Westminster Election 12th December 2019

[snoopdog]

Sinn Fein need to get out of here and let Hanna have a run at it ... it's a done deal if they do sure McDonnell was useless and nearly ousted Pengelly last time!

Sinn Fein have no interest in the SDLP being successful. They would rather get to the situation where they are the only voice for nationalism in the north.

Looks like the situation at the minute anyway.... sdlp=unionists dressed as nationalists.

Awful statement
But it sums up shinner thinking
this board has gone down hill in the 20 years I have been on it

So has the SDLP funny enough.

A very childish statement. Yes the sdlp have struggled since the days of Hume and Mallon. But are sinn fein really interested in whats best for the nationalist people? They havent shown it this last few years  .they have poor leadership compared to what gerry and Martin offerred. Border poll this and border poll that. A border poll without proper dialogue would be a disaster. Alot of moderate nationalists currently have no interest in a united ireland .

[charlieTully]

Sinn Fein need to get out of here and let Hanna have a run at it ... it's a done deal if they do sure McDonnell was useless and nearly ousted Pengelly last time!

Sinn Fein have no interest in the SDLP being successful. They would rather get to the situation where they are the only voice for nationalism in the north.

Looks like the situation at the minute anyway.... sdlp=unionists dressed as nationalists.

Awful statement
But it sums up shinner thinking
this board has gone down hill in the 20 years I have been on it

So has the SDLP funny enough.

A very childish statement. Yes the sdlp have struggled since the days of Hume and Mallon. But are sinn fein really interested in whats best for the nationalist people? They havent shown it this last few years  .they have poor leadership compared to what gerry and Martin offerred. Border poll this and border poll that. A border poll without proper dialogue would be a disaster. Alot of moderate nationalists currently have no interest in a united ireland .

They aren't really moderate nationalists in that case. They aren't nationalist at all. Just unionists with an interest in Irish culture. The SDLP in other words.

[6th sam]

Sinn Fein need to get out of here and let Hanna have a run at it ... it's a done deal if they do sure McDonnell was useless and nearly ousted Pengelly last time!

Sinn Fein have no interest in the SDLP being successful. They would rather get to the situation where they are the only voice for nationalism in the north.

Looks like the situation at the minute anyway.... sdlp=unionists dressed as nationalists.

Awful statement
But it sums up shinner thinking
this board has gone down hill in the 20 years I have been on it

So has the SDLP funny enough.

A very childish statement. Yes the sdlp have struggled since the days of Hume and Mallon. But are sinn fein really interested in whats best for the nationalist people? They havent shown it this last few years  .they have poor leadership compared to what gerry and Martin offerred. Border poll this and border poll that. A border poll without proper dialogue would be a disaster. Alot of moderate nationalists currently have no interest in a united ireland .

Is that not a contradiction in terms?
Or does it betray the mentality of a lot of SDLP voters who actually are voting on sectarian lines as opposed to national unity. The SDLP have had some real heroes such as Hume and Durkin who put peaceful solutions to the conflict above all else including their own political careers. More recently unfortunately some in the SDLP are putting their own rivalry with SF above all else. In reality Alliance are more honest by stating they are neutral on unity. Many in the SDLP are either neutral or disinterested in Unity , yet still avail of the nationalist headcount.
We need a Hume like figure from moderate nationalism to chart a path to a solution across these islands into the future. This must include respecting and indeed fostering the British identity of ~1 million unionists within a 32 county context that also respects the Irish identity of ~1million nationalists( NI has had a 100 years of opportunities to respect this Irish identity but has failed miserably) . I think SF emphasis on a border poll at this time is unhelpful and will only serve to rally the unionist cause. The GFA was successfully forged on the basis of reconciliation , respect and equality. Sadly those principles ( which would meet agreement from ~1.5million ) have not retained primacy, thus we haven't moved forward . the anti-Irish bigotry of a shrinking number of unionists remains the main stumbling block to progress. Amazingly these bigots still are influencing decisions at the highest level, because their opponents are cutting lumps out of each other. What I would like to see in the upcoming elections is an unwritten pact between those that are opposed to brexit to maximise the remain vote to send a clear message to Westminster . Formal pacts would be counterproductive but a positive remain campaign and isolation of the DUP is paramount .

[playwiththewind1st]

Out for a walk this morning & Bradshaw has her posters up. No pact in South Belfast, by the looks of it & thon DUP piece of shit will keep her seat, unfortunately.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Out for a walk this morning & Bradshaw has her posters up. No pact in South Belfast, by the looks of it & thon DUP piece of shit will keep her seat, unfortunately.

Bradshaw not needed in SB. If SF don't stand then Hanna walks it

[seafoid]

Sinn Fein need to get out of here and let Hanna have a run at it ... it's a done deal if they do sure McDonnell was useless and nearly ousted Pengelly last time!

Sinn Fein have no interest in the SDLP being successful. They would rather get to the situation where they are the only voice for nationalism in the north.

Looks like the situation at the minute anyway.... sdlp=unionists dressed as nationalists.

How do you work that out?

Probably because they don't shout tiocfaidh ar la, and want to engage in political institutions to serve their electorate.

What is the SF plan for day 2 of a United Ireland ?

[6th sam]

Out for a walk this morning & Bradshaw has her posters up. No pact in South Belfast, by the looks of it & thon DUP piece of shit will keep her seat, unfortunately.

Currently SDLP and Alliance are rival parties, therefore a pact is a dangerous path to follow as it can have unintended consequences . For example if MOM stepped aside in SB , DUP will cry that Claire Hanna is linking up with SF/IRA and stir up their troops. Similarly if SDLP stepped aside to give Naomi Long a clear run it would expose that there is little difference between the two parties and one party tends to lose out in long term ( cf UUP pacts with DUP)
Carlsberg pact: abstentionist SF withdraw candidates as a once-off , pro-remain gesture to maximise the remain votes in Westminster. Agreed remain candidates in all constituencies, maximising remain vote and MPs, therefore inflicting a long overdue hammer blow on the DUP.   

But unfortunately that won't happen.
A pact between Alliance  and SDLP isn't going to happen in the short term, and a long term merger might actually be more realistic .

In the short time we have , there must be unwritten cooperation between remain parties eg low key canvassing & focus on trying to get best placed remain candidates through ( this includes  JF in North Belfast and Sylvia Hermon in North Down) . If SDLP were to get over the line in Derry to put a pro-remain MP in Westminster, they might be happy to have John Finucane get thru in NB, to knockout Dodds from Parliament.  The one thing that could unite the vast majority of people in the North, is delivering a hammer blow to the DUP at the polls. If for the first time DUP got kicked at the polls, it would for once put them on the back foot and they may then feel compelled to cooperate with others

[Farrandeelin]

Sinn Fein need to get out of here and let Hanna have a run at it ... it's a done deal if they do sure McDonnell was useless and nearly ousted Pengelly last time!

Sinn Fein have no interest in the SDLP being successful. They would rather get to the situation where they are the only voice for nationalism in the north.

Looks like the situation at the minute anyway.... sdlp=unionists dressed as nationalists.

How do you work that out?

Probably because they don't shout tiocfaidh ar la, and want to engage in political institutions to serve their electorate.

What is the SF plan for day 2 of a United Ireland ?

Protest that people have to pay for x, y and z.

[seafoid]

The DUP will not be running a candidate in FST

[Rois]

The DUP will not be running a candidate in FST

No different from 2017 and SF still won the seat.

[6th sam]

The DUP will not be running a candidate in FST

The DUP are running scared , they are getting in early re FST as they are happy that Tom Elliott is one of their own anyway ,but hoping UUP will continue to stand aside in NB particularly ,?as Dodds is under serious pressure. A low key SDLP campaign in NB could ensure John Finucane gets over the line, moving Dodds off the stage with his tail between his legs, which would send a clear message to DUP. For a purely pro-remain return A Clare Hanna victory in SB, Naomi long in EB and Colm Eastwood In Foyle and SDLP win in South Down, is the best scenario to optimise Pro-remain voting strength in Westminster . Will remainers vote tactically in this election and give a sobering message to DUP. I sense many will put party political loyalty to one side to hammer the DUP and move us out of the nonsense we continue to endure from them.

[marty34]

The DUP will not be running a candidate in FST

The DUP are running scared , they are getting in early re FST as they are happy that Tom Elliott is one of their own anyway ,but hoping UUP will continue to stand aside in NB particularly ,?as Dodds is under serious pressure. A low key SDLP campaign in NB could ensure John Finucane gets over the line, moving Dodds off the stage with his tail between his legs, which would send a clear message to DUP. For a purely pro-remain return A Clare Hanna victory in SB, Naomi long in EB and Colm Eastwood In Foyle and SDLP win in South Down, is the best scenario to optimise Pro-remain voting strength in Westminster . Will remainers vote tactically in this election and give a sobering message to DUP. I sense many will put party political loyalty to one side to hammer the DUP and move us out of the nonsense we continue to endure from them.

I've said it before:

1. Sort Pro EU candidates for election pact.
2. Simple message - Your choice: DUP or Pro EU.

[Rois]

The DUP will not be running a candidate in FST

No different from 2017 and SF still won the seat.

Edit: Tom Elliott, whom Arlene endorsed in a tweet today, has said he has not yet even expressed an interest in running.

[seafoid]

The DUP will not be running a candidate in FST

The DUP are running scared , they are getting in early re FST as they are happy that Tom Elliott is one of their own anyway ,but hoping UUP will continue to stand aside in NB particularly ,?as Dodds is under serious pressure. A low key SDLP campaign in NB could ensure John Finucane gets over the line, moving Dodds off the stage with his tail between his legs, which would send a clear message to DUP. For a purely pro-remain return A Clare Hanna victory in SB, Naomi long in EB and Colm Eastwood In Foyle and SDLP win in South Down, is the best scenario to optimise Pro-remain voting strength in Westminster . Will remainers vote tactically in this election and give a sobering message to DUP. I sense many will put party political loyalty to one side to hammer the DUP and move us out of the nonsense we continue to endure from them.

The DUP crashed and burned with Brexit so there will be some kind of price to pay

[marty34]

The DUP will not be running a candidate in FST

The DUP are running scared , they are getting in early re FST as they are happy that Tom Elliott is one of their own anyway ,but hoping UUP will continue to stand aside in NB particularly ,?as Dodds is under serious pressure. A low key SDLP campaign in NB could ensure John Finucane gets over the line, moving Dodds off the stage with his tail between his legs, which would send a clear message to DUP. For a purely pro-remain return A Clare Hanna victory in SB, Naomi long in EB and Colm Eastwood In Foyle and SDLP win in South Down, is the best scenario to optimise Pro-remain voting strength in Westminster . Will remainers vote tactically in this election and give a sobering message to DUP. I sense many will put party political loyalty to one side to hammer the DUP and move us out of the nonsense we continue to endure from them.

The DUP crashed and burned with Brexit so there will be some kind of price to pay

Unionists will vote for the DUP.