer as they will need something of more substance on a border poll rather than just wishing it away.

O'Hanlon is a disgrace to the ancient Irish clan name. Incredible amount of hate from her.

RDE is quiet these days. Is she sick?

She's always been sick.

[seafoid]

Why does Alliance HAVE TO decide to be Orange or Green?
Surely their whole point and reason for existence is that they're neither.

They can"t sit on the fence forever.

Some day soon they'll have to make a decision.

Unless the economy in the North is restructured to focus on the people the idea of a United Ireland is a delusion. The poorer the North is, the more likely the status quo continues.

[Milltown Row2]

Why does Alliance HAVE TO decide to be Orange or Green?
Surely their whole point and reason for existence is that they're neither.

They can"t sit on the fence forever.

Some day soon they'll have to make a decision.

Unless the economy in the North is restructured to focus on the people the idea of a United Ireland is a delusion. The poorer the North is, the more likely the status quo continues.

The number of families using food banks has more than doubled in the last year.

Using food banks in Ireland
According to a survey conducted on behalf of Barnardos, 10 per cent of parents has used a food bank by November 2022.

The land of milk and honey 

[LC]

Agus sin é. One day people will look back on today in history books and say that was a momentous day.  It's a local election but the worm has turned. We are moving down an irreversible pathway. We don't know the time frame,  we can guess,  but there is only 1 conclusion.

Elections are nothing but a head count and are a general reflection of what has been reflected in recent census.  Catholics outnumbering Protestants which inevitably was going to happen.  People will no doubt revel in this and no doubt as SF get more control over councils they will focus their energies on key things to them such as road signs being in the Irish Language etc.  Meanwhile Catholic or Protestant this is what is happening in the real world:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64746967

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65535242

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65605288

When the likes of the above come out in the press the politicians go very quiet.  At the end of the day there is no green white and gold or red white and blue angle so no point saying.

Regardless of me or a relative is sick and cant get an appointment we can all console ourselves that SF have now more MPs, MLAs and Councillors than DUP and that them and all their hangers on are well covered with nice wee jobs with no real accountability.

[Snapchap]

Why does Alliance HAVE TO decide to be Orange or Green?
Surely their whole point and reason for existence is that they're neither.

They don't have to now. But they can't sit on the fence forever. They've said as much themselves. A point I made here before:

Yiz must be joking. A border poll, when it happens, will be the most seismic political event of our lifetimes. Nobody will be able to escape partaking in the debate once the referendum is called - least of all a political party. I don't think it's credible to think that a party will willingly sideline itself from involvement in the hottest political event in it's existence. If it is foolish enough to try sitting on the fence then it will be lambasted from every side, not just from one. In Britain, Labour tried to ride two horses at once with the Brexit referendum and made an embarrassment of themselves. For now, Alliance can sit on the fence today and insist that they are not concerned with hypothetical constitutional arrangements when the health/cost of living crises etc are what people want dealt with; which is well and good, but once a border poll is called then that excuse goes out the window. A referendum campaign when it happens, will be all people will be talking about and in such a climate, Alliance will be unable to pretend otherwise. Naomi Long already stated before at Féile and Phobail that in the event of a border poll, the party will campaign. She just wouldn't be drawn on what side they will campaign on.

EDIT

She's also said on twitter a number of times, that Alliance will take a side in the event of a referendum:
https://twitter.com/naomi_long/status/1055517213879427077
https://twitter.com/naomi_long/status/1055520603610980357
https://twitter.com/naomi_long/status/1205491354232610816
https://twitter.com/naomi_long/status/1198948527264677897
https://twitter.com/naomi_long/status/1129417742711427074

Yiz must be joking. A border poll, when it happens, will be the most seismic political event of our lifetimes. Nobody will be able to escape partaking in the debate once the referendum is called - least of all a political party. I don't think it's credible to think that a party will willingly sideline itself from involvement in the hottest political event in it's existence. If it is foolish enough to try sitting on the fence then it will be lambasted from every side, not just from one. In Britain, Labour tried to ride two horses at once with the Brexit referendum and made an embarrassment of themselves. For now, Alliance can sit on the fence today and insist that they are not concerned with hypothetical constitutional arrangements when the health/cost of living crises etc are what people want dealt with; which is well and good, but once a border poll is called then that excuse goes out the window. A referendum campaign when it happens, will be all people will be talking about and in such a climate, Alliance will be unable to pretend otherwise. Naomi Long already stated before at Féile and Phobail that in the event of a border poll, the party will campaign. She just wouldn't be drawn on what side they will campaign on.

EDIT

She's also said on twitter a number of times, that Alliance will take a side in the event of a referendum:
https://twitter.com/naomi_long/status/1055517213879427077
https://twitter.com/naomi_long/status/1055520603610980357
https://twitter.com/naomi_long/status/1205491354232610816
https://twitter.com/naomi_long/status/1198948527264677897
https://twitter.com/naomi_long/status/1129417742711427074
[/quote]

[Snapchap]

Has anyone checked on trailer?

[Mourne Red]

Has anyone checked on trailer?

He's busy collecting all the SF posters for the Bonefire in July 

[Mikhail Prokhorov]

Why does Alliance HAVE TO decide to be Orange or Green?
Surely their whole point and reason for existence is that they're neither.

They can"t sit on the fence forever.

Some day soon they'll have to make a decision.

Unless the economy in the North is restructured to focus on the people the idea of a United Ireland is a delusion. The poorer the North is, the more likely the status quo continues.

the status quo is the only game in town for the vast majority of the north

change would require risk, they will never leave that comfortable space

a vote for sf is not a vote for reunification, far from it

[Milltown Row2]

Why does Alliance HAVE TO decide to be Orange or Green?
Surely their whole point and reason for existence is that they're neither.

They can"t sit on the fence forever.

Some day soon they'll have to make a decision.

Unless the economy in the North is restructured to focus on the people the idea of a United Ireland is a delusion. The poorer the North is, the more likely the status quo continues.

the status quo is the only game in town for the vast majority of the north

change would require risk, they will never leave that comfortable space

a vote for sf is not a vote for reunification, far from it

Comfortable place of being poor? You must be mad, once the dole merchants find out how much you can get on the dole in the south they'll be all over it

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Comfortable space? Northern Ireland is a mess. Operation needed sir certainly we wil pencil you in for an appt sometime around 2035. The economic and quality of life argument  being over whelming pro -uk are long gone.

[seafoid]

Why does Alliance HAVE TO decide to be Orange or Green?
Surely their whole point and reason for existence is that they're neither.

They can"t sit on the fence forever.

Some day soon they'll have to make a decision.

Unless the economy in the North is restructured to focus on the people the idea of a United Ireland is a delusion. The poorer the North is, the more likely the status quo continues.

the status quo is the only game in town for the vast majority of the north

change would require risk, they will never leave that comfortable space

a vote for sf is not a vote for reunification, far from it

Change is a risk but not doing anything is riskier

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2023/03/04/unionists-prefer-grim-past-to-future-and-flags-to-good-fortune/
The most deprived 20 per cent of households in Northern Ireland are so deprived that their babies born today can expect a "healthy life" for only 53 years. The corresponding figure for Sierra Leona is 52.9.

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2023/03/04/unionists-prefer-grim-past-to-future-and-flags-to-good-fortune/
On average, people in Northern Ireland are a lot less healthy than their southern cousins. The average person in the Republic can expect to live a healthy life for almost a full decade longer than people in the North. The figure for the North is 61 years and the corresponding one for the Republic is 69.4 years.


https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2023/03/04/unionists-prefer-grim-past-to-future-and-flags-to-good-fortune/
. According to a study by the ESRI, young people between 25-34 were more likely to have high levels of educational attainment (college, university and other tertiary education) in the Republic (over 55 per cent) than they did in the North (40.7 per cent).

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2023/05/12/glaring-gaps-between-north-and-south-in-productivity-education-and-qualifications-says-esri/
There are glaring gaps between the Republic and Northern Ireland in productivity, education, qualifications and even life expectancy, research experts from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) have told an Oireachtas committee.