Stormont Assembly Elections 2017

[Owen Brannigan]

South Down election results 2017

SF   19,083
SDLP   12,433
DUP   7,786
AP   4,535
UUP   4,172
TUV   630
GP   483
IND   192
CON   85

Real problems for the difficult to like M Ritchie.  SF made a leap forward by removing the equally difficult to like C Ruane and having a local candidate in Sinead Ennis with strong community connections.  If SF can hold these votes then with the Alliance eating into SDLP votes then it is curtains for Ritchie. 

So much for being the first SDLP person to shout 'no pacts' when only some arrangement can save her seat held by SDLP since 1987 when Eddie O'Grady snatched it from the despicable Enoch Powell.

[Owen Brannigan]

SDLP/SF pact anyone?? Although it won't be called that.  Can't see Alliance getting involved in this.  Can you imagine East Belfast?  DUP will have a field day "Naomi Long supported by Gerry Adams" will be some slogan!

In ordinary times I wouldn't be in favour of an SDLP/SF pact, but these are extraordinary times and we/they (the Remain parties) should really do what we/they can to strengthen the NI position in Brexit talks by showing a referendum result, an assembly election result and a Westminster election result that favours the anti-Brexit parties.  For 3 different democratic results to be ignored would be completely anti-democratic.   

+1

[Owen Brannigan]

So, according to the last Assembly poll, SDLP could be left with no MPs.  The fortresses of Foyle and South Down have been breached.  Only the unionists and PBP could save the day for M Durkan in Foyle.  Only an anti SF vote can save M Ritchie.

An anti-Brexit alliance could be achieved but the APNI will struggle to be on the same side as Adams and remain a home for refugees from the collapsing and becoming less relevant UUP.

FST and South Belfast remain the battlegrounds. 

Will the fact that May will gain a huge majority making the DUP irrelevant to her affect how the DUP look on forming pacts as they will become a tiny grouping in the UK parliament with no power?

[Rois]

An anti-Brexit alliance could be achieved but the APNI will struggle to be on the same side as Adams and remain a home for refugees from the collapsing and becoming less relevant UUP.

Where exactly would Alliance benefit from an anti-Brexit pact?  Do they really have a hope anywhere except East Belfast?  Surely SF and SDLP would just sit that out anyway without it being called a pact.

[Avondhu star]

May has shown what the Tories think of anyone outside their own littlle clique. The Natioalists and Unionists can clash all they ike just don't bother London

[seafoid]

So, according to the last Assembly poll, SDLP could be left with no MPs.  The fortresses of Foyle and South Down have been breached.  Only the unionists and PBP could save the day for M Durkan in Foyle.  Only an anti SF vote can save M Ritchie.

An anti-Brexit alliance could be achieved but the APNI will struggle to be on the same side as Adams and remain a home for refugees from the collapsing and becoming less relevant UUP.

FST and South Belfast remain the battlegrounds. 

Will the fact that May will gain a huge majority making the DUP irrelevant to her affect how the DUP look on forming pacts as they will become a tiny grouping in the UK parliament with no power?

Why does it matter whether or not a party has MPs?

[Owen Brannigan]

So, according to the last Assembly poll, SDLP could be left with no MPs.  The fortresses of Foyle and South Down have been breached.  Only the unionists and PBP could save the day for M Durkan in Foyle.  Only an anti SF vote can save M Ritchie.

An anti-Brexit alliance could be achieved but the APNI will struggle to be on the same side as Adams and remain a home for refugees from the collapsing and becoming less relevant UUP.

FST and South Belfast remain the battlegrounds. 

Will the fact that May will gain a huge majority making the DUP irrelevant to her affect how the DUP look on forming pacts as they will become a tiny grouping in the UK parliament with no power?

Why does it matter whether or not a party has MPs?

Essentially it is a method used to determine the success or otherwise of a party.  It can also fulfil a narrative used by others to put it in the minds of the voters that a party is in decline and they would be best to go for a winning ticket that they might hold.  Once voters shift parties and sometimes 'lend' their vote to another it can be very difficult to pull them back.

[seafoid]

So, according to the last Assembly poll, SDLP could be left with no MPs.  The fortresses of Foyle and South Down have been breached.  Only the unionists and PBP could save the day for M Durkan in Foyle.  Only an anti SF vote can save M Ritchie.

An anti-Brexit alliance could be achieved but the APNI will struggle to be on the same side as Adams and remain a home for refugees from the collapsing and becoming less relevant UUP.

FST and South Belfast remain the battlegrounds. 

Will the fact that May will gain a huge majority making the DUP irrelevant to her affect how the DUP look on forming pacts as they will become a tiny grouping in the UK parliament with no power?

Why does it matter whether or not a party has MPs?

Essentially it is a method used to determine the success or otherwise of a party.  It can also fulfil a narrative used by others to put it in the minds of the voters that a party is in decline and they would be best to go for a winning ticket that they might hold.  Once voters shift parties and sometimes 'lend' their vote to another it can be very difficult to pull them back.

Do Assembly elections not show that anyway?

[Owen Brannigan]

So, according to the last Assembly poll, SDLP could be left with no MPs.  The fortresses of Foyle and South Down have been breached.  Only the unionists and PBP could save the day for M Durkan in Foyle.  Only an anti SF vote can save M Ritchie.

An anti-Brexit alliance could be achieved but the APNI will struggle to be on the same side as Adams and remain a home for refugees from the collapsing and becoming less relevant UUP.

FST and South Belfast remain the battlegrounds. 

Will the fact that May will gain a huge majority making the DUP irrelevant to her affect how the DUP look on forming pacts as they will become a tiny grouping in the UK parliament with no power?

Why does it matter whether or not a party has MPs?

Essentially it is a method used to determine the success or otherwise of a party.  It can also fulfil a narrative used by others to put it in the minds of the voters that a party is in decline and they would be best to go for a winning ticket that they might hold.  Once voters shift parties and sometimes 'lend' their vote to another it can be very difficult to pull them back.

Do Assembly elections not show that anyway?

Yes but a fall or increase in number of MPs is another measure used in the same way.

[imtommygunn]

Also sf don't go to westminster which you would imagine impacts their voting.

[armaghniac]

Perfidious Albion
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/general-election/sinn-fein-tells-brokenshire-british-government-has-done-nothing-to-achieve-stormont-deal-and-wants-powersharing-to-fail-35638270.html

[johnneycool]

Also sf don't go to westminster which you would imagine impacts their voting.

It might not help but like the Assembly elections the SF voters have the chance to bloody the DUP's nose and loosen their pull with May if its another slim majority and the Shinners can take a few seats from them even if no one sits in Westminster.

[vallankumous]

Also sf don't go to westminster which you would imagine impacts their voting.

It will have a positive impact i'd say. As shown with Brexit, there's no point in sending politicians to London.

[seafoid]

Brokenshire is going to do something about the council funding. Poor NI. Nobody cares either in Stormont or London.

[T Fearon]

Or Dublin.