The Battle for Fermanagh and South Tyrone

[omagh_gael]

Fair play and well done to Michelle and Sinn Fein on an excellent result. Wasn't there someone on here in the last number of days talking about  a rumour of Mc Kinney more less pulling out in terms of very little activity on the campaign trail etc. Not sure how much truth there is in this though!

Well done to the SDLP voters who switched candidates, clearly was quite a number and had the desired effect!

[Larry Duff]

Nally, you're right. It was 3.00 am Foster and McNarry were very smug engaging in their self congratulations with Foster punching the air and McNarry crowing that the unionist family should, "rejoice" whilst waxing about the benefits of unionist unity.

Don't count yer chickens and all that craic.

http://bbc.co.uk/i/shnhg/?t=52m37s

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

And it doesn't matter about the DUP numbers now anyway and squeezing the raparees Tories in -- not enough to get over the outright majority line.   

[reddgnhand]

And they will further rue their decision come the assembly elections!

Quite a few people will vote differently in the assembly elections. SDLP voters voted for Long, Hermon and Gildernew, but will vote for SDLP candidates in Assembly and council elections, just as SF voters in South Belfast will vote SF rather than SDLP.

Agreed - my number 1 in the assembly elections will probably not match where I put my X yesterday.

I would normally vote for all nationalists in PR elections but not next time. The SDLP will not be getting my vote. Thats a general feeling with a lot of people I have spoken to recently. I was sickened last night when it came through that a tory with the backing of the orange order had won. Thank god that result has now changed.   

[ziggysego]

AldousDuke    Very emotionally charged result for Sinn Fein. Atmosphere was electric. McKinney was battered. Connor somewhat bitter

AldousDuke    Emotions almost boiled over in Omagh after the result, but it was the soothing words of Adams as gaelige that kept the thing calm

[ziggysego]

Congratulations to Michelle on a terrific win in Fermanagh South Tyrone today at Omagh.

The combined forces of the DUP, UUP, Tory and TUV could not stop you. F/ST is now a safe Nationalist/Republican seat.

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!

[ziggysego]

gildernew4mp    What can I say? (Twitter)

[armaghniac]

I would normally vote for all nationalists in PR elections but not next time.

This would be a stupid "dog in the manger" attitude. In a PR election you should vote for all candidates in order of preference, SF, SDLP, Alliance, UU, DUP etc. Leaving the TUV type people last. Even if you believe that that the SDLP contributed to handing a seat to a unionist (albeit a pretty moderate one) and you object to this, your handing a seat to a unionist is hardly an appropriate response.

[omagh_gael]

Ziggy u could post up a link to that fella's Twitter page?

[red hander]

Nally, you're right. It was 3.00 am Foster and McNarry were very smug engaging in their self congratulations with Foster punching the air and McNarry crowing that the unionist family should, "rejoice" whilst waxing about the benefits of unionist unity.

Don't count yer chickens and all that craic.

Aye, saw that ... Robbie Coltrane looked like she was having an orgasm ... some slap in the bake Gildernew winning

[ziggysego]

Ziggy u could post up a link to that fella's Twitter page?

http://twitter.com/AldousDuke

[trileacman]

A good result but a poor night for democracy in my opinion. Clegg playing kingmaker is a disaster waiting to happen.

It's the only result that could hold hope for democracy.
It's irrelevant in these parts.

Don't see how it holds hope for democracy. When people who would rather engage in politics are left with no option but to engage in a fenian/brit headcount (at the behest of irrational unionist fears about a nationalist MP) then I think the ideals of democracy are not being best served.
Also this election is especially relevant in these parts. Do not forget we are currently bankrolled by the British governement to the tune of some several billion. Over half the population in the public service. If Cameron gets in (as SS2 has indicated) he has promised to slash the national expenditure during a recession, making reference to NI in particular. Ucomf has failed as well so he now has no obligation to fund NI and is free to fcuk us over however he pleases, safe in the knowledge that our mix of absentee politicians and independents will be to fractured and powerless to stop him.

Of one thing I am certain it is that these elections are not irrelevant. I'm happy to see Gildernew take FST but in the bigger picture it is a very small and irrelevant victory. A unhappy night for the two unionists parties increases the chance of a unionist unity pact  and this combined with a conservative government bodes extremely poorly for nationalists of NI and the hopes for reunification.

People are slating Foster for counting her chickens before they hatch. Perhaps she's not the only one who doesn't see the bigger picture.

But once again congratulations to the people of FST for destroying the Unionist pact. It is a great achievement and sends a clear message.

[ziggysego]

AldousDuke    Sinn Fein train touring Omagh in celebration cranking out "Something inside so strong"

[give her dixie]

Well done to Michelle and her team for securing the seat.
As someone said before, Margaret wanted the people to speak, and they did.
This will certainly hurt the SDLP in the long run.

Watching Foster and Allen (McNarry) last night when the 1st count came in
was pathetic. They will be sore loosers today no doubt.

Is this a record for the tightest winning margin in an election?

[longrunsthefox]

In terms of UK General Election records there was a tie for the seat in Ashton under Lyne in 1886. After the result being decided by drawing lots was challenged in court, the sitting MP was declared the winner.
The smallest majority ever recorded by a candidate was in Exeter in 1910 when one vote decided the winner.