Keithblog

If agreement cannot be reached between Bertie Ahern’s Fianna Fáil and the right of centre Progressive Democrats in Dáil Éireann then Direct Rule may be imposed by London.

“BELFAST, Northern Ireland, April 29 (UPI) — The president of Northern Ireland, Mary McAleese dissolved parliament Sunday as Prime Minister Bertie Ahern announced an election next month.

The move came after Ahern met with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London, Sky News reported.

However, in a joint statement issued in London, Ahern and Blair said the proposed May 24 vote could be called off if a power-sharing agreement wasn’t reached by Ahern’s Fianna Fail party and the right of center Progressive Democrats in the 166-seat parliament known as the Dail.

“If at any point it became clear that parties were unwilling to fulfill their commitments … and support for policing, it would be unreasonable to expect the people of Northern Ireland to continue with an election to an assembly which would not exist,” the statement said.

Ahern is seeking a third term in office, and a report said the race is expected to be close.”

- United Press International via The Washington Times

Keithout

THE GOOD

• Ulster Says Yes
  Anti-agreement Unionists/Republicans have been effectively blown out of the political waters.
• Lo and behold - UK first for Alliance’s Anna
  Anna Lo is the first Chinese woman to be elected to a legislative assembly in Europe.
• Greens make assembly breakthrough
  ‘Bout time. The North Down councillor Brian Wilson received 2,839 FPVs.

THE BAD

• McCartney voted out of Assembly
  Didn’t agree with many of his ideas but he seemed to be in politics for the right reasons.
• Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein on top in poll
  Or maybe not, if the extremists can make a working government there might be some hope for the future. Question is - how badly does Dr No want to be Prime Minster of Northern Ireland before he has to bow out of politics?

Keithout

Some snaps of the campaign trail from BBC News.

• BBC News | Politics | Northern Ireland

Sinn Féin is the only all-Ireland party and don’t mind bragging about it. They now support the occupational forces of the imperial British Crown. Although they may have their differences of opinion within the party there have been few deserters since adopting the new stance.

For the election they have launched a very inspiring website based on their main website style-sheet. At the moment their official manifesto is yet to be launched, but like the other parties, it’s not hard to guess their stance on most issues.

I don’t really know what a “socio-economic and cultural determinant of ill health” is but I sure as hell want one, although they seem set to get rid of them. I do find the “potential of all-Ireland economy” stance interesting when in reality the Republic is probably Northern Ireland’s main competitor within the wider global economy.

So they support the police and power sharing, are against top-up fees and water charges, SinnDLP anyone?

Keithout

• Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
• Conservatives Northern Ireland
• Democratic Unionist Party
• Green Party in Northern Ireland
• Progressive Unionist Party
• Republican Sinn Féin
• Sinn Féin
• Social Democratic and Labour Party
• United Kingdom Unionist Party (best I can do)
• Ulster Unionist Party
• The Workers Party

The SDLP are back, bigger, bolder and stronger than ever, well their logo that is. Gone is the lower case thin spindly design to be replaced by a bold upper case font. They have kept the tri-colour spinney jobby, I think it works.

Their new website is actually rather nice and I’m liking the No to Top Up Fees campaign. Their Party Election Broadcast is based around the idea that they have been listening to people in Northern Ireland. If they were listening they would probably hear questions like “what’s the point of the SDLP?”. With Sinn Féin supporting making do with the PSNI there is little difference between the two.

One problem for the SDLP, as well as the UUP, is that the spotlight is nearly 100% focused on the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Féin. With the extremist compromise at St Andrews seeming more substantial, and hopefully longer lasting, than the moderates in the Belfast Agreement.

Keithout

They haven’t gone away you know. The Ulster Unionists have launched their election campaign, longer exclusive to decent people, they have broadened their horizons by becoming the party ‘for all of us‘. The UUP are ‘getting down with their bad selves’ this year with a YouTube video, although no ‘cap popping‘ on the campaign trail - it will all be recorded in their Blog.

It’s not a horrible website, but what was so bad about the old one? (other than the fact it used frames.) Unfortunately, in my opinion, they have also got rid of the interlocking Us and instead reverted to their Union Flag in the shape of Northern Ireland. The use of the Union Flag design is so voters don’t confuse them with Republican Sinn Féin on the ballet paper.

As you may have noticed I’ve decided to turn this collection of posts into a Vote 2007 special. PS If anyone out there knows who I should vote for please, leave a message. Here’s my political compass if it helps, I think I’m roughly aligned with the Greens.

Keithout

Over the weekend I was browsing the local party websites, there’s an election coming up, when I stumbled across this monstrosity. The Conservatives Northern Ireland (or should that be “Northern Irish Conservatives”, don’t suppose it matters there aren’t that many of them) seem to be looking to improve their 2003 success at Stormont.

To be fair, the content is there and they do seem to be taking this whole ‘United Kingdom’ thing seriously, unlike some people. They even got their own regional tree like the Scots and Welsh.

Anyhoo, back to my point, I have designed the CNIs a website (based on a freely available template).

• http://design.kginternet.co.uk/www.conservativesni.org/

There you go, if anyone at Conservative Central Office wants some tips, why not drop me a comment. Over the coming weeks up to the election I might do a couple more makeovers, undoubtedly the UUP will be using a dozen different logos depending on where they are campaigning.

Keithout