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Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill (pictured) described this week's vote as 'the election of a generation' as it emerged the party would have a majority for the first time in the history of the country. After what she described as 'a historic day', the 45-year-old heralded the vote as 'the election of a generation' and announced 'it's time for real change', adding that her party 'will work hard for everyone'. Sinn Fein's victory is likely to lead to more political gridlock at the assembly, which was collapsed by the DUP in February as it seeks to overturn Boris Johnson's Brexit agreement. Neither Sir Jeffrey Donaldson's party or the Ulster Unionists have yet agreed to join a power-sharing executive in which Sinn Fein would be able to nominate the First Minister.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10792227/Sinn-Feins-Michelle-ONeill-says-time-real-change-set-Minister.html
NI uses the "single transferable vote" system. But, bizarrely, the statistics only show the First Preference Results. Ignoring the actual effect of the Transfers. Because I expect that the DUP got far more 2nd votes than Sinn Fein
There are 2 main reasons why Sinn Fein have won. Firstly, the collapse in the SDLP vote has meant that a considerable majority of Catholics have voted Sinn Fein. Even natural SDLP supporters, wanting Sinn Fein to be the largest Party. Secondly, the rise of the staunchly pro-Unionist TUV Party has split the Unionist vote into 3.
Different systems could cause at least 3 different outcomes.
1. The system adopted-where no-one seems to be bothered to explain quite how people are elected, or what the actual numbers were once the votes were transferred. Because, in this system, the "first preference" votes are largely irrelevant
2. Providing results truly based on numbers of votes for each side-the Unionist vote in total outnumbered the Irish nationalists. By approximately 2%. (40.1% to 38.1%)
3. Were there to be a French-style election, whereby the 2 largest parties were to go to the final ballot, I think it entirely possible that the Alliance Party would win-because if they made the top 2, they would trounce either the DUP or Sinn Fein. Because the votes for either of those 2 would almost all transfer over to the Alliance Party
The "largest party" bit is purely symbolic. It has always been the case that the Deputy Minister has the exact same powers as the First Minister. But symbolism means a lot in Northern Ireland
I thought that Sinn Fein made a very clever case for the DUP not to go off sulking, and I think they will face an angry reaction if they do.
They probably need to make some changes to NI politics.
Protestants in NI swap with Catholics in Scotland.
Both have some extremely dangerous people within their ranks.
But Sinn Fein at least have some clever politicians.
How do they think that they could refuse to help the electorates cost of living crisis, and get away with it?
This would not be clever.
Refuse, and they look bad. And probably help the Alliance and/or the UUP
Accept, and they are in danger of giving a whole load of future votes to the TUV.
Even politicians as dim as those in the DUP must have worked that out.
I expect them to moan, whinge, and eventually agree. Simply because that is the least bad option. Although I fear they may be unable to accept that.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/northern ireland/sinn-fein-hit-dup-roadblock-as-unionists-refuse-to-talk-until-hated-brexit-deal-resolved/ar-AAX21C2?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=4de3b91e01eb48abb5f4f6b049f96012
In that 54 of the MLAs are content with the protocol, and 36 arent.
Although many of those in favour may see it as the least worst option.
So the governments efforts in battering the EU, and taking unilateral action may backfire.
Bowing to the DUPs demands is likely to cause resentment.
The DUP seem adamant that the only option they will be happy with is that the protocol must be ripped up.
This seems very unlikely.
As far as the government is concerned it looks like the proverbial rock and a hard place.
As an ideology, unionism is isolating itself, as it presents no solutions in their attempt to keep things the way they are. Nobel peace laureate John Hume once said that if the word “no” was removed from the English language, then Ian Paisley would be speechless. The DUP have carried on this legacy: no to the NI protocol, no to the Good Friday Agreement, and no to democracy. They have no vision for the future, only nostalgia for a past that only exists in the dreams of unionists – and was a living nightmare for nationalists.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/voices-it-will-be-the-dup-not-sinn-fein-that-breaks-up-the-uk/ar-AAX4RHM?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=5cb6c2bd57c44db4a6f7569d1ef1eaae
As an example, referring to the "Noble peace laureate John Hume." That would be the lifelong Nationalist politician John Hume, who for many years was Leader of the then-leading Catholic Party, the SDLP.
There are deep-seated problems in relation to all sides in NI. And any article seeking to blame just 1 side should safely be ignored insofar as it pretends that just the 1 side is causing the problems.
Very few people that they interviewed had a clue about what the protocol is.
The electorate clearly have a number of much more pressing concerns.
None of which can be addressed because of the DUPs actions.
The DUP focus on the protocol, and the likelihood of a Border Poll, during their election campaign clearly backfired.
There are funds available to distribute to help alleviate the cost of living crisis, but they cant be distributed in the DUPs absence.
Their actions may lead to another election in October.
With no help in the meantime.
I know how I would feel under these circumstances.
If there is another election, I am sure their vote will be badly affected.
Sinn Fein were very clever and focused their campaign on the issues that really matter to people, while downplaying the Border Poll issue, and the protocol.
Although you could argue that this is just common sense.
This is something that the SNP could probably learn from.
Sometimes there is more mileage in downplaying an issue, rather that ramming it down peoples throats at every opportunity.
How feasible do you think it would be to change the rules in NI, to allow for the biggest party that wants to take part.
So in this case they would be looking for the next biggest Unionist party to replace the DUP.
It is surely in the interest of the people of NI, to get Stormont up and running.
But some of the reporting is just terrible.
As an example, that Sky article claiming that 54% of the MLAs are "content" with the protocol. Nonsense.
It is Sinn Fein's avowed aim to permanently scrap the Protocol. By recreating a single country on the island of Ireland. They do not in any way support the Protocol. They just (understandably) see it as a means to get to a totally different end. They are seeking the permanent removal of the Protocol.
The idea that any Party in Northern Ireland has sufficient clout to deal with the cost of living crisis is just pie in the sky.
I am not sure of the accuracy of the Sky figures, although they do seem to have made some assumptions over what a vote for a particular party means.
Maybe they have assumed that a vote for a non-unionist party, means happiness with the protocol.
I would agree that this may not be accurate.
Although Dominic Raab started this by assuming that everyone that didnt vote for Sinn Fein is against the protocol.
I am sure that this is equally incorrect.
In contradiction to your comments, it seems that Sinn Fein see the benefits of the protocol.
What I said is that there are funds available to help with the cost of living crisis, and the DUPs nonsense will stop these funds being distributed.
This action is unlikely to improve their vote in the next election.
Murphy pushes Treasury to release funds to deal with cost of living crisis
“I hope it does begin to address some of the issues we have been pressing them on consistently, like excise duties, like VAT on energy bills, like the rebate on red diesel which is effecting rural families and farms and small contractors.
Mr Murphy was questioned by SDLP MLA Justin McNulty on whether he would support an attempt to introduce emergency legislation to free up £300m in funding to help with the cost of living.
The status of the £300 million has become the subject of intense political debate, with Mr Murphy insisting the extra money for 2022/23 cannot be accessed due to the DUP move to collapse the Executive.
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/murphy-pushes-treasury-to-release-funds-to-deal-with-cost-of-living-crisis-41471312.html
Sinn Fein says DUP ‘is ignoring the pros of the Protocol’
Sinn Fein has both pledged to block efforts by Edwin Poots to bring the protocol before the Executive, and accused the DUP of ignoring the plus-side of the protocol.
Sinn Fein MLA Caoimhe Archibald made the comments yesterday, as the furore from the fallout of the Unionist Voice report continued.
She said: “Over recent months a number of businesses have taken advantage of the north’s special status under the protocol of continued access to both the EU single market and the British market.
“This has seen new investment and expansion with new jobs created as a result.
“Businesses have cited the protocol and the ability to access the EU single market along with well developed local supply chains which have helped them to avoid the supply problems created by Brexit.
https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/sinn-fein-says-dup-is-ignoring-the-pros-of-the-protocol-3518407
A United Ireland would surely be pretty much the same as it is today.
An Irish Sea border.
Customs checks at Irish ports.
The rest of GB treated as a third country.
It is Sinn Fein's avowed aim to permanently scrap the Protocol. By recreating a single country on the island of Ireland. They do not in any way support the Protocol. They just (understandably) see it as a means to get to a totally different end. They are seeking the permanent removal of the Protocol.
Sinn Fein made reference to the fact that the funds were available during the course of the campaign, and and stated that they would need DUP cooperation in order to distribute the funds.
The idea that any Party in Northern Ireland has sufficient clout to deal with the cost of living crisis is just pie in the sky.