The Battle for Fermanagh and South Tyrone

[Banana Man]

Mckinney was brutal, Kelly was pressing him on the SDLP's attendance at Westminster then kelly snookered him about the 42 and 28 day detention period and made him admit they voted for 28 days.

McKinney was on the ropes then. I turned it over, it was like watching a packo f hounds hover over a fox i.e. i couldn't beat to watch anymore.

The man is a clown

[Zapatista]

It was in reply to F/ST and you're right, two wrongs don't make a right. However in this case the SDLP should have stepped aside. I'm sick of this tribal nonsense and had hoped we'd moved away from it. DUP, UCUNF and TUV are resisting, so play them at their own game.

I have to disagree. It was the wrong thing for SF to do. These are westminster elections and regardless of who is elected it will do feck all for FST. SF should have stood on their own. The SDLP are no better than unionists in westminster and should be challenged everywhere. The only way to change the tribal politics is to change it. Even if that takes 20 years we are a step closer to it than if there had have been a pact. The trouble is I don't for one second think the SDLP refused it for this reason.

[ziggysego]

Just watched it there. Oh my, that was painful to watch. Fearghal was just woeful on it. I guess the SDLP put him in there as he's a media "celebrity". Style over substance.

[Hereiam]

Agree with you on that Ziggy. It shows you how the SDLP are thinking. You wouldn't think it was a woman running that pack of clowns now. They will not have the young people's vote that is for sure.

[balladmaker]

I think the SDLP could be facing one of their worst elections ever, it is looking terminal at this stage for them.  People can call electoral pacts sectarian or whatever, let's face it, the north is still sectarian and the days of religion not mattering in an election is a long, long way off.  The day they decided to draw up the border made the north an inherently sectarian statelet.

Ritchie made a fatal mistake in not looking at a possible electoral pact with Sinn Fein, to turn that down and possibly hand two seats to the cause of Unionism is the last blow for the SDLP.

As for McKinney, cringeworthy at best.

[longrunsthefox]

Is this important? Sinn Féin don't take their seat, SDLP are toothless and the local decisions will be made in Stormont. Is getting MLAs in not  the priority? I am open to being corrected but seems much ado about nothing. 

[Zapatista]

Is this important? Sinn Féin don't take their seat, SDLP are toothless and the local decisions will be made in Stormont. Is getting MLAs in not  the priority? I am open to being corrected but seems much ado about nothing.

I fully agree. Westmister nerver did and never will serve in our interest. All this hype about these seats devalues the Assembly.

[longrunsthefox]

Maybe it is symbolic... with the emphasis on bollock.. 

[Ulick]

I fully agree. Westmister nerver did and never will serve in our interest. All this hype about these seats devalues the Assembly.

I'm inclined to agree with you Zap but in one way this will be SF and SDLP positioning themselves for next years Assembly election.

Part of me wouldn't actually mind that much if a unionist pact took FST this time out because it will surely return in five years time by which time we will also see the publishing of the 2011 census figures, SF First Minister, loss of unionist majority in the Assembly, combined with the loss of North Belfast and possibly Upper Bann. A series of demoralising blows one after one the other in the two years running up to the 1916 centenary. Better to play the long game. 

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

I fully agree. Westmister nerver did and never will serve in our interest. All this hype about these seats devalues the Assembly.

I'm inclined to agree with you Zap but in one way this will be SF and SDLP positioning themselves for next years Assembly election.

Part of me wouldn't actually mind that much if a unionist pact took FST this time out because it will surely return in five years time by which time we will also see the publishing of the 2011 census figures, SF First Minister, loss of unionist majority in the Assembly, combined with the loss of North Belfast and possibly Upper Bann. A series of demoralising blows one after one the other in the two years running up to the 1916 centenary. Better to play the long game.

Ulick, that reads like: "if Carlsberg did politics then........."
Of course it is all highly feasible, though I would under-estimate the power the unionist bloc could weald in a hung Parliament!
As for McKinney, that was just awful!

[Zapatista]

Ulick, that reads like: "if Carlsberg did politics then........."
Of course it is all highly feasible, though I would under-estimate the power the unionist bloc could weald in a hung Parliament!As for McKinney, that was just awful!

What would they do with that power?

[theskull1]

I thought McKinney showed his total lack of experience when up against Kelly...nothing more. He was a bit like a generation game contestant except he was up against an expert. For a complete novice I'd give him 6/7 out of 10 (didn't he do well!!!). He wasn't AS bad as some are making out although I'd agree that the SDLP are in for a right trouncing.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Ulick, that reads like: "if Carlsberg did politics then........."
Of course it is all highly feasible, though I would under-estimate the power the unionist bloc could weald in a hung Parliament!As for McKinney, that was just awful!

What would they do with that power?

Garner concessions from (more then likely) the Tories. Granted because alot to the power is now with Stormont, it won't be as bad as years ago, but the DUP will still be in a good position to do some serious "horse trading".

[longrunsthefox]

...and while we're on the subject it is a joke Barry McElduff has to watch on as Pat Doherty is parachuted in from Donegal.  Barry is as capable of fighting our corner as Pat Doherty... in fact more in touch with West Tyrone. 

[Zapatista]

Garner concessions from (more then likely) the Tories. Granted because alot to the power is now with Stormont, it won't be as bad as years ago, but the DUP will still be in a good position to do some serious "horse trading".

I understand that but what might these concessions be?

As have said before what happens in westminster election will make feck all difference. The Unionists and the sdlp have been selling votes to the highest bidder for years and none of it will change as long as it's in westminster. Concessions mean nothing when they can request anything they like from unaccountable ministers who couldn't give a feck what we get or don't get and an opposition with the same regard for the Irish.

...and while we're on the subject it is a joke Barry McElduff has to watch on as Pat Doherty is parachuted in from Donegal.  Barry is as capable of fighting our corner as Pat Doherty... in fact more in touch with West Tyrone. 

It hardly makes a difference to an abstentionist party. They could run MrEd or McKinney and he would be as capable of the job.