6 County Assembly Elections - 5th May 2022

[delgany]

While it's a good election result for Sinn Fein, it doesn't bring a border poll success any closer. The problem is that there is a much greater chance of a successful border poll if it isn't led by Sinn Fein. The numbers breakdown is approx 40-20-40 and the middle ground is where it will be won and lost. That together with the 33% of current non voters. Unionist politicians have done almost everything in their power to alienate the 20% middle ground with their decisions in recent years but there is still a lot of ground work to be done to convince a sufficient amount of these same Alliance voters to vote to change the status quo. This will be won and lost mostly on economics, health, education and the day to day stuff that matter to people. Therefore it is more important that SDLP or other shades of civic nationalism gets behind the preparatory work. Sinn Fein support for a UI is a given in the same way that DUP/TUV is a given on the unionist side.

The key to moving forward is as you rightly say , 'the preparatoty work' . What will a UI look like, its implications for our unionist neighbours,  how will their identity be perserved , will there be a NI assembly , leading to full integration down the line.
Unlike Brexit, these points all  need addressed   thought through and agreed , so no one is left in an uncertain future.
All parties need to look forward to discussing at all level of the politic.

[Wildweasel74]

Are we allowed another vote after 7 yrs if we don't like a united Ireland?

[weareros]

It's clear after comments by Brandon Lewis (as thick a Tory as you could find) that he won't call a border poll until he see the nationalist vote comfortably go ahead of Unionist. SDLP will need to find a way to stop bleed to Alliance as clearly a nationalist vote will only be interpreted as SF/SDLP. Perhaps SF can engineer a way to secure a vote in Assembly for border poll to put presssure on Lewis. Would need Alliance on board. I would not discount FF/FG trying to take ownership of securing the date with London before going into next election - as unlikely as that might sound.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

It's clear after comments by Brandon Lewis (as thick a Tory as you could find) that he won't call a border poll until he see the nationalist vote comfortably go ahead of Unionist. SDLP will need to find a way to stop bleed to Alliance as clearly a nationalist vote will only be interpreted as SF/SDLP. Perhaps SF can engineer a way to secure a vote in Assembly for border poll to put presssure on Lewis. Would need Alliance on board. I would not discount FF/FG trying to take ownership of securing the date with London before going into next election - as unlikely as that might sound.

Can't see SF telling their voters to vote alliance over sdlp for much longer. Cretins

[JPGJOHNNYG]

It's clear after comments by Brandon Lewis (as thick a Tory as you could find) that he won't call a border poll until he see the nationalist vote comfortably go ahead of Unionist. SDLP will need to find a way to stop bleed to Alliance as clearly a nationalist vote will only be interpreted as SF/SDLP. Perhaps SF can engineer a way to secure a vote in Assembly for border poll to put presssure on Lewis. Would need Alliance on board. I would not discount FF/FG trying to take ownership of securing the date with London before going into next election - as unlikely as that might sound.

Can't see SF telling their voters to vote alliance over sdlp for much longer. Cretins

This. As great as yer alliance mla is with the local gaa club or Irish language their leaders in the party have zero interest in unity  or even a poll until it is hits them like a bus. I don't care about how well SF or SDLP do just as long as nationalism as whole moves forward and it's been stalling for 20 years thankfully the unionist vote continues to drop.

[Sportacus]

While it's a good election result for Sinn Fein, it doesn't bring a border poll success any closer. The problem is that there is a much greater chance of a successful border poll if it isn't led by Sinn Fein. The numbers breakdown is approx 40-20-40 and the middle ground is where it will be won and lost. That together with the 33% of current non voters. Unionist politicians have done almost everything in their power to alienate the 20% middle ground with their decisions in recent years but there is still a lot of ground work to be done to convince a sufficient amount of these same Alliance voters to vote to change the status quo. This will be won and lost mostly on economics, health, education and the day to day stuff that matter to people. Therefore it is more important that SDLP or other shades of civic nationalism gets behind the preparatory work. Sinn Fein support for a UI is a given in the same way that DUP/TUV is a given on the unionist side.

The key to moving forward is as you rightly say , 'the preparatoty work' . What will a UI look like, its implications for our unionist neighbours,  how will their identity be perserved , will there be a NI assembly , leading to full integration down the line.
Unlike Brexit, these points all  need addressed   thought through and agreed , so no one is left in an uncertain future.
All parties need to look forward to discussing at all level of the politic.

From the pit of my stomach I believe we are so much better making our own decisions on our own island, rather than twats like Brandon Lewis and Boris Johnston making decisions on our behalf when they clearly couldn't care less about the place.  This fundamental point needs made more often.   

[imtommygunn]

He is expediting talk of a United ireland significantly.

[RadioGAAGAA]

It's far too soon for a border poll.

It's absolutely not too soon to be opening proper discussion about it though. It should have started already.

Agree completely with you on this.


(And disagree completely on the likelihood of violence out the back end of it. But more planning and prep likely means less of that out the far end)

[Farrandeelin]

Are we allowed another vote after 7 yrs if we don't like a united Ireland?

Not less than 7 years is what's written down.

[Wildweasel74]

I like to see how Scotland get on 2nd time round, SNP dominate local Scotland govt but couldn't get it through 1st time round. They got a sectarian element to worry about but not as bad as here. If they can't get it through in their position I see little chance for the North.

[Eire90]

Will we see a scotland referendum any time soon

[Wildweasel74]

Well if they don't get one in their commanding position, we got no chance. Even in Scotlands position the current economic situation, would make it hard to get any referendum, even with the tories f**king them over past 10+ yrs.

[armaghniac]

Well if they don't get one in their commanding position, we got no chance. Even in Scotlands position the current economic situation, would make it hard to get any referendum, even with the tories f**king them over past 10+ yrs.

Scotland is not a similar case. They are proposing dividing an island which bring in various problems, whereas we want to remove division on an island and remove those problems. It is perfectly possible to make a rational case for Scotland not becoming independent and use the same argument exactly to unify Ireland.

[Mikhail Prokhorov]

what happened lads?

a vote for the status quo

what a surprise

DUP 25 seats holy feck 

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

The Scots are Brits sin é