Sinn Fein? They have gone away, you know.

[Applesisapples]

Nally/Glens how'd SF get the majority of first prefs but not translate them into seats? Serious question, I think it is perhaps down to lack of SDLP transfers? If they have a job to do within nationalism. As do the stoops. Unionism have galvanised their vote particularly the young vote and middle class. Middle class nationalist seem content to lie back and think of Britain. SF and the SDLP are now too accepting of all things British, City of Culture for example and this conveys an acceptance of the union to voters. There is still no consensus on unity amongst nationalist parties and this is disgraceful. Particularly in light of the UUP/DUP pact which will be undoubtedly be agreed between Peter and His poodle, as they both fall over themselves to become Cameron's poodles. Thoughts?

[Myles Na G.]

Nally/Glens how'd SF get the majority of first prefs but not translate them into seats? Serious question, I think it is perhaps down to lack of SDLP transfers? If they have a job to do within nationalism. As do the stoops. Unionism have galvanised their vote particularly the young vote and middle class. Middle class nationalist seem content to lie back and think of Britain. SF and the SDLP are now too accepting of all things British, City of Culture for example and this conveys an acceptance of the union to voters. There is still no consensus on unity amongst nationalist parties and this is disgraceful. Particularly in light of the UUP/DUP pact which will be undoubtedly be agreed between Peter and His poodle, as they both fall over themselves to become Cameron's poodles. Thoughts?

Middle class nationalists are still voting SDLP and / or Alliance. It's reasonable to assume that SDLP voters would vote for reunification in any border poll, but what about those from the Catholic community who choose to vote Alliance? Are they that exercised by the constitutional issue? Also, some of the NI21 people were from traditional nationalist backgrounds (McKenzie, I think, and Neeson, for example). These are people putting themselves forward for election in a unionist party. It shows, I think, that there is a percentage of the Catholic/ nationalist/ republican community which is content with the union. If the nationalist parties can't convince these people on the benefits of a 32 county Ireland, what chance do they have of convincing those from a unionist background?

[AQMP]

A couple of points Myles. I take your point but McKenzie got 256 votes and Neeson got 74. A lot of middle class Taigs/Nats are content with the status quo over change. They're not particularly British and would have little allegiance to flags or anthems, but a UI is an unknown for them and when the choice is between the known and the unknown there will only be one winner.

SF need to spend the next 3-5 years working out how a UI would work and what it would look like and then put that to that to all Nats in NI. Key big big questions over health, education, the economy, etc etc need to be answered before we can even start to debate this. The worst thing they can do is to put Alex Maskey on the telly when it's clear he doesn't have much of a clue how to answer these questions.

[imtommygunn]

Nally/Glens how'd SF get the majority of first prefs but not translate them into seats? Serious question, I think it is perhaps down to lack of SDLP transfers? If they have a job to do within nationalism. As do the stoops. Unionism have galvanised their vote particularly the young vote and middle class. Middle class nationalist seem content to lie back and think of Britain. SF and the SDLP are now too accepting of all things British, City of Culture for example and this conveys an acceptance of the union to voters. There is still no consensus on unity amongst nationalist parties and this is disgraceful. Particularly in light of the UUP/DUP pact which will be undoubtedly be agreed between Peter and His poodle, as they both fall over themselves to become Cameron's poodles. Thoughts?

Middle class nationalists are still voting SDLP and / or Alliance. It's reasonable to assume that SDLP voters would vote for reunification in any border poll, but what about those from the Catholic community who choose to vote Alliance? Are they that exercised by the constitutional issue? Also, some of the NI21 people were from traditional nationalist backgrounds (McKenzie, I think, and Neeson, for example). These are people putting themselves forward for election in a unionist party. It shows, I think, that there is a percentage of the Catholic/ nationalist/ republican community which is content with the union. If the nationalist parties can't convince these people on the benefits of a 32 county Ireland, what chance do they have of convincing those from a unionist background?

I'm not so sure i'd agree. There still exists some apathy towards sf from some members of the nationalist community - i think anyway. Sdlp offer little or nothing. I would say more , a lot more, catholics didn't turn out to vote. That doesn't mean pro union.

[Tony Baloney]

Nally/Glens how'd SF get the majority of first prefs but not translate them into seats? Serious question, I think it is perhaps down to lack of SDLP transfers? If they have a job to do within nationalism. As do the stoops. Unionism have galvanised their vote particularly the young vote and middle class. Middle class nationalist seem content to lie back and think of Britain. SF and the SDLP are now too accepting of all things British, City of Culture for example and this conveys an acceptance of the union to voters. There is still no consensus on unity amongst nationalist parties and this is disgraceful. Particularly in light of the UUP/DUP pact which will be undoubtedly be agreed between Peter and His poodle, as they both fall over themselves to become Cameron's poodles. Thoughts?

Middle class nationalists are still voting SDLP and / or Alliance. It's reasonable to assume that SDLP voters would vote for reunification in any border poll, but what about those from the Catholic community who choose to vote Alliance? Are they that exercised by the constitutional issue? Also, some of the NI21 people were from traditional nationalist backgrounds (McKenzie, I think, and Neeson, for example). These are people putting themselves forward for election in a unionist party. It shows, I think, that there is a percentage of the Catholic/ nationalist/ republican community which is content with the union. If the nationalist parties can't convince these people on the benefits of a 32 county Ireland, what chance do they have of convincing those from a unionist background?

I'm not so sure i'd agree. There still exists some apathy towards sf from some members of the nationalist community - i think anyway. Sdlp offer little or nothing. I would say more , a lot more, catholics didn't turn out to vote. That doesn't mean pro union.

Spot on. For me, I wouldn't vote for SF and the currently rudderless SDLP isn't an attractive option. I'm not going to vote for any of the others.

[Myles Na G.]

A couple of points Myles. I take your point but McKenzie got 256 votes and Neeson got 74. A lot of middle class Taigs/Nats are content with the status quo over change. They're not particularly British and would have little allegiance to flags or anthems, but a UI is an unknown for them and when the choice is between the known and the unknown there will only be one winner.

SF need to spend the next 3-5 years working out how a UI would work and what it would look like and then put that to that to all Nats in NI. Key big big questions over health, education, the economy, etc etc need to be answered before we can even start to debate this. The worst thing they can do is to put Alex Maskey on the telly when it's clear he doesn't have much of a clue how to answer these questions.

Nothing there that I'd argue with. I think SF needs to develop a strategy for a UI. They say they have one, but they don't. What they have really is a strategy to make themselves the biggest single party in the north and perhaps a coalition partner in the south. Neither of those things, even if achieved, will do anything to change the constitutional position of the north. That will only start to happen when there are indications that a majority of people up here are prepared to give serious consideration to the idea of a UI. The election results show that we're a million miles from that. The first step on the road to unity lies with SF itself. As the biggest, loudest advocates of a UI on the island, they are inextricably linked in people's minds with the whole concept. When people reject a UI, quite often what they're doing is rejecting SF and their conceptions of what that party stands for. SF needs to give itself a complete makeover. It needs to distance itself from the conflict and position itself as a mainstream party concerned with mainstream issues - like you say, health, education, the economy, etc. It needs to replace all those with conflict baggage with new faces. The best thing Adams could do for the party now is to retire, likewise Marty, Gerry Kelly, and the rest. I'm not saying that they shouldn't have any role in the party, but if SF ever wants to make the breakthrough and appeal to voters outside its traditional base, it needs to stop reminding people of the party's links with the IRA. The 'armed struggle' wasn't a popular campaign in mainstream, nationalist Ireland and it certainly wasn't popular with unionists, so continually reminding people of it isn't a vote winner.

[lawnseed]

Bright eyed freedom stsnds afore yee..
Hear yee not her call?

Roll on the dungout..

[lawnseed]

Here we go thousands of questions about sinn fein policy from guys too lazy to read sinn fein manifesto in fact too lazy to read any manifesto. but they expect sinn fein supporters to rime policy off in detail and answer their questions and be cross examined as if we had to persuade them to change their voting habits always without actually admitting who they do vote for..

[LeoMc]

Seems to be a similar pattern in the 26co elections, a lot of early wins but not much coming there way from the transfers so far.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

I'm not so sure i'd agree. There still exists some apathy towards sf from some members of the nationalist community - i think anyway. Sdlp offer little or nothing. I would say more , a lot more, catholics didn't turn out to vote. That doesn't mean pro union.

Spot on. For me, I wouldn't vote for SF and the currently rudderless SDLP isn't an attractive option. I'm not going to vote for any of the others.

Really? For someone who's so avowedly democracy-apathetic, one might expect, perhaps, that you could distinguish between 'apathy' and 'antipathy' before issuing such resounding endorsements; no offence imtommygunn, we're all prone to them, but when some eejits endorse same, it really does beg to be remarked upon!  

[Tony Baloney]

I'm not so sure i'd agree. There still exists some apathy towards sf from some members of the nationalist community - i think anyway. Sdlp offer little or nothing. I would say more , a lot more, catholics didn't turn out to vote. That doesn't mean pro union.

Spot on. For me, I wouldn't vote for SF and the currently rudderless SDLP isn't an attractive option. I'm not going to vote for any of the others.

Really? For someone who's so avowedly democracy-apathetic, one might expect, perhaps, that you could distinguish between 'apathy' and 'antipathy' before issuing such resounding endorsements; no offence imtommygunn, we're all prone to them, but when some eejits endorse same, it really does beg to be remarked upon!  

Another beautifully constructed piece of text that begs to be ignored! Men fought and died to allow me to decide whether or not to be bothered to cast my vote 

Like a lot of people, I work 50+ hours a week and have a wife and children (3 off - one with a profound disability) to deal with love and cherish, so you'll forgive me if I don't spend my spare time hanging on every word of our wonderful elected representatives.  That is not to say that my lack of input, whether through antipathy or apathy, into the democratic process will prevent me from sticking the boot in as I see fit! 

[Nally Stand]

The best thing Adams could do for the party now is to retire

Indeed. The party only recorded it's greatest elections result since 1918 and has trebled it's number of local council seats in the 26 counties. Adams must go!!

[imtommygunn]

I'm not so sure i'd agree. There still exists some apathy towards sf from some members of the nationalist community - i think anyway. Sdlp offer little or nothing. I would say more , a lot more, catholics didn't turn out to vote. That doesn't mean pro union.

Spot on. For me, I wouldn't vote for SF and the currently rudderless SDLP isn't an attractive option. I'm not going to vote for any of the others.

Really? For someone who's so avowedly democracy-apathetic, one might expect, perhaps, that you could distinguish between 'apathy' and 'antipathy' before issuing such resounding endorsements; no offence imtommygunn, we're all prone to them, but when some eejits endorse same, it really does beg to be remarked upon!  

Lol. There exists apathy and antipathy! Each present their own problem.

Had hoped more voters would come out given the vileness and bigotry of several parties since flag debacle so we could see less of them. Unfortunately seems not.

[hairyUlsterman]

I voted for Sinn Fein this year, I don't even believe in the re-unification of Ireland but had to get as far away from Loyalism as possible.
I believe in an independent Northern Ireland so i do.

I wouldn't have bothered voting at all but a few weeks ago when I was driving past Antrim police station I saw all the loyalist thugs with their massive union fleg and their scarfs covering their bigoted little faces, made my blood boil.

[Myles Na G.]

The best thing Adams could do for the party now is to retire

Indeed. The party only recorded it's greatest elections result since 1918 and has trebled it's number of local council seats in the 26 counties. Adams must go!!

You think that was a great election result for SF? You're kidding yourself, seriously. Take a look across the water at the UKIP performance if you need a comparator - and it's obvious you do. SF took 15% of the vote in the south. An improvement, certainly, but given the times we live in, not great and no huge surprise. If you can't win seats when your competition has run the country into the ground and crucified the people with tax rises, you're in trouble. SF have picked up votes and seats, but it seems that the 26 county electorate still prefers by some margin to vote for the parties that bankrupt them. Those who couldn't bring themselves to do so, have opted for independent or 'other' candidates, who took 28% of the vote. Makes SF's 15% look a bit miserable, don't you think? In the north, SF's has actually slipped slightly. The SDLP dropped nearly 3%, but it seems these votes haven't crossed over to SF. Again, at a time when it's main competition is in serious trouble, SF appears unable to capitalise. But keep telling yourself that you've had a great election if it makes you feel better.