Is Nationalism on the Decline in the North?

[Applesisapples]

Nationalist apathy is the big problem. Combined numbers for SF/SDLP votes are down the last three consecutive GEs. Screenexile summed it up for me, pretty much everyone I know would share his attitude to SF.

SF need to up their game big time and properly set out their stall. They need to stop blowing on about a UI and properly delve into how and why it should take place ie develop tangible strategies that will attract voters especially around health care and the economy.

They need a shake up in personnel though I can't see that happening. Some of the older heads, especially those with an illustrious past need pushed to the side to make way for new faces. The likes of MOM has been exceptional for SF and the response he gets even from some Unionist quarters has to be exploited more.

I can't disagree with this.

[gallsman]

Nationalist apathy is the big problem. Combined numbers for SF/SDLP votes are down the last three consecutive GEs. Screenexile summed it up for me, pretty much everyone I know would share his attitude to SF.

SF need to up their game big time and properly set out their stall. They need to stop blowing on about a UI and properly delve into how and why it should take place ie develop tangible strategies that will attract voters especially around health care and the economy.

They need a shake up in personnel though I can't see that happening. Some of the older heads, especially those with an illustrious past need pushed to the side to make way for new faces. The likes of MOM has been exceptional for SF and the response he gets even from some Unionist quarters has to be exploited more.

Agree absolutely. A fantastic representative for them and Belfast. I imagine he'll safely take an Assembly seat next time around.

[T Fearon]

Time for nationalist people to reflect where they are going and do they really want to go there? Into a Republic which sold them out nearly 100 years ago and treats "N Ireland" as part of its Foreign Affairs and looks upon all of us with less warmth than they do their UK Royals heroes?

SDLP and Sinn Fein have achieved little and are further alienating themselves from their core constituencies by their anti catholic stances on homosexuality and abortion etc.Just check today's Irish News letters page to see the impact this is having.

I believe Northern Nationalists need a new party that can unite the vast majority of us,but first we must decide in which direction we want to go.

[gallsman]

Time for nationalist people to reflect where they are going and do they really want to go there? Into a Republic which sold them out nearly 100 years ago and treats "N Ireland" as part of its Foreign Affairs and looks upon all of us with less warmth than they do their UK Royals heroes?

SDLP and Sinn Fein have achieved little and are further alienating themselves from their core constituencies by their anti catholic stances on homosexuality and abortion etc.Just check today's Irish News letters page to see the impact this is having.

I believe Northern Nationalists need a new party that can unite the vast majority of us,but first we must decide in which direction we want to go.

Oh just f**k away off, won't you?

[snoopdog]

Time for nationalist people to reflect where they are going and do they really want to go there? Into a Republic which sold them out nearly 100 years ago and treats "N Ireland" as part of its Foreign Affairs and looks upon all of us with less warmth than they do their UK Royals heroes?

SDLP and Sinn Fein have achieved little and are further alienating themselves from their core constituencies by their anti catholic stances on homosexuality and abortion etc.Just check today's Irish News letters page to see the impact this is having.

I believe Northern Nationalists need a new party that can unite the vast majority of us,but first we must decide in which direction we want to go.

Oh just f**k away off, won't you?

Well said Gallsman. Tony the days of the irish people being ruled from the pulpit while their children were being molested under it are over. Bunch of hypocrites.
On another note why didnt the SDLP and Sinn Fein form a pact in upper bann together they may have got the seat.

[imtommygunn]

I actually do agree that we need a new nationalist party. I'm not convinced what is there represent what a load stand for.

The religion part is as usual a crock of shit. Let's mirror the DUP and have an extreme party from the "other side" 

The state of this place is depressing.

[Pub Bore]

If the results of the last two elections here aren't enough to shake SF out of their complacency then the decline will continue.  Frankly bar gay rights, they're all over the place policy wise (they're even weak on arguing for a UI) and in some areas can't articulate their policies at all.

[stew]

I don't think there are any more. Too many people from a Nationalist background are content within the UK. It may have taken 40 years but the normalisation policy has worked a treat. As British as Finchley 

Why would we want to join the Republic at the minute when the place is couped? Water charges, EU Bailouts, no justice for the people who couped the place, a non competitive banking sector taking the piss out of people mortgaged to the eyeballs. f**k that!!

If the Republic get their house in order and Sinn Fein and the Stoops can present a good enough case to the ordinary person that they'd be better off in the free state then I think it's still ingrained in most of us that we want to be a part of Ireland.

The key is to show people that it's better for us not just "at least it's not the Brits" which is too wishy washy in this day and age!!!

Shane said it best when he  basically said he would live in a cave to get a United Ireland.

If all you are concerned with is the financial aspect of the thing then we are in serious trouble, get the brits out democratically and work with them economically, the economy will always fluctuate and will remain fluid.

[screenexile]

I don't think there are any more. Too many people from a Nationalist background are content within the UK. It may have taken 40 years but the normalisation policy has worked a treat. As British as Finchley 

Why would we want to join the Republic at the minute when the place is couped? Water charges, EU Bailouts, no justice for the people who couped the place, a non competitive banking sector taking the piss out of people mortgaged to the eyeballs. f**k that!!

If the Republic get their house in order and Sinn Fein and the Stoops can present a good enough case to the ordinary person that they'd be better off in the free state then I think it's still ingrained in most of us that we want to be a part of Ireland.

The key is to show people that it's better for us not just "at least it's not the Brits" which is too wishy washy in this day and age!!!

Shane said it best when he  basically said he would live in a cave to get a United Ireland.

If all you are concerned with is the financial aspect of the thing then we are in serious trouble, get the brits out democratically and work with them economically, the economy will always fluctuate and will remain fluid.

That's not good enough anymore stew. . . normal people want their situation to improve and if nobody can put a case forward for a UI doing that then it's not going to happen!!!

[Sheedy]

there is a definite apathy within the nationalist electorate in north, i was speaking to loads of people who didnt vote this time that had always voted before. look at the rise of nationalism in scotland with the snp,  scottish people feel they have a party that speaks for them and they now have a stronger voice at westminster because of it. sinn fein and the sdlp need to liven up and not take votes here for granted.

[T Fearon]

Gallsman and Snoopdog you may be unprepared for pulpit rule, but thousands aren't and this is definitely impacting upon both SDLP and SF Votes.

If everyone up here unanimously voted for a United Ireland tomorrow do you think the Dublin Govt would agree or a majority of people in the 26 counties? No , me neither.

[T Fearon]

Snoopdog, there are many SDLP voters (and vice versa) who wouldn't vote for SF in any circumstances, so pacts are useless. People who vote are reasonably intelligent and the 2500 SDlP voters in Fermanagh/S Tyrone knew full well the implications of their decision when they were in the Polling Booth, and are indeed probably quite happy now.

[screenexile]

I don't think there are any more. Too many people from a Nationalist background are content within the UK. It may have taken 40 years but the normalisation policy has worked a treat. As British as Finchley 

Why would we want to join the Republic at the minute when the place is couped? Water charges, EU Bailouts, no justice for the people who couped the place, a non competitive banking sector taking the piss out of people mortgaged to the eyeballs. f**k that!!

If the Republic get their house in order and Sinn Fein and the Stoops can present a good enough case to the ordinary person that they'd be better off in the free state then I think it's still ingrained in most of us that we want to be a part of Ireland.

The key is to show people that it's better for us not just "at least it's not the Brits" which is too wishy washy in this day and age!!!

Shane said it best when he  basically said he would live in a cave to get a United Ireland.

If all you are concerned with is the financial aspect of the thing then we are in serious trouble, get the brits out democratically and work with them economically, the economy will always fluctuate and will remain fluid.

That's not good enough anymore stew. . . normal people want their situation to improve and if nobody can put a case forward for a UI doing that then it's not going to happen!!!

Thanks for articulating the original point I was trying to make - 'I'm alright Jack' seems to be the default position for many from a CNR background. Hey, we're not second class citizens any more, we have 'power-sharing' and why would we want to have to pay to go to the doctor like you do in the south - god bless the NHS.

Ironically, 5 years of the Tories could be just the shot in the arm Nationalism in the six counties needs. The gutting of the bloated public sector, welfare reforms that will literally make people cry and the destruction of the NHS that's on the way as well as the revision of the Barnett formula will make the Republic a much, much more appealing place by 2020.

If that is the case I will vote for a United Ireland. What are the chances of the Republic having their house in order at that stage though?

[BennyCake]

An United Ireland is a fantasy. What do you think would happen if Ireland was United tomorrow? More years of killings, bombings, murders. The same threats that came from loyalists 100 years ago. Does anyone want to go back to that?

Ireland gave away it's independence when it joined Europe. A new country sold it's soul less that 50 years later. We're all ruled by unelected wankers in Europe now anyway. Ireland was deliberately fucked, financially, economically and culturally. An United Ireland would change diddly squat in those regards.

[screenexile]

A United Ireland

Or

An United Ireland

I think technically you're probably right on this one Bennycake. . . any grammar police in?