The Battle for Fermanagh and South Tyrone

[The Worker]

Connor "seeking legal advice" according to Newsline.

I would do the same if sunbeds done that to me!

[haranguerer]

The voters of FST knew the score and voted accordingly; it's reasonable to assume that SF were not getting those other 3,700 SDLP votes regardless.

Some of the SF supporters on here show a real lack of respect for alternative political opinion. They preach equality, talk about an Ireland for everyone and how to engage with Unionists, yet can't respect an alternative nationalist opinion. It's right that nationalists should have a choice - it's not a one size fits all.

Its not reasonable to assume that at all. Michelle Gildernews vote would definitely have been higher if the SDLP had not contested the seat.

What did the SDLP hope to achieve by putting McKinney up for election? They were never going to win it, and were likely to allow a unionist in which certainly wouldnt have helped their own voters.

They sought to damage SF, and in seeking to do so showed amazing ignorance of their constituency, in particular the support the likes of Tommy Gallagher personally had commanded, and which wasnt going to transfer to McKinney.

[trileacman]

There is something nationalism should take from the recent elections though. Unionism has spent quite a while tearing strips out of each other for very little gainings. Now there is an increase in the calls for unionist unity which I believe will be pursued quite strongly in tomorrow's Newsletter.

Both SF and the SDLP need to be wary to not make the same mistakes. An unopposed Shinnership or unopposed Stoopship is in no-ones best interests.

[red hander]

I wouldn't worry too much about the influence of the News Letter, its circulation (and its journalism, come to that) is derisory

[Minder]

I wouldn't worry too much about the influence of the News Letter, its circulation (and its journalism, come to that) is derisory

Regardless of what is in the News Letter, "Unionist Unity" is in the post I would think.

[red hander]

Doddsy seemed to pooh-pooh calls for a single unionist party while talking about unionist unity on UTV earlier ... while they might talk about it to the cows come home, I can't see them ever agreeing to it... it's no more likely than nationalist unity

[trileacman]

The voters of FST knew the score and voted accordingly; it's reasonable to assume that SF were not getting those other 3,700 SDLP votes regardless.

Some of the SF supporters on here show a real lack of respect for alternative political opinion. They preach equality, talk about an Ireland for everyone and how to engage with Unionists, yet can't respect an alternative nationalist opinion. It's right that nationalists should have a choice - it's not a one size fits all.

What did the SDLP hope to achieve by putting McKinney up for election? They were never going to win it, and were likely to allow a unionist in which certainly wouldn't have helped their own voters.

I refer you to this post.

As for Margaret Richie, you said you wanted the people of F/ST to speak. Well I hope you're listening, they spoke with a very loud voice yesterday.

Yes they did and I'm sure Ritchie will take this on board. Ritchie offered the people of FST a choice, there's nothing wrong with that. Unionists ruled this province for the guts of 60 years because the ideals of democracy were not upheld or provided to the nationalist people, I won't hold anything against Margaret for giving them a choice.

There was/is alot of finger-pointing and gloating being directed at the SDLP and some people would do well to consider one thing. There are people in FST who will never vote SF. They have various reasons which are completely unarguable and sound. These people in a fair, just and democratic society should have the option of voting for the SDLP and the SDLP have an obligation to offer these people an alternative nationalist mandate. Whether the SDLP get the seat or not is irrelevant but these non-SF nationalists have a right to vote and as long as there exists people within FST who want to vote for the SDLP then they should be provided the opportunity to do so.

As for your opinion that a unionist would not have served the SDLP voters at all then I'm afraid the people who voted SDLP must have thought otherwise. It's perfectly legitimate that they would consider a sitting MP (protestant or not) would do better to retain jobs/funding and healthcare in the area than an absent MP.

The SDLP ran a candidate in FST to give the people of that area their democratic right to vote for a party if they wanted to. 3,700 people did and despite your protests you cannot deny them that. Vashundra Kamble or John Stevenson did not have a chance of winning either but they ran because they wanted to represent a certain aspect of the population of FST. You cannot deny a person the right to representation. SDLP provided representation to the people of FST and unless you have problems with the fundamental principles of democracy then you cannot deny them that.

[trileacman]

I wouldn't worry too much about the influence of the News Letter, its circulation (and its journalism, come to that) is derisory

That may be true, its influence on the larger unionist population might be negligible but it does give a certain indication of where the wind is blowing.

[trileacman]

Doddsy seemed to pooh-pooh calls for a single unionist party while talking about unionist unity on UTV earlier ... while they might talk about it to the cows come home, I can't see them ever agreeing to it... it's no more likely than nationalist unity

Perhaps it is unlikely but even at the top of this page people realise difficult times for unionism and there are calls for unity that are absent in the nationalist spectrum at this time. It mightn't happen but I worry that it might.

[Rossfan]

No more than some Nationalists do not want to have anything to do with SF I presume there are some Unionists who will never be in favour of Unity under the DUP.

[red hander]

The UUP were annihilated last night, and although they will have MLAs elected next year, the TUV are the second party of unionism now ... there's no way Allister is going to unite with the DUP unless they withdraw from government with the Shinners, so it'll not happen ... there'll be the odd electoral pact here and there, but they hate each other as much as the Shinners and the Stoops hate each other

[Maguire01]

The UUP were annihilated last night, and although they will have MLAs elected next year, the TUV are the second party of unionism now ...

Did you miss the results? The TUV were humiliated - a distant third in unionism. There's talk they won't even contest the Assembly elections at all. The UUP will retain a core vote once they lose the Conservative tag.

[Main Street]

Am delighted with the extra time winner for Sinn Fein and the nationalists in F&ST
I don't go along with the claim that SDLP were standing their candidate to give a choice of nationalist parties to the voters of F&ST. The main motive was obviously to stop Sinn Fein and some hope to rebuild their profile
Now they will play the victim card, a sacrifice made for the sake of democracy.

It was a stupid decision to field their no hope candidate and a real hammer blow was served to poxy Unionists despite their ill advised intervention onto the field. The SDLP actions attempted to scuttle the strategy that best served the vast majority of nationalists.
Not only were the SDLP incapable of representing nationalists against a Unionist candidate, they were hopelessly inadequate in every way.

"He who wishes to fight must first count the cost"  Sun Tzu

[gallsman]

Have SF been confirmed as the largest party by popular vote?

[omagh_gael]

Have SF been confirmed as the largest party by popular vote?

Yeah they topped the popular vote on 25.5% with the DUP half a point back on 20%