The SDLP

Started by ardmhachaabu, April 23, 2010, 09:32:25 PM

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thewobbler

John Hume and Seamus Mallon may have brought the SDLP to the fore but it is both sad and ironic that those two men also destroyed the party. For two decades they dominated every position within the party, took every press conference, featured in every photograph and article. Looking back now it seems that they deliberately prevented any other party member from raising their public profile. Even riding on their coat tails seems to be have been banned.

As such, when they stepped down, they left behind a chasm, filled with faceless, bland politicans - people who meant well, but were used to following the party line from a distance.


Sinn Fein will face a similar problem within a decade. They've done much more than Hume & Mallon every did to promote other public profiles, but the more renowned of these will be up for retirement around the same time as the main men. Also, good luck to anyone who wants to keep that party united once Adams and McGuinness movie along.

lawnseed

they might have stood a chance with Allister McDonnell as the leader but Marguerite is so annoying. Adams blew her out of the water on itv and hes not even the strongest debater the shinners have. the stoops are just too goody goody they try to be everything to everyone but get so diluted that they say nothing at all. they damaged themselves by trying to tie up with Fianna fall and Bertie when their sister party in the south was labour which shows they are power hungry and without principles. when Hume finished with Derry it was a thriving city mallon however had little to show for a lenghty career in Parliament, indeed his success is largely due to unionists giving the stoops their second preference votes to keep the shinners out
A coward dies a thousand deaths a soldier only dies once

Hurler on the Bitch

Quote from: lawnseed on April 24, 2010, 07:18:42 PM
they might have stood a chance with Allister McDonnell as the leader but Marguerite is so annoying. Adams blew her out of the water on itv and hes not even the strongest debater the shinners have. the stoops are just too goody goody they try to be everything to everyone but get so diluted that they say nothing at all. they damaged themselves by trying to tie up with Fianna fall and Bertie when their sister party in the south was labour which shows they are power hungry and without principles. when Hume finished with Derry it was a thriving city mallon however had little to show for a lenghty career in Parliament, indeed his success is largely due to unionists giving the stoops their second preference votes to keep the shinners out

No transferable vote in Westminster, so that argument is blown out of the water. Seamus was another one of the school teacher class in the SDLP just like Ritchie. She really comes over as a dragon without a sense of humour or irony. While I find McDonnell arrogant, he does have a human touch and, of course, is a GAA man. I hope the SDLP do self-destruct - they really are just a shower of offspring from the historical pig-owning classes on this ISLAND. 

Fear ón Srath Bán

Quote from: ardmhachaabu on April 23, 2010, 09:32:25 PM
For years I really respected them especially when Hume was at the helm.  Since Durkan gave up the leadership I think they have went gone into terminal decline and as there isn't much of an SDLP youth wing I would say they are a spent political force at this stage..

FFS if you're going to trumpet about the Stoopers, at least get your native English language right!  ;)
Carlsberg don't do Gombeenocracies, but by jaysus if they did...

Ulick

Quote from: Tony Baloney on April 24, 2010, 10:24:34 AM
Quote from: Ulick on April 24, 2010, 10:12:32 AM
Quote from: Minder on April 24, 2010, 09:53:28 AM
Richie seems a bit our of her depth as a leader, maybe that will change as she gains more experience but she alwas carries some credit for refusing to hand over £1m+  to the UDA for "Conflict Transformation" or whatever they call it.

Was she not over-ruled on that in court?
I think Minders point is that she was prepared to take a stand on a point of principle. A rare commodity on the hill.

Well it sounds like then either she was grandstanding if she knew she had no authority or incompetent because she didn't know.

Minder

Quote from: Ulick on April 24, 2010, 10:09:25 PM
Quote from: Tony Baloney on April 24, 2010, 10:24:34 AM
Quote from: Ulick on April 24, 2010, 10:12:32 AM
Quote from: Minder on April 24, 2010, 09:53:28 AM
Richie seems a bit our of her depth as a leader, maybe that will change as she gains more experience but she alwas carries some credit for refusing to hand over £1m+  to the UDA for "Conflict Transformation" or whatever they call it.

Was she not over-ruled on that in court?
I think Minders point is that she was prepared to take a stand on a point of principle. A rare
commodity on the hill.

Well it sounds like then either she was grandstanding if she knew she had no authority or incompetent because she didn't know.

Maybe she should have caved in and gave them the money and then she would have been criticised more. Damned if you do.........
"When it's too tough for them, it's just right for us"

ardmhachaabu

Quote from: Fear ón Srath Bán on April 24, 2010, 09:46:11 PM
Quote from: ardmhachaabu on April 23, 2010, 09:32:25 PM
For years I really respected them especially when Hume was at the helm.  Since Durkan gave up the leadership I think they have went gone into terminal decline and as there isn't much of an SDLP youth wing I would say they are a spent political force at this stage..

FFS if you're going to trumpet about the Stoopers, at least get your native English language right!  ;)
:D

I don't trumpet about anyone FoSB.  You know what though, I have more trouble with gramadách na Gaeilge and I worry more about that than I do about my English
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something

magickingdom

Quote from: thewobbler on April 24, 2010, 06:49:58 PM
John Hume and Seamus Mallon may have brought the SDLP to the fore but it is both sad and ironic that those two men also destroyed the party. For two decades they dominated every position within the party, took every press conference, featured in every photograph and article. Looking back now it seems that they deliberately prevented any other party member from raising their public profile. Even riding on their coat tails seems to be have been banned.

As such, when they stepped down, they left behind a chasm, filled with faceless, bland politicans - people who meant well, but were used to following the party line from a distance.


Sinn Fein will face a similar problem within a decade. They've done much more than Hume & Mallon every did to promote other public profiles, but the more renowned of these will be up for retirement around the same time as the main men. Also, good luck to anyone who wants to keep that party united once Adams and McGuinness movie along.

when adams and mcguinness move along sf chances might improve big time in the south

Ulick

Think that is a bit of a fallacy magic as I don't think people vote for personality or if they do its a minor factor. SF need to build their core vote and expand their organisation in the south and that for me that means getting back to community activism.

longrunsthefox

Quote from: thewobbler on April 24, 2010, 06:49:58 PM
John Hume and Seamus Mallon may have brought the SDLP to the fore but it is both sad and ironic that those two men also destroyed the party. For two decades they dominated every position within the party, took every press conference, featured in every photograph and article. Looking back now it seems that they deliberately prevented any other party member from raising their public profile. Even riding on their coat tails seems to be have been banned.

As such, when they stepped down, they left behind a chasm, filled with faceless, bland politicans - people who meant well, but were used to following the party line from a distance.


Sinn Fein will face a similar problem within a decade. They've done much more than Hume & Mallon every did to promote other public profiles, but the more renowned of these will be up for retirement around the same time as the main men. Also, good luck to anyone who wants to keep that party united once Adams and McGuinness movie along.

I don't think that was their destruction. Hume knew when he went into talks with Adams it might cost the SDLP dearly if they went by the ballod box only rather than the armalite as well. He was prepared to do that for peace and took the risk agaisnt the wishes of many in his own party. There were a lot of people couldn't go with the armed struggle, or watever you wish to call it, that went over to vote for Sinn Fein after the ceasefire. Certainly the SDLP politicains are bland but there aren't too many with the personality or charm of Martin Luther Kings or JFK in Sinn Fein either. 
   

Nally Stand

#40
I could write an essay on how I feel the stoops are a joke of an entity. I'll list a number of examples which to me, typify the SDLP and their shade of 'nationalism'.

1. Post Nationalism
The phrase which sums up th SDLP westminster campaign of 2001. Describing themselves as post nationalist seems to have been the turning point in that key election and they have never properly recovered.

2. Pretence
Again, in 2001, Brid Rodgers canvassed for votes at a Tyrone game in Clones wearing a fake Tyrone shirt with her name printed across the back and holding a soccer ball.

3. Complete disrespect for nationalists who vote for the other main nationalist party
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhqlidcwmhsn/ - In this instance they showed a complete disregard for the mandate given to SF by their voters and showed their level of committment to nationalism by joining a dirty pact with the two unionist parties. This was evidenced at a local level in my own are also at several recent elections. Coming from a Republican area, the SDLP in my local polling station often had a tactic of objecting to as many people as possible inside the station in the evening time; thereby preventing the lines of people still in the queue outside from voting once closing time came.

4. Confusion
- As I pointed out on this board before, When SF proposed, in 13 councils, that these councils press the Dublin Govn to be more proactive in developing All Ireland strategies, only two got full SDLP support, the rest either got a split SDLP vote, SDLP members abstaining, SDLP refusing to attend etc. Even their party whips could not encourage their membership to give their full support to it. How can this party be trusted to stand up for Irish Unity when even the idea of increased All Ireland strategies/co-operation is too much for them to handle?

I honestly don't understand how any party can claim to represent nationalism when it
- Felt that equality had been achieved in the 1980's claiming this equality was "now a reality"
- Takes an oath of allegience to a British monarchy all to have the right to sit in Westminster, despite rarely attending anyway
- Stated that they have "have no difficulty with a continuing MI5 role" in the north of Ireland
- Voted in favour of 28 day detention
- In 2006, argued in favour of diplock courts stating it was "essential that adequate provision for non-jury trials for appropriate offences in Northern Ireland is maintained"
- Supported Irish citizens in the north being legally compelled to be included in a "British National Identity Register".
- Regarded Ronnie Flanagan as a man who "wanted to edge policing forward"
- Opposed Derry Council proceeding with its stated policy of petitioning the Privy Council to restore the name of Derry to the city
- Through their intransigience, are currently assisting the Orange Order in having their joint unionist candidate capture the Fermanagh/South Tyrone seat just to avoid a SF member taking the seat.
- Sends a member of it's Assembly team on a British Ministry of Defence trip to Afghanistan
- Voted in in the Assembly for increased pensions for the RUC Part-Time Reservists
- Voted in Belfast City Council for the placing of dozens of British Army plaques, including two UDR plaques around the walls inside City Hall.
- For years claimed allegations of collusion between the British state and Loyalist gangs was "republican propeganda"

Unfortunately, I could go on. It almost appears that this party regards Nationalism as a sectarian mindset and tries to avoid anything which makes them open about being Nationalist. Their public appearances make them sound more and more like the Alliance Party as time goes on.
"The island of saints & scholars...and gombeens & fuckin' arselickers" Christy Moore

lurganblue

Not once has a stoop came to my door canvassing for a vote. Not even a chance for
anyone in our area to challenge their policies face to face.

We have a lot of local problems with anti-social behaviour, drugs, etc and they seem to avoid tackling these issues apart from condeming acts in the local paper.

longrunsthefox

Agreed... they are absolutely toothless. Allister McDonnell slabbering on about the Hunger Strike ceremony held in Galbally was also nausiating.

Zapatista

IF this thread is a reflection of the general opinion of the SDLP then they are in serious trouble.

The SDLP became nothing after Hume packed it in. Even Mallon was second rate who never achieved anything in his political career. Since it became clear that the Peace process would mean SF sctive in political institutions the SDLP became the atni SF party. Ever since peace became a real possibility after the Adams and Hume talks the SDLP went into defence mode trying to protect their electoral success against SF. This inculded and includes pacts with Unionists and British Governments in an attempt to isolate SF. They have some neck complaining about SF not taking seats in westminster when over the years the stood hand in hand with unionists and british Governments while SF were locked outside the gates.

orangeman

Quote from: Zapatista on April 25, 2010, 11:58:25 AM
IF this thread is a reflection of the general opinion of the SDLP then they are in serious trouble.

The SDLP became nothing after Hume packed it in. Even Mallon was second rate who never achieved anything in his political career. Since it became clear that the Peace process would mean SF sctive in political institutions the SDLP became the atni SF party. Ever since peace became a real possibility after the Adams and Hume talks the SDLP went into defence mode trying to protect their electoral success against SF. This inculded and includes pacts with Unionists and British Governments in an attempt to isolate SF. They have some neck complaining about SF not taking seats in westminster when over the years the stood hand in hand with unionists and british Governments while SF were locked outside the gates.


History repeating itself then with SF doing the same thing now. What's new ?