Quote from: 6th sam on May 03, 2018, 06:16:53 PMQuote from: johnnycool on May 03, 2018, 04:37:15 PMQuote from: AQMP on May 03, 2018, 04:12:35 PMQuote from: Applesisapples on May 03, 2018, 02:55:26 PM
The problem for the SDLP is basically that the majority of the nationalist community are republican at heart, those that vote anyway. The SDLP missed a trick as they turned light green and hung their hat on making NI work. At its inner most core the nationalist community is not interested in Westminster or in Stormont and that is why the Shinners get the vote. Add into that a growing younger generation of nationalist that refuse to tone down its identity or doff the cap to superior unionist culture. Had the SDLP really felt the heart beat of their community they would have understood this. The SDLP are still wed to the old unionist adage of SF/IRA and nationalists by and large don't accept this as a black and white situation.
Good analysis. The SDLP fatally misread the result of the GFA Referendum. They thought that a resounding "Yes" from nationalists (North & South) meant that support for a UI was on the wane amongst nationalists. They started to talk about "post-nationalism" and occupying the "middle ground" in partnership with the UUP and started to become "green-lite" very quickly. A lot of their supporters scratched their heads and concluded that the SDLP had no interest in working towards a UI and thus voted SF. Also they didn't cotton on that Unionist support for the agreement was lukewarm at best and that Trimble & Co only accepted it as the least worst option and had little interest in making it work.
I'd say that was always the case but with Sinn Féin being toxic to most the SDLP was the only other option. Once Sinn Féin came in from the cold the SDLP didn't realign their policies accordingly and that maybe was because they misjudged their electorate and also their unionists bed fellows in that a "shared" entity that was NI was workable.
How wrong were they!
Not sure that many in Sdlp didn't want a UI. I have known several SDLP voters and politicians , who were as passionate about a UI as SF, just that the violence didn't sit well with them , sometimes due to guidance from the Catholic Church .
Most were prepared to work in making this state as fair and successful as possible, in the knowledge that a UI was inevitable in the long term. A valid viewpoint as they wanted to ensure health education jobs and equality were not neglected as we wait on a UI
This state in its present form seems to be ungovernable, a spirit of generosity from unionism could still secure a strong future for British identity on this Island, but the DUP need to be put to the pin of their collars, as there's only one way to stand up to a bully. Their self obsessed shorttermism needs to be countered at every turn, and only an United equality agenda can do that . SDLP have an opportunity to lead that in terms of ethos if not numbers, but they are doing a disservice to that cause by tarring SF with the same brush as DUP. SF for their part need to put more meat on the bones of how they see a new ireland. Focussing on partnership with equality colleagues, and avoiding winding up middle of the road unionism is the key, in my opinion.
If they did then the party leaders hid those aims well for many's a year.
The SDLP were correct that getting equality in Education, Jobs, health are indeed day to day more important, but at the same time the nationalist electorate were beginning to make it clear that a UI needed to be on the table, the SDLP seemed to be more interested in keeping the middle ground and aspirations for a UI have only come to the fore in the last 10 years or so when the damage is done.
They were also banking on Unionism meeting them in that middle ground and that didn't happen.
They needed new blood with something to offer and that's a bit lacking at the minute.
In saying that the new offerings from Sinn Féin don't really instill much confidence either.
