6 counties election

[Dubh driocht]

ONeill, Vauxhall is in South, not North London. Home to the Swan in Stockwell where manys a man from these parts might have stopped for refreshments.
Another prominent member of the Irish Community was also returned with a convincing majority in South London- Siobhan Mc Donagh in Mitcham and Morden.She didn't think a lot of Gordon Brown and her sister was formerly General Secretary of the Labour party. Siobhan is a great girl and proud of her Donegal connections.Knew her when we lived in the famous Colliers Wood.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Murphy back in on a bit lower vote, same % though ..

Conor Murphy  Sinn Fein 18,857 42.0 +0.6
Dominic Bradley  Social Democratic & Labour Party 10,526 23.4 -1.7
Danny Kennedy  Ulster Conservatives and Unionists - New Force 8,558 19.1 +5.2
William Irwin  Democratic Unionist Party 5,764 12.8 -5.5
William Frazer  Independent 656 1.5 +1.5
Andrew Muir  Alliance Party 545 1.2 +1.2
Majority 8,331 18.6 
Turnout 44,906 60.4 -13.3



2005 Westminster election (5 May, 1 seat)
@Conor Murphy (Sinn Fein) 20,965 (41.4% +10.5%)
@Dominic Bradley (SDLP) 12,770 (25.2% -12.2%)
@Paul Berry (DUP) 9,311 (18.4% -1.0%)
@Danny Kennedy (UUP) 7,025 (13.9% +1.6%)
Gerry Markey (Independent) 625 (1.2%)

Murphy in on a lower vote BUT raised percentage, Bradley dropping percentage again. Tell it like it is Mick999!

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Bairbre a lot more gracious in acknowledging the support from tactical SDLP voters that McDonnell.

SF needed the tactical votes in FST, SDLP didn't need the SF vote in SB. Maybe that's the difference?

Maguire, its arrogance like that that will eventually cost the stoops.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Gareth Mc Keever Tyrone.  Were abouts is he from?

Would be a few about your place but I'd doubt many would be Tory Boys!

Yer woman Cash was in a seat the Conservatives expected to win so apparently she had a bit of a diva strop at the count.

Surely given that she's a muggle married to Octavius Black, Dumbledore could have helped out?

[Maguire01]

Bairbre a lot more gracious in acknowledging the support from tactical SDLP voters that McDonnell.

SF needed the tactical votes in FST, SDLP didn't need the SF vote in SB. Maybe that's the difference?

Maguire, its arrogance like that that will eventually cost the stoops.

I also added that it would have been hypocritical to be so gracious for any SF votes, after opposing a pact. If you have opposed something in principle at the outset, you can't then be seen to legitimise it afterwards.

[ziggysego]

Bairbre a lot more gracious in acknowledging the support from tactical SDLP voters that McDonnell.

SF needed the tactical votes in FST, SDLP didn't need the SF vote in SB. Maybe that's the difference?

Maguire, its arrogance like that that will eventually cost the stoops.

I also added that it would have been hypocritical to be so gracious for any SF votes, after opposing a pact. If you have opposed something in principle at the outset, you can't then be seen to legitimise it afterwards.

I think you made a simple error there Maguire.

Sinn Fein were critical of SDLP for splitting the Nationalists' vote, but praised the the SDLP's core voters for not splitting the vote.

[Maguire01]

McDonnell thanked everyone who voted for him. He did it again on The Politics Show today and he included the SF voters in that. But he was hardly going to be as blatant as SF as the SDLP never supported a pact. He can hardly come along after the election and decide that a pact was a good idea after all.

[MW]

I take it that with the UCUNF, or whatever it was called getting hammered ,
that most Unionists have no interest in voting for or belonging to a so called "National" Party from over the water ?
The first steps on the road to a "Closer Ireland " ??

Sadly the Conservatives and Unionists' campaign was an exemplary lesson in how not to run an election campaign.

Could have had an appeal (and to be fair it did take a significant chunk of the vote) but looks like the alliance is done for now.

[The Worker]

I take it that with the UCUNF, or whatever it was called getting hammered ,
that most Unionists have no interest in voting for or belonging to a so called "National" Party from over the water ?
The first steps on the road to a "Closer Ireland " ??

Sadly the Conservatives and Unionists' campaign was an exemplary lesson in how not to run an election campaign.

Could have had an appeal (and to be fair it did take a significant chunk of the vote) but looks like the alliance is done for now.

alliance got their first ever seat and you're saying they're done for

[MW]

you'd have thought Trevor Ringland would have fared better in East Belfast than he did though, certainly the protest vote went to Alliance and wee Niomi better make hay as she'll not retain that seat again.

Perfect example...Ringland could have won if he'd been on the ground for months beforehand and been presented as the candidate to oust Robinson.

Alliance, for example, put out a leaflet last week showing the 2007 Assembly election result with Long only 50-odd vote behind Robinson, with the clear message that only she could defeat Robinson. Naughty considering it was a PR-STV election and the DUP ran multiple candidates, deliberately dividing their vote between them - but an excellent use of spin from an Alliance point of view.

[MW]

I take it that with the UCUNF, or whatever it was called getting hammered ,
that most Unionists have no interest in voting for or belonging to a so called "National" Party from over the water ?
The first steps on the road to a "Closer Ireland " ??

Sadly the Conservatives and Unionists' campaign was an exemplary lesson in how not to run an election campaign.

Could have had an appeal (and to be fair it did take a significant chunk of the vote) but looks like the alliance is done for now.

alliance got their first ever seat and you're saying they're done for

I think the Alliance Party will build on this success...

[ziggysego]

I take it that with the UCUNF, or whatever it was called getting hammered ,
that most Unionists have no interest in voting for or belonging to a so called "National" Party from over the water ?
The first steps on the road to a "Closer Ireland " ??

Sadly the Conservatives and Unionists' campaign was an exemplary lesson in how not to run an election campaign.

Could have had an appeal (and to be fair it did take a significant chunk of the vote) but looks like the alliance is done for now.

I know plenty of UUP voters who turned their backs on them this year, due to their alliance with the Tories. It was that alliance that killed off any chance of a UUP comeback.

[MW]

I take it that with the UCUNF, or whatever it was called getting hammered ,
that most Unionists have no interest in voting for or belonging to a so called "National" Party from over the water ?
The first steps on the road to a "Closer Ireland " ??

Sadly the Conservatives and Unionists' campaign was an exemplary lesson in how not to run an election campaign.

Could have had an appeal (and to be fair it did take a significant chunk of the vote) but looks like the alliance is done for now.

I know plenty of UUP voters who turned their backs on them this year, due to their alliance with the Tories. It was that alliance that killed off any chance of a UUP comeback.

Fair point, I know a couple of left-leaning UUP voters who felt they couldn't vote for a Conservative ticket.

That said, I know others who were enthused by the prospect of voting for a party involved in real national politics and cast a vote they wouldn't have otherwise. Personally, I most likely would've voted Conservative rather than UUP if the pact hadn't been in place.

[Rossfan]

Looks to me like most Unionists dont want to be "National " Brits 

[Rav67]

How the candidates from NI fared across the water

The general election counts were a late night and early morning of mixed fortunes for candidates from Northern Ireland who were running for parties across the water.
The most high profile casualty was Liberal Democrat candidate Lembit Opik, who lost his seat in Montgomeryshire in Wales to the Conservatives.
The chat-show regular who has had high profile relationships with ITV weathergirl Sian Lloyd and one-half of the Cheeky Girls, Gabriela Irimia, lost to Glyn Davies despite defending a majority of more than 7,000 from 2005.

Five years on, the Conservative candidate managed a swing of over 13%.
Mr Opik, who was born and raised in Bangor, County Down, said he was "disappointed" by the result and admitted that it was unexpected.
"It is a sad time for me. On the other side, if you stand for politics, you have to be willing to contemplate defeat."
There was better news for Belfast-born Kate Hoey, who confirmed expectations by holding on comfortably to the Vaxuhall constituency in north London.
Her vote of 21,498 was just under a 50% share of the vote, giving her a majority of 10,651 over the Liberal Democrat challenger in second place.
Another London contender was Oxford-educated barrister Joanne Cash from County Armagh. Dubbed one of "Cameron's Cuties", she had been heavily tipped to win the seat of Westminster North from Labour.
However, in a result which confirmed the occasional quirkiness of how the night panned out nationwide, Ms Cash was defeated by the Labour candidate by 2,126.
The former Banbridge Academy pupil, who is expecting her first baby with husband Octavius Black, a friend of David Cameron, has blamed media reports about her for her failure to take the seat.
Meanwhile, another Conservative from Northern Ireland, Gareth McKeever from Tyrone, failed to win his target seat.

He stood in Westmorland and Lonsdale in the Lake District but finished second to Tom Farron of the Liberal Democrats, who maintained a majority of more than 12,000.
An Oxford graduate, who worked in high finance in London, Mr McKeever reportedly sold his flat in the capital to move to the north.
Meanwhile, the Secretary of State Shaun Woodward retained his St Helens and Whiston seat with a majority of 14,122.
NIO minister Paul Goggins won a majority of 7,575 in Wythenshawe and Sale East despite a swing of 5.7% from Labour to the Conservatives.
Shadow Secretary of State Owen Paterson easily retained his seat in Shropshire North, winning a majority of 15,828 over the Liberal Democrat in second place.

In Bournemouth East Conor Burns (Tory) got in- he's a Belfast Catholic, think he's lived in dear ol Blighty for most of his life though.