ThehatchetMan
Plz look at Me! Pay attention to Me!
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2020
- Messages
- 7,418
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- Crusaders FC
What votes? The extra 1% that SF gained which were likely from people who didn’t vote last election? They didn’t gain any extra seats.The DUP and TUV were the only parties running an orange v green election, and stoking tension and division non? That needs to be clear.
On SDLP? they are completely lost, what do they actually stand for now? I know Nicola Mallon and she's a lovely girl, hard-working, principled etc; but I think they've completely lost touch with their base if there is even is one now? Can they recover? I don't think so from here.
Eastwood seems like a decent guy alright but he's part of the problem imo. After the count when it was clear that SDLP were down and losing seats he says "people have lent their vote to SF"... No Colm, they've voted for SF because they offer progressive politics with politicians who are actually in touch with their voter base. Those votes aren't coming back.
And what about the progressive policies which invoked this huge change, what changed policy wise wirh SF from 2017? Why have they not implemented these progressive policies over the last 20 years?
I think there will be a lot of disillusioned SF supporters when they realise that very little changes in the political landscape after this election.
SF know this themselves anyway. That’s why it will be interesting now to see if their actions speak louder than their words and if they will push for constitutional change so they have a chance of implementing the policies which they promised their voters.
Or will it just be more of the status quo? And don’t get me wrong I do fully blame the DUP for the lack of progress on most things. But they will continue to be the largest unionist party because the more liberal “orange voters” want to vote for a party which pledges to represent all. And thus this is why reform is needed at the assembly for reform to happen. Surely you understand that?
Or if not. Then what do you think changes with SF as FM and DUP as DFM? How does this differ from the last 20 years?
EDIT: I’m not saying any of the above to be a dick. I’m just being realistic. Do not doubt for one second how happy I am to see SF pip DUP to FM. I just don’t foresee the same changes happening that some SF supporters do because the result is largely the same assembly as before.
I think the real revolution from this election is the fact that Alliance have more than doubled their seats and had an increase in 5% of FPV as well as continuing to be one of the most transfer friendly parties.
For me this is just as significant as SF gaining FM and is the biggest change in this election. And I think more of SDLPs lost votes would have went to Alliance rather than SF.
I feel sorry for UUP/SDLP because there are some very good politicians within both parties. But due to them identifying as Unionist/Nationalist it will always hinder them and they will continue to lose votes to Alliance as well as the other way to SF/DUP.
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