Comments on: Peter Robinson, Naomi Long, and the 2010 Westminster Elections: A New Era in Northern Irish Politics? http://www.gladysganiel.com/dup/peter-robinson-naomi-long-and-the-2010-westminster-elections-a-new-era-in-northern-irish-politics/ Building a Church Without Walls Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:49:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Lynda Gould http://www.gladysganiel.com/dup/peter-robinson-naomi-long-and-the-2010-westminster-elections-a-new-era-in-northern-irish-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-1025 Lynda Gould Tue, 11 May 2010 15:22:52 +0000 http://www.gladysganiel.com/dup/peter-robinson-naomi-long-and-the-2010-westminster-elections-a-new-era-in-northern-irish-politics/#comment-1025 Let's not forget all those who have consistently voted for change in East Belfast over many years. Nor should we overlook Long's campaigning which was good - she made a connection with a personalised printed letter to every household and many fliers delivered by hand (DUP and SDLP came through the post). But she gained real momentum on one fact - that at the last Assembly election she was only 52 votes short of Robinson. I think that was her winning card... people genuinely believed that gaining 52 votes was doable and that change could happen. And it did... Let’s not forget all those who have consistently voted for change in East Belfast over many years. Nor should we overlook Long’s campaigning which was good – she made a connection with a personalised printed letter to every household and many fliers delivered by hand (DUP and SDLP came through the post). But she gained real momentum on one fact – that at the last Assembly election she was only 52 votes short of Robinson. I think that was her winning card… people genuinely believed that gaining 52 votes was doable and that change could happen. And it did…

]]> By: Philip O'Neill http://www.gladysganiel.com/dup/peter-robinson-naomi-long-and-the-2010-westminster-elections-a-new-era-in-northern-irish-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-1023 Philip O'Neill Tue, 11 May 2010 14:57:57 +0000 http://www.gladysganiel.com/dup/peter-robinson-naomi-long-and-the-2010-westminster-elections-a-new-era-in-northern-irish-politics/#comment-1023 Unfortunately I agree with Tim, most people in the UK don't particularly care about N Ireland. But perhaps you should care, or at least understand a little more. At present in the Government spend £3000 per head in the UK, in Northern Ireland this spend is closer to £6000. Now that there is a hung parliament the UK government will be reliant on NI politicians to support or prop them up. But do they fully understand NI politics and the policies of particular parties. It is often the agreements made in haste by successive UK governments when they need support which causes most issue back in N Ireland. Unfortunately I agree with Tim, most people in the UK don’t particularly care about N Ireland. But perhaps you should care, or at least understand a little more. At present in the Government spend £3000 per head in the UK, in Northern Ireland this spend is closer to £6000.
Now that there is a hung parliament the UK government will be reliant on NI politicians to support or prop them up. But do they fully understand NI politics and the policies of particular parties. It is often the agreements made in haste by successive UK governments when they need support which causes most issue back in N Ireland.

]]> By: Tim Moore http://www.gladysganiel.com/dup/peter-robinson-naomi-long-and-the-2010-westminster-elections-a-new-era-in-northern-irish-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-1015 Tim Moore Mon, 10 May 2010 21:50:39 +0000 http://www.gladysganiel.com/dup/peter-robinson-naomi-long-and-the-2010-westminster-elections-a-new-era-in-northern-irish-politics/#comment-1015 I think you're spot on, Eoin, especially on the second point. People on the other side of the water (where I happen to come from) stopped caring about Northern Ireland a long time ago, rightly or wrongly. Many within the London-based press and media don't understand the situation in Ulster very well, and I know of instances when journalists and producers have actively avoided covering it. This may be a consequence of the lack of public interest about Northern Ireland in Britain, but I don't believe it should be an excuse. I think you’re spot on, Eoin, especially on the second point.

People on the other side of the water (where I happen to come from) stopped caring about Northern Ireland a long time ago, rightly or wrongly. Many within the London-based press and media don’t understand the situation in Ulster very well, and I know of instances when journalists and producers have actively avoided covering it. This may be a consequence of the lack of public interest about Northern Ireland in Britain, but I don’t believe it should be an excuse.

]]> By: Eoin O'Mahony http://www.gladysganiel.com/dup/peter-robinson-naomi-long-and-the-2010-westminster-elections-a-new-era-in-northern-irish-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-1011 Eoin O'Mahony Mon, 10 May 2010 13:27:11 +0000 http://www.gladysganiel.com/dup/peter-robinson-naomi-long-and-the-2010-westminster-elections-a-new-era-in-northern-irish-politics/#comment-1011 1. He's been elected in every election since 1979!! time to move on dot org. 2. note the lack of concern in British TV to Robinson's defeat. It says a lot. 1. He’s been elected in every election since 1979!! time to move on dot org.

2. note the lack of concern in British TV to Robinson’s defeat. It says a lot.

]]> By: Tim Moore http://www.gladysganiel.com/dup/peter-robinson-naomi-long-and-the-2010-westminster-elections-a-new-era-in-northern-irish-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-1007 Tim Moore Sun, 09 May 2010 15:52:41 +0000 http://www.gladysganiel.com/dup/peter-robinson-naomi-long-and-the-2010-westminster-elections-a-new-era-in-northern-irish-politics/#comment-1007 Don't know where I got the Gerald Ford from, perhaps it's because politics is undergoing a 70s revival... in a bad way. Sorry David! Don’t know where I got the Gerald Ford from, perhaps it’s because politics is undergoing a 70s revival… in a bad way.

Sorry David!

]]> By: Tim Moore http://www.gladysganiel.com/dup/peter-robinson-naomi-long-and-the-2010-westminster-elections-a-new-era-in-northern-irish-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-1006 Tim Moore Sun, 09 May 2010 15:48:54 +0000 http://www.gladysganiel.com/dup/peter-robinson-naomi-long-and-the-2010-westminster-elections-a-new-era-in-northern-irish-politics/#comment-1006 Naomi Long's election was certainly one of the big surprises to have emerged from the 2010 General Election. As an alternative to Peter Robinson, the tagline "Allicance Works", found on posters throughout the constituency with a photo of a smiling Naomi Long, struck a chord with the people of East Belfast over the UUP/Conservative candidate, who came third. I am inclined to agree that the vote is a reaction against the numerous scandals surrounding Peter Robinson and his wife. That's not to discount Gerald Ford's assessment that the people of East Belfast do want to see a new kind of politics, but it is unclear as to how strongly voters harboured such feelings about UK-wide, Northern Irish politics, or both. I think that Long's performance as MP will play a role in determining voters' desire for a change to the political culture of Northern Ireland. I couldn't speculate as to whether Long will achieve this or not: many predictions were made about the General Election that turned out to be naive at best, or ridiculous at worst. Naomi Long’s election was certainly one of the big surprises to have emerged from the 2010 General Election. As an alternative to Peter Robinson, the tagline “Allicance Works”, found on posters throughout the constituency with a photo of a smiling Naomi Long, struck a chord with the people of East Belfast over the UUP/Conservative candidate, who came third.

I am inclined to agree that the vote is a reaction against the numerous scandals surrounding Peter Robinson and his wife. That’s not to discount Gerald Ford’s assessment that the people of East Belfast do want to see a new kind of politics, but it is unclear as to how strongly voters harboured such feelings about UK-wide, Northern Irish politics, or both.

I think that Long’s performance as MP will play a role in determining voters’ desire for a change to the political culture of Northern Ireland. I couldn’t speculate as to whether Long will achieve this or not: many predictions were made about the General Election that turned out to be naive at best, or ridiculous at worst.

]]>