Portuguese & Polish to vote SDLP

Feckitt · February 08, 2011, 10:35:08 AM

The first Portuguese national to stand for election in Northern Ireland has been selected by the SDLP.

Daniel Gouveia (39), an interpreter, originally from Lisbon in Portugal, will be standing for Craigavon Borough Council in the May local government elections.

Mr Gouveia said: "There is a great appetite among the Portuguese community to get involved in local politics in Craigavon and I will try my best to give a voice to new citizens and indeed everyone."

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/portuguese-man-to-make-poll-history-15076656.html#ixzz1DMZGESEC

This is a big play by the Stoops who have already got a Polish woman standing for the council elections in Craigavon. There are many thousands of Polish, Lithuanian & Portuguese in Northern Ireland, particularly in Craigavon & Dungannon. They are predominantly Catholic, but most probably have not voted up to now. If the SDLP or Sinn Fein can encourage them to vote, then they could make a big difference in the delicate numbers game that is NI politics.

armaghniac · February 08, 2011, 10:41:50 AM

It should have nothing to do with being Catholic. It should have to do with taking part in Irish society if you choose to live here, rather than having politics based on where your ancestors came from. Great to see it.

fitzroyalty · February 08, 2011, 10:48:37 AM

Quote from: armaghniac on February 08, 2011, 10:41:50 AM
It should have nothing to do with being Catholic. It should have to do with taking part in Irish society if you choose to live here, rather than having politics based on where your ancestors came from. Great to see it.

Nevertheless I couldn't imagine too many voting DUP, not in Craigavon anyway.

Harold Disgracey · February 08, 2011, 01:22:10 PM

I know Daniel, he's a good lad but he'll not get elected in Portadown.

Feckitt · February 08, 2011, 01:35:45 PM

There are 7 seats in Portadown at the last election in 2005 it was,
DUP - 3
UUP - 1
Ind U - 1
SF - 1
SDLP - 1

I don't know how many candidates each party are planning to run, but if they manage to get a lot of the new Irish out to vote, whether they are Portuguese, Polish or otherwise then it is a good thing.

Minder · February 08, 2011, 01:39:32 PM

If he was standing for SF he could be a, ahem, "Portugese Man O' War".

Allegedly.

Feckitt · February 25, 2011, 10:48:55 AM

Now they are at it in Belfast. They have already selected a polish woman for the council elections in Craigavon, and a Portuguese Man in Portadown, Now a polish woman is standing in East Belfast. Even if you are a SF supporter rather than SDLP, it is still good news, because in the transferrable vote system, a rising tide lifts both ships. I would say the number of Poles, Portugeuse and Lithuanians that have voted so far in NI would be very small, but this may give them some encouragement to come out and vote. These are all new votes, they are a sizable community, and I don't think they would be in a mad rush to vote for representatives of the unionist communities which they have been shamefully chased out of.

Pole to Stand for SDLP in Belfast

The SDLP has selected a Polish-born woman as its candidate for East Belfast in the upcoming Assembly election.

Magdalena Wolska (36), is originally from Pulawy in the east of the country, but now lives in Belfast. The SDLP says Ms Wolska's family has strong political connections in Poland, and are active in the trade union movement.

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/pole-to-stand-for-sdlp-in-belfast-15091109.html#ixzz1Ey0u

Minder · February 25, 2011, 12:02:17 PM

Has there been many poles at the polls?

armaghniac · February 25, 2011, 12:16:16 PM

QuoteHas there been many poles at the polls

?

It would be to good to Czech.

omagh_gael · February 25, 2011, 12:30:52 PM

I have a feeling they're Hungary to make a difference

Ulick · February 25, 2011, 12:36:51 PM

To be honest I think it smacks of desperation. It's good to see the new-Irish getting involved but the SDLP set-up in Upper Bann has been slowly imploding for the last ten years. At the moment it's pretty much been reduced to Dolores Kelly and family. The Stoops have been searching for candidates there for quite a while now.

Maguire01 · February 25, 2011, 06:02:22 PM

Quote from: Ulick on February 25, 2011, 12:36:51 PM
To be honest I think it smacks of desperation. It's good to see the new-Irish getting involved but the SDLP set-up in Upper Bann has been slowly imploding for the last ten years. At the moment it's pretty much been reduced to Dolores Kelly and family. The Stoops have been searching for candidates there for quite a while now.

If SF had secured these new candidates it would have been held up as a a great example of how they can reach out to everybody. It's the same with 'protestant' voters - Ritchie gets a load in South Down and it's a source of ridicule, Gerry reckons he gets a handful in West Belfast and it's evidence of SF's broad appeal.

Maguire01 · February 25, 2011, 06:05:37 PM

Quote from: Feckitt on February 25, 2011, 10:48:55 AM
Now they are at it in Belfast. They have already selected a polish woman for the council elections in Craigavon, and a Portuguese Man in Portadown, Now a polish woman is standing in East Belfast. Even if you are a SF supporter rather than SDLP, it is still good news, because in the transferrable vote system, a rising tide lifts both ships. I would say the number of Poles, Portugeuse and Lithuanians that have voted so far in NI would be very small, but this may give them some encouragement to come out and vote. These are all new votes, they are a sizable community, and I don't think they would be in a mad rush to vote for representatives of the unionist communities which they have been shamefully chased out of.

It's good to see the 'new Irish' get actively involved, but not just from the point of view of boosting the 'tribal headcount'. Also there's no telling where their transfers will go, if anywhere. I don't think that this would necessarily make such voters 'nationalists' or have much impact on support for the constitutional question.

Eamonnca1 · February 25, 2011, 06:59:05 PM

Quote from: armaghniac on February 08, 2011, 10:41:50 AM
It should have nothing to do with being Catholic.

The word "should" has little relevance in Northern Ireland politics.

Trout · February 25, 2011, 07:09:11 PM

Quote from: Ulick on February 25, 2011, 12:36:51 PM
To be honest I think it smacks of desperation. It's good to see the new-Irish getting involved but the SDLP set-up in Upper Bann has been slowly imploding for the last ten years. At the moment it's pretty much been reduced to Dolores Kelly and family. The Stoops have been searching for candidates there for quite a while now.

Yet if Sinn Fein, a party you have no affiliation to, obviously, pulled a similar stunt it would be seen as visionary.