Here's the NITory response to the (nearly) complete Assembly Election results:
These Assembly elections have shown just how polarised our society has become. Both the DUP and Sinn Fein used the same old frightener tactics to maximise their vote. However, the turnout was low and the moderate vote has been further squeezed. Despite this, we managed to double our vote across the board with particularly strong results in North Down and East Belfast.Read that again, s-l-o-w-l-y, to get the full flavour.
Now consider the reality: 690,313 valid votes: that's 63% turnout. Not great, but also not too bad, considering the voter fatigue that has to be setting in, and the new I.D. requirements.
And the NITory share? Go on, says Malcolm, have a stab at it: take a guess.
A grand total of 3,457 first preference votes! That's half of one percent plus six votes.
Was it for this that Diddy Dave Cameron traipsed round Bangor on a day-trip?
And of the nine seats the Tories are contesting, the party is only seriously targeting two: North Down, where former UUP Assembly member James Leslie donning the blue rosette, and Strangford, where their candidate is Bob Little, another former UUP man.
North Down is the best prospect of the Tories winning a seat, and that is where Cameron went this afternoon, to visit a doctor's surgery and highlight matters relating to the NHS. It is the most middle class of the Ulster constituencies, and Bangor - with its own marina - could easily be mistaken for a prosperous seaside town in the south east of England.
Well, well: "a prosperous seaside town in the south east of England". That could mean two Tory losses in Bournemouth, then.
2 comments:
Truth hurts Malcolm. And there is indeed some truth in your comments. We didn't do as well as we expected - even in North Down. But give us some credit. We're trying to replace the politics of the tribe with the politics of left and right. That is a laudable ambition. But in a society where people vote to "keep the other lot out" they are not inclined to vote for Parties that represent an alternative way.
As you yourself say above , "Liberty and Democracy are worth the effort"
So, instead of pissing on the efforts of those trying to make a difference, perhaps you should have a think about the nature of politics in Northern Ireland at the mo.... who is it good for? The Tories, Alliance and Greens are at least trying so give them some credit.
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