Sinn Fein? They have gone away, you know.

[Owen Brannigan]

interesting that sinn fein what the sdlp to stand down in Fermanagh/south Tyrone & North Belfast but offer no reciprocal arrangements elsewhere The logic is they want to send an anti-brexit message.
considering they don`t go to westminister I am struggling to understand this one, would it not be better for sinn fein to step down and let anti Brexit parties who take their seats to get MPs.

The logic would have been for agreed non-party candidates in some of these places. Someone from a business or farming background in Fermanagh would provide a very strong anti-Brexit voice. The reality is that SF would be happy with the border sealed off if they thought their party would benefit in some way.

definitely agree on this one,
sinn fein know that as sdlp take their seats any stepping aside actually destroys the sdlp`s credibility so the tactic is not so much about ant-brexit but about the eradication of the sdlp.

It demonstrates an arrogance by the SF leadership and  continuation of their policy to crush the SDLP by whatever means are available even where it is against the benefit of the nationalist population.  All SF moves are driven by party self interest.  As stated, by recruiting John Finucane as SF candidate rather than running him as a so called independent would have brought support from SDLP to remove Dodds.  By running him as a SF candidate the SF leadership is trying to breakdown the strong vote assembled by Nicola Mallon who has been eating into the SF vote by working hard for everyone in the North Belfast constituency.  An independent in FST would be guaranteed a seat.

[red hander]

AFAIK, the stoops have never had a pact with the shinners that involved them doing a mutual deal or a deal involving an independent, so throwing in the suggestion of finucane as an independent is nonsense as the stoops would still have stood. It's also pretty patronising to him. Why shouldn't he be a shinner candidate if that's his politics and beliefs, does he have no choice in the matter?

[Rois]

AFAIK, the stoops have never had a pact with the shinners that involved them doing a mutual deal or a deal involving an independent, so throwing in the suggestion of finucane as an independent is nonsense as the stoops would still have stood[/b

Have you not been listening, the SDLP were absolutely prepared to compromise on independents - confirmed again by Colum Eastwood this morning on Radio Ulster.

[LeoMc]

interesting that sinn fein what the sdlp to stand down in Fermanagh/south Tyrone & North Belfast but offer no reciprocal arrangements elsewhere The logic is they want to send an anti-brexit message.
considering they don`t go to westminister I am struggling to understand this one, would it not be better for sinn fein to step down and let anti Brexit parties who take their seats to get MPs.

The logic would have been for agreed non-party candidates in some of these places. Someone from a business or farming background in Fermanagh would provide a very strong anti-Brexit voice. The reality is that SF would be happy with the border sealed off if they thought their party would benefit in some way.

definitely agree on this one,
sinn fein know that as sdlp take their seats any stepping aside actually destroys the sdlp`s credibility so the tactic is not so much about ant-brexit but about the eradication of the sdlp.

They are playing the long game. They would be happy to see South Belfast fall to the DUP this time round to break the SDLP hold and give them traction there in 5 years time.

[Applesisapples]

interesting that sinn fein what the sdlp to stand down in Fermanagh/south Tyrone & North Belfast but offer no reciprocal arrangements elsewhere The logic is they want to send an anti-brexit message.
considering they don`t go to westminister I am struggling to understand this one, would it not be better for sinn fein to step down and let anti Brexit parties who take their seats to get MPs.

The logic would have been for agreed non-party candidates in some of these places. Someone from a business or farming background in Fermanagh would provide a very strong anti-Brexit voice. The reality is that SF would be happy with the border sealed off if they thought their party would benefit in some way.

definitely agree on this one,
sinn fein know that as sdlp take their seats any stepping aside actually destroys the sdlp`s credibility so the tactic is not so much about ant-brexit but about the eradication of the sdlp.

They are playing the long game. They would be happy to see South Belfast fall to the DUP this time round to break the SDLP hold and give them traction there in 5 years time.

Agreed, sure big Al in South Belfast is a closet DUPer. What is wrong with SF looking after party self interest. All parties do yet it is hurled at SF North and South as if it something dirty that only they do. The whole agreed candidate thing from the SDLP is a side show.

[Applesisapples]

interesting that sinn fein what the sdlp to stand down in Fermanagh/south Tyrone & North Belfast but offer no reciprocal arrangements elsewhere The logic is they want to send an anti-brexit message.
considering they don`t go to westminister I am struggling to understand this one, would it not be better for sinn fein to step down and let anti Brexit parties who take their seats to get MPs.

To what end, the only message will be in the vote. May will have such a majority that she won't need to listen to anyone.

[naka]

Apples my point is why did the shinners see merit in  now calling for the sdlp to step aside for to allow the shinners to bring the message

[Applesisapples]

Apples my point is why did the shinners see merit in  now calling for the sdlp to step aside for to allow the shinners to bring the message

Perhaps because they have momentum, but also safe in the knowledge that the SDLP will say no thus seeming to split the vote.

[Rossfan]

Why aren't they pushing for PR in all elections in the North?

[armaghniac]

Why aren't they pushing for PR in all elections in the North?

Then the SDLP would win seats.

[Rois]

Apples my point is why did the shinners see merit in  now calling for the sdlp to step aside for to allow the shinners to bring the message

Perhaps because they have momentum, but also safe in the knowledge that the SDLP will say no thus seeming to split the vote.

Exactly right - manipulating the electorate into thinking that the SDLP are the bad guys, when SF refused to accept an independent anti-Brexit candidate.
All very well with SF going out to help themselves to the SDLP vote, but by refusing to consider a non-party anti-Brexit person, they are leaving us with Nigel Dodds simply for their own sake.  You may think that's OK, but I certainly don't appreciate being used in SF's nationalist popularity contest ambitions.

[Owen Brannigan]

Apples my point is why did the shinners see merit in  now calling for the sdlp to step aside for to allow the shinners to bring the message

Perhaps because they have momentum, but also safe in the knowledge that the SDLP will say no thus seeming to split the vote.

This nonsense about splitting the vote being put forward by SF and supporters (see O'Dowd statement today with its false claims/inferences) is both patronising to the electorate and quite presumptuous. If the SDLP was to stand aside to allow SF a free run in FST or NB then the number of SDLP voters who would switch allegiance or lend their vote would be minimal perhaps even insignificant in terms of winning the seat.  The softer SDLP voter left a good while back when asked to 'lend' their vote to SF and as SDLP learned was lost when they crossed that rubicon. The remaining and continuing SDLP voters would probably switch votes to SF only 'in extremis' and in many cases not even then.  On the other hand, if an agreed independent was put forward who would take his/her seat, the SDLP voters would be delivered in such circumstances.

So for the vast, vast majority of SDLP voters it is not about 'splitting the vote' it is about having someone to vote for rather than vote for a party to whom they are diametrically opposed and which has the worst interests of the SDLP at the heart of its being.  If there were no SDLP candidate then there would be abstention through absence from the poll or blank/spoiled votes and the seat would not be won anyway.

[red hander]

AFAIK, the stoops have never had a pact with the shinners that involved them doing a mutual deal or a deal involving an independent, so throwing in the suggestion of finucane as an independent is nonsense as the stoops would still have stood[/b

Have you not been listening, the SDLP were absolutely prepared to compromise on independents - confirmed again by Colum Eastwood this morning on Radio Ulster.

You believe him if you want

[Rois]

He's pretty consistent with his lying
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/sdlp-rejects-sinn-fein-call-to-stand-aside-for-election-35691941.html

"While Mrs O'Neill called on Mr Eastwood to withdraw from those two races, she made clear Sinn Fein would not do the same in constituencies where the SDLP is potentially better placed to win, insisting her party would stand in all 18 constituencies."

[Tony Baloney]

AFAIK, the stoops have never had a pact with the shinners that involved them doing a mutual deal or a deal involving an independent, so throwing in the suggestion of finucane as an independent is nonsense as the stoops would still have stood[/b

Have you not been listening, the SDLP were absolutely prepared to compromise on independents - confirmed again by Colum Eastwood this morning on Radio Ulster.

You believe him if you want

Someone reboot the Shinnerbot.