Stormont Assembly Elections 2017

[JohnDenver]

I'll take that as an acknowledgement that you were talking shite

I'm a SF voter but I think there was a certain amount of it as lip service. They took the risk (correctly in my view) that the 6C and Scotland voting to remain while the English voted to leave would drive wedges in the 'union', boost nationalism and move the border to Holyhead, Heathrow and Heysham. Time will tell if that risk will pay off. I think it will.

This is all very fine, but NIs would have been supported by the high remain vote, which it did not get largely because SF voters did not bother to vote. We are now in a very dangerous period and it isn't clear if SF have a good plan to ensure the border is at Cairnryan and not Culloville.

Where can the evidence of this be found?

West Belfast had the lowest turnout of any constituency in the UK and two thirds of people there vote SF.

That would be a no then. 

Remind me again PBP's position on Brexit?

[armaghniac]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-36616830

Bit disingenuous there, you picked  the outlier amongst the SF heartlands. As far as I can tell turnout was much higher in nearly all other green constituencies compared to the assembly elections.. West Tyrone, Newry, mid ulster etc.q

Is this as a result of the SF machine, or the people in these places taking more interest? The Westies don't give a damn about the border, it seems.

[haranguerer]

The margin of the result in the north has absolutely no bearing on how strongly the result here can be defended. Brexiteers can hardly point to it given the overall margin they're defending.

[Minder]

I would have thought the main issue SF had with Brexit was the potential for the end of the peace funding and other EU funding their various rackets survive on. There would be a few party activists & family members on an egg less

[Farrandeelin]

Fcuk me but Arlene is one spiteful, hateful bitch.

[Rois]

She is struggling - everyone is against her.

[armaghniac]

She is struggling - everyone is against her.

Everyone isn't half enough.

[stringbean]

What a shambles of a debate! Shouting over each other, no structure and the chair got walked over!!

As for Arlene - unbelievable the bigotry and clear attempt to appeal to Orangeman. Desperation possibly - scaremongering didn't work for Brexit or US elections!

[seafoid]

http://www.itv.com/news/utv/update/2017-02-16/utvs-election-debate-ni-leaders-go-head-to-head/

The flip side of her dire warnings is that Arlene is basically campaigning for the Shinners when she mentions what a SF 1st place would mean.

[seafoid]

Mike Nesbitt is very smooth compared to Arlene. Must be the TV career.

[Take Your Points]

The flip side of her dire warnings is that Arlene is basically campaigning for the Shinners when she mentions what a SF 1st place would mean.

Arlene and the DUP need SF more than anyone else in N.Ireland to ensure that they are able to mobilise their hardcore vote and other unionists with the same siege mentality.  Adams is the best electoral weapon of the DUP. 

Both the DUP and SF use the same tactics to mobilise their support - get out and vote for us or themums will over run us, take our homes and destroy our livelihoods.  No need for policies on health, education or jobs.

[haranguerer]

  You're getting beyond parody typ

[Take Your Points]

[haranguerer]

Interesting typ - seems Mike will benefit more from the SDLP statement than Colum will, maybe hes not so slow after all

[Applesisapples]

Interesting debate that illustrated the dearth of intellect in the body politic of the wee 6. Compared to Conor Murphy Michelle O'Neill is light weight. The whole Adams anointment thing is sickening as well. The Tyrone twang is also annoying. Eastwood is clueless, Mike all show and Arelene played the bogeyman card.