Sinn Féin set to be largest party in NI - poll

[Zapatista]

Sinn Féin set to be largest party in NI - poll



http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0212/northpolitics.html

A poll in today's Belfast Telegraph suggests that Sinn Féin could become the largest political party in Northern Ireland.

The poll of 1,080 adults was carried out by Inform Communications over a five day period following last week's deal between the DUP and Sinn Féin at Hillsborough Castle




RTE add at the end of their piece - The poll has triggered speculation of a future political crisis in Northern Ireland, if Martin McGuinness becomes First

Why do they make this stuff up? Pricks. Who is specultating about a crisis on a poll released this morning? It's hard enough to make a power sharing executive work without these pricks making this shit up. RTE are scum.

[Nally Stand]

It's not impossible that they could be the biggest party but it's unlikely. It's the exact line the telegraph would be expected to put out, scaremongering unionists into uniting behind the DUP. I'd imagine unionist papers and tv will be full of this chat coming up to the next election

[ziggysego]

Doesn't make any differences, apart from an extra Executive Minister.

[Ulick]

They were the largest Party in the last election. What's the big deal?

[orangeman]

Doesn't make any differences, apart from an extra Executive Minister.

Yep -  doesn't make any difference.

[Nally Stand]

No diff apart from one extra exec seat and it would be a kick in the teeth to those unionists who refuse to accept that first and deputy first ministers are identical. That includes Big Ian who despite his relatively close relationship with Marty McGuinness, generally referred to him as "my deputy"

[Goats Do Shave]

It would put an end to the TUV campaigning to end the power sharing exec...

If the largetst party gains complete control, what state would Jim Allister be in!!?

[charlieTully]

The huns will never agree to a sf first minister anyway, democracy unionist styley our way or no fuckin way.

[T Fearon]

FFS An SDLP first minister would cause palpitations in most unionist quarters

[Ulick]

Simple solution change the job title to reflect the role - 'Joint First Minister'.

I read somewhere recently the Speaker in the Assembly ruled that McGuinness isn't actually 'Deputy First Minister' but deputy 'First Minister'. Typical that unionism ties itself up in knots over the symbolism of pretending they are still dominant over Irish nationalists and republicans. 

[screenmachine]

Is anyone else of the opinion that politics is a complete load of balls here? For example the Punt takes back seat for a few weeks to get his life together, however he is still central to all discussions then reinstates himself to get the plaudits a day before a deal is done? Politics here is all about me me me-if only a hung parliament couldn't be implemented in the literal stance and we could start afresh-deadwood gone, ban all parades, exterminate jim allister, simples. 

[Hardy]

It's not politics. It's just a padded play area to take sectarianism off the streets. But it's better than murder and mayhem.

[Zapatista]

Is anyone else of the opinion that politics is a complete load of balls here? For example the Punt takes back seat for a few weeks to get his life together, however he is still central to all discussions then reinstates himself to get the plaudits a day before a deal is done? Politics here is all about me me me-if only a hung parliament couldn't be implemented in the literal stance and we could start afresh-deadwood gone, ban all parades, exterminate jim allister, simples.

The Punt took a back seat from being Fm. He wsa still leader of the DUp and it was discussions between the DUP and SF (not the Assembly) that he was involved in.

Simple solution change the job title to reflect the role - 'Joint First Minister'.

I read somewhere recently the Speaker in the Assembly ruled that McGuinness isn't actually 'Deputy First Minister' but deputy 'First Minister'. Typical that unionism ties itself up in knots over the symbolism of pretending they are still dominant over Irish nationalists and republicans. 

To be honest I'd say let them have it. If SF were to be the biggest party I would ask that they give enough votes to allow a unionist to be FM if that would shut them up about it. It wouldn't though as you would still have pricks in RTE crying false crisis making it impossible to bring the people with them. A unionist wouldn't accept a SF vote either. SF need to be saying very publically they don't give a bollix who is FM or dFM aslong as they are one of them. This would show this problem up for what it is, bullshit from the likes of RTE gombeens.

[winsamsoon]

I would agree with you on that last post Zap Is SF dig their heels in which realisticall they won't then this could potentially turn on them and become a bigger issue than it is. By approaching they way you have stated it won't become a big issue because it won't be viewed as a victory for one side and a loss for the other, something that the media would love.

[tyrone86]

Lazy political analysis at best and scaremongering at worst. In the 1998 Assembly elections the SDLP had a higher share of the vote than the UUP but 4 less seats. Where are SF going to pick up extra seats and where will the DUP lose them? While I'd imagine the DUP will take a kicking if there was an assembly election tomorrow but losing 8 seats is a big ask when it comes down to it. SF's only hope of a gain is in Upper Bann.