margaret ritchie cut out for politics?

paky

"Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams is still angry with SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie following her refusal to discuss unity candidates in key constituencies.

Mr Adams has offered to stand aside Sinn Féin hopeful Alex Maskey in South Belfast, to assist the chances of sitting MP Dr Alasdair McDonnell of the SDLP. In return Mr Adams would like high-profile SDLP newcomer and former UTV journalist Fearghal McKinney to give Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew a clear run at defending her Fermanagh South Tyrone seat. She is facing a unity unionist candidate in Rodney Connor as both the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists New Force and the DUP have cleared the field for him."

Is she a complete idiot or what? She is willing to allow the nationalist community to loose out on two seats so as not to appear sectarian. I wonder do the constituents in these areas feel the same?

dsmythy

You get the politicians you deserve. If voters have an issue with this I suggest they don't vote for Ritchie.

paky

I think this decision will damage the SDLP in the future.

TOMASJ

Nothing new here with the SDLP they have done this for years,

Mid Ulster for example where they made sure Rev William McCrea held the seat for several elections,
when they knew they had not a hope of winning this seat,
eventually nationalist voters wised up to them, and voted for Martin McGuinness

dxhound2005

paky wrote: »

"Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams is still angry with SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie following her refusal to discuss unity candidates in key constituencies.

Mr Adams has offered to stand aside Sinn Féin hopeful Alex Maskey in South Belfast, to assist the chances of sitting MP Dr Alasdair McDonnell of the SDLP. In return Mr Adams would like high-profile SDLP newcomer and former UTV journalist Fearghal McKinney to give Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew a clear run at defending her Fermanagh South Tyrone seat. She is facing a unity unionist candidate in Rodney Connor as both the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists New Force and the DUP have cleared the field for him."

Is she a complete idiot or what? She is willing to allow the nationalist community to loose out on two seats so as not to appear sectarian. I wonder do the constituents in these areas feel the same?

Why does Michelle want the seat again? She never went to Westminster to represent her constituents. She should stand aside and let someone who will take up the seat have a go.

dvpower

paky wrote: »

Is she a complete idiot or what? She is willing to allow the nationalist community to loose out on two seats so as not to appear sectarian. I wonder do the constituents in these areas feel the same?

Maybe the SDLP not only want not to appear sectarian. Maybe they don't actually want to be sectarian.

paky

dvpower wrote: »

Maybe the SDLP not only want not to appear sectarian. Maybe they don't actually want to be sectarian.

Its inevitable in Northern Irish politics

PomBear

dsmythy wrote: »

You get the politicians you deserve. If voters have an issue with this I suggest they don't vote for Ritchie.

Ritchie's the SDLP leader, she's not running in this constituency

PomBear

paky wrote: »

I think this decision will damage the SDLP in the future.

Yeah, they've been in decline for a long time, they need SF to get any sort of say really

PomBear

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Why does Michelle want the seat again? She never went to Westminster to represent her constituents. She should stand aside and let someone who will take up the seat have a go.

Because NI politics are different, a Unionist Seat means a Unionist MP working for Unionists and only Unionists

PomBear

dvpower wrote: »

Maybe the SDLP not only want not to appear sectarian. Maybe they don't actually want to be sectarian.

they're not really a sectarian party, they are nationalists i.e. believe in a united Ireland so that makes them inevitably sectarian unintentionally

FINGAL FAN

I know NI has been a dysfunctional society but if any progress towards a normal society is to be achieved this sectarian headcount politics has to be left behind . The SDLP is a party in decline but possibly Ritchie is right on this issue . Unionists are not fielding an agreed candidate in South Belfast so the SDLP have a chance even with SF in the race.

paky

FINGAL FAN wrote: »

I know NI has been a dysfunctional society but if any progress towards a normal society is to be achieved this sectarian headcount politics has to be left behind . The SDLP is a party in decline but possibly Ritchie is right on this issue . Unionists are not fielding an agreed candidate in South Belfast so the SDLP have a chance even with SF in the race.

Behaving the way she is is not within the nature of politics

Bottle_of_Smoke

Shes dead right not to do a deal. The unionists making a pact spits in the face of everything the good friday agreement stands for.

Much rather nationalists took the moral highground and not do a deal.
I think both SDLP and Sinn Fein should pull out of F/ST in protest to be honest. Disappointed in Adams for approaching SDLP on this issue

dvpower

PomBear wrote: »

they're not really a sectarian party, they are nationalists i.e. believe in a united Ireland so that makes them inevitably sectarian unintentionally

Thats a pretty narrow definition of sectarianism tbh.

PomBear

dvpower wrote: »

Thats a pretty narrow definition of sectarianism tbh.

Sectarianism refers to religion
Nationalism doesn't

Bottle_of_Smoke

Alex Maskey of Sinn Fein has pulled out of South Belfast. Did it a few minutes before the deadline so was obviously strategic and didn't want to give SDLP a chance to respond.

I'm guessing they knew SDLP wouldn't back down, know they won't win in South Belfast, so when the unionist gerrymandering new force wins in Fermanagh/South Tyrone they make the SDLP look liek the bad guys.