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Poll: Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness is Northern Ireland's top minister
Monday, 30 November 2009
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Martin McGuinness was today revealed as Northern Ireland’s most respected politician – signalling a remarkable transformation from IRA leader to respected political figurehead.
According to the results of a Belfast Telegraph poll published today, the senior Sinn Fein figure is viewed as by far the top-performing minister in the Northern Ireland Executive.
Even unionists responding to the survey had praise for McGuinness’s performance as Deputy First Minister – contributing to a lead of 20 percentage points over First Minister Peter Robinson.
Today’s survey is the first in a regular series of exclusive |monthly polls which will test the temperature of post-devolution Northern Ireland.
Belfast Telegraph editor Mike Gilson said the results “suggest that we are maybe moving into a different phase in which politicians are judged as much on their performance in the here and now as on their history”.
“If so, that has to be seen as a positive step,” he added.
The Deputy First Minister is viewed as by far the top-performing minister in the Stormont Executive, according to the survey carried out in association with Inform Communications.
The Mid-Ulster MP is now seen as the “most impressive” minister of the power-sharing team — polling more than double the next highest, party colleague Michelle Gildernew.
Once widely regarded as a hate-figure by unionists because of his Provisional IRA background, the senior Sinn Fein man now rates surprisingly well among Protestants, achieving the same score (11%) as Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey.
And he left his fellow First Minister Peter Robinson trailing by 20 percentage points on both sides of the community.
The poll reflects an astonishing transformation in the image of Mr McGuinness who emerged from the ranks of the IRA in Londonderry in the early 1970s, including a spell in prison in the Republic, to become Sinn Fein’s chief negotiator during Good Friday Agreement negotiations in 1998 and later at St Andrews in 2006.
Today’s survey is the first in a regular Belfast Telegraph/Inform Communication series of polls which will test the temperature of post-devolution Northern Ireland.
Telegraph editor Mike Gilson said: “This poll is a snapshot of course, but it is a very interesting snapshot.
“It suggests that we maybe moving into a different phase of political life here in which politicians are judged as much on their performance in the here and now as on their history.
“If so, that has to be seen as a positive step. If the message is that some people are recognising that politicians can begin the journey from conflict towards statesmanship it is to be welcomed.
“If the message is that our politicians must do more to leave their historical baggage at the door of the debating chamber that too is positive.”
In contrast the Belfast Telegraph/Inform Communications survey put DUP leader Robinson on just 7% — Mr McGuinness scored 27% — with a zero rating among Catholics.
Sinn Fein’s Agriculture Minister is in second place overall with 10%, again with a significant approval level from Protestants (8%).
The DUP’s best performing minister is Arlene Foster with 9% of those surveyed endorsing her track record at Enterprise, Trade and Industry.
Party leader Mr Robinson was in a disappointing fourth place, behind SDLP Social Development Minister and leadership candidate Margaret Ritchie. A DUP spokesman said: “Obviously the DUP is aware of the sort of issues that have been raised by this poll and even before the poll was released our leader Peter Robinson was moving to address some of these issues.”
However, despite Mr McGuinness’s popularity, Sinn Fein remained tightlipped last night and refused to comment.
Two-and-a-half years after the four-party administration took up office the ratings for most ministers are poor.
In some cases the percentages achieved by a few of the ministers — among them the DUP’s Environment Minister Edwin Poots and Culture Minister Nelson McCausland, as well as Sinn Fein junior minister Gerry Kelly — are close to or below the poll’s 3% margin of error.
A sample of 500 people were questioned earlier this month and asked to declare as Protestants, Catholics, or other. Mr McGuinness also scored highest with the latter (21%).
There is contrasting, if unsurprising, news for Sinn Fein as Education Minister Caitriona Ruane is seen as the minister who has most disappointed people.
A total of 24% of Catholics, as well as 39% of Protestants and 19% of others, contributed to Ms Ruane’s disapproval rating of 31%, almost double the next most disappointing, Mr Robinson.
His DUP colleague, Finance Minister Sammy Wilson, and Health Minister Michael McGimpsey also have ‘most disappointed’ people, with the Ulster Unionist Health Minister scoring almost equally between Catholics and Protestants.
Meanwhile, three-quarters of those polled (75%) say the expenses scandals of the last two years have damaged the way they view politicians — with most of the remainder saying it made no difference.
And on the other controversy over double-jobbing, almost the same level of respondents (71%) — including 73% of Protestants and 68% of Catholics — said they are not content for Assembly members to also be MPs at Westminster.
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Comments
96 Comments
He won it for his intellect and his ability to battle political strategy with the best both here, in Gb and europe and america. Young nationalists have a duty to push with this momentum!
Posted by newry citizen | 15.12.09, 15:21 GMT
this poll is highly flawed there are many catholics against sinn fein ,and to suggest unionists would vote for him is more than misleading
Posted by liam | 14.12.09, 18:45 GMT
I've long held the opinion that Martin McGuinness is the most impressive man in politics per-se. He has an insight and intelligence matched by his eloquence, which is rarely seen. He does not appear to engage in raucous 'tub thumping' which in itself its a novelty in politics. Perhaps it could be said that he has a wisdom borne of experience, which has a value not attained by those who learned their trade solely from books at university..
Best of luck to you Martin.
By the way, this was written by an Englishman with a protestant background.
Posted by Steve | 04.12.09, 12:06 GMT
With Martin and Gerry we have something that the other parties do not have, good sound leader ship. It was a sad day for us all when Ian Paisley stood down as he was working well along side Martin, now there is a vacum on unionism that the TUV are trying to fill. At least with Ian he eventually saw the error of his ways and was trying to move forwood with us all.
Posted by sean from co down Ireland | 04.12.09, 06:05 GMT
To Euskal Herria , I do not have to deal with Martin McGuinness being the most respected politician in Northern Ireland .
As far as I am concerned , the media may push that message , but the media is not the "Oracle of Truth".
That is a laugh as you cannot even deal with calling it Northern Ireland , you need to get over that.
Also , your clever linkage between the 1920s IRA campaign and the IRA terrorist campaign of the 1970s , was noted.Clever linkage in that there is no linkage .
Posted by Steve | 03.12.09, 23:50 GMT
To Euskal Herria , you obviously do not like my association of Sinn Fein/IRA to Al Quaida , and your not the first to try to make a difference between an Al Quaida bombing/murder of civilians ie Sept 11 and an IRA bombing murder of civilains ie Darkley Gospel Hall/La Mon Restaurant.
Bothe sets of victims were innocent civilains and died horrible deaths but how can you possibly say that the burned alived victims of the La Mon house restaurant were not terrorist victims ?
Yes it is in the past , and yes we must move on , but the past cannot be air brushed away .
And not everyone can forget their lovedones who were butchered.
Posted by Steve | 03.12.09, 23:44 GMT
To Blootered , it maybe a poll , but thats all we know.
Who were the people that were asked to take part in the poll , where were they from .
Just because a newspaper takes a poll does not mean it is representative of cross community attitudes.
A bet if this poll was taken in Sandy Row , Belfast you would not find any Protestants favourable to Martin McGuiness.
As far as giving your head peace , take a disprin , and go to bed early.
Posted by Steve | 03.12.09, 23:37 GMT
i thought everything would change here when the shinners accepted british politics. i thought a new breath of fresh air would change the boring way of life and that new laws would come into force giving all people a new start in a new NI but all martin and company have done is accept the british way of life and joined the band wagon. same goes for the dups etc. stormont should be sold to developers at a knock down price, all mla's sacked and direct rule applied. we would never know the difference!
Posted by peter | 03.12.09, 17:19 GMT
How closed minded many people in Northern Ireland remain. Single issue, fact picking (or ignoring), bloody minded navel gazers still abound. Good to see that the land where the Encyclopaedia Britannica has long been usurped by 'wee Jimmy said' and 'my da told me so' remains firmly in the 1950s. Must be reassuring for all those who apparently have nothing more significant to define their existence by than which side they're on in a clan war that most of the rest of the world finds ridiculous. When will some of you realise that everything is not black and white; that people do change; that terrorists do turn to peace; and above all that wars can only be ended by dealing with the person you were at war with. You know why the troubles have gone on so long? It's because so many people will only accept a solution that involves the absolute surrender and complete humiliation of 'the other side' - oh, and then they'd like them to disappear in a wee puff of smoke forever.
Posted by Graham Smyth | 03.12.09, 16:43 GMT
Steve, going by your logic, the British Army waged a war against Catholics due to their numerous atrocities in Ireland over the years - the burning of Cork (1920), Bloody Sunday (1972), etc. etc.
However, any rational minded person would reject this as a fallacy. War, or a conflict like the Troubles, is a horrendous affair with many differing factors contributing. To say otherwise is facile. Comparing McGuinness and Sinn Fein to Al Qaeda is bordering on the idiotic. It's a manoevure straight out of the TUV/Jim Allister playbook.
Anyone can sit and judge, by your standards the ANC were a terrorist grouping too, along with their armed wing 'Umkonto we Siweze' and indeed that may be so, nevertheless one moves on, one evolves, one changes. Sinn Fein have emphatically rejected violence in pursuit of a United Ireland and this is to be commeneded and recognized.
The fact that McGuinness is now the most respected politican in the North is a step to be welcomed. Deal with it.
Posted by Euskal Herria | 03.12.09, 14:14 GMT
It just goes to show how rubbish the Politician's are in Northern Ireland. This means that the real long term politician's clearly didn't do much good work in their lifetime. Sad state of affairs.
Posted by Realist | 03.12.09, 14:14 GMT
It is evident that this poll has ignited many raw feelings from people who disapprove intensely of Sinn Fein and are clearly still not buying into their reform to political means. It is clear through all these comments that bias and sectarianism are still present in the north of Ireland. It is too hard for people to let go of the atrocities that happened in the past. And this results in people refusing to believe that a 'terrorist' cannot turn to political means and try to create a more stable future.
Even the fact that Sinn Fein are still being regarded as ''IRA/Sinn Fein'', shows that the people of this society are choosing drag their heels and grasp onto their steroptypes that moulded this country into the conflict-driven, sectarian-shaped mess that it still is...
Hardly anything has changed. Yea sure in terms of having an up-and-running assembly. But in terms of how we as the people think? We still possess the sectarian-ridden psyches that are embedded in our history.
Posted by conscious minor | 03.12.09, 11:53 GMT
strange coincidence this is published in the push before republicans want justice and policing devolved. Hmmm. I wonder could, possibly in any way, the two be connected bt?
lol
Posted by stve | 03.12.09, 11:32 GMT
Mike Gilson knows this is rubbish, is he playing a game ?
Two SF Ministers, McGuinness and Gildernew are not the two most popular Poloticians in Northern Ireland !
Is this article just to provoke, or to push boundaries ? - a rather unsettling game perhaps ?
Posted by Rubbish | 02.12.09, 20:55 GMT
Obviously the only 2 people asked were Sean of County Down and Ulyass32.
This is a load of rubbish.
The BT has sunk to a completely new low by printing, and making Headlines out of an unsubstantiated Poll.
The top 2 Ministers both Sinn Fein,
Hmmm yea.
Posted by Disappointed - again | 02.12.09, 18:35 GMT
Steve
I find it hard to believe that you find so much of everything so hard to believe. Hope you're not infectious.
It's a poll, a snapshot of cross-community perceptions and its outcome is significant.
Get over it and give my head peace.
Posted by Blootered | 02.12.09, 15:33 GMT
Its a fallacy to say that the organisation that Martin McGuinness belongs to was striving for civil rights or equality.
You cannot try to achieve civil/rights for some people by robbing others of their human rights and their lives.
Jean McConville , a mother of 10 was tortured,murdered and her body buried in a secret grave.
Where was her human rights ?
Sinn Fein/IRA did not have the human decency or guts to tell the family where the body was.
Posted by Steve | 02.12.09, 11:48 GMT
To Donald Goines , you need to do your research before posting , Abu Nidal was in the secular and left wing PLO ,and did not wage a holy war.
Secondly Sinn Fein /IRA targeted Protestants directly as in Kingsmill , Tullyvallen Orange Hall and indirectly as members of the RUC and UDR.
You are in denial if you think that the IRA fought some campaign to gain civil rights or human rights.
They butchered civilians , police,army or anyone else who got in their way for a united Ireland.
Calling someone an imbecile , cannot air brush history , cannot make the La Mon atrocity go away.
Is it really necessary to insult people , it shows I must have exposed the truth.
Posted by Steve | 02.12.09, 11:44 GMT
"I find it very hard to believe that Portestants would approve of Martin McGuinness in any shape or form.
Its in the same league as Israelis approving of Abu Nidal or Osama Bin Laden renouncing violence and US voters warming to him."
What absolute and utter tripe. Are you seriously trying to have us believe that McGuinness was partaking in a holy war against Protestants?
Are you the absolute imbecile it would appear or just trying to seem like one?
McGuinness is an Irish nationalist, whether one is Protestant, Jew or Sikh has nothing to do with it. Same goes for his party and their policies.
Lastly, the fight in Northern Ireland was a complex response to years of discrimination, and "foreign" rule. The fight was launched against an unjust administration and an occupying army structure - in the eyes of those who fought - not a crusade against individual religions.
Seriously, with people like you around, is it any wonder the apartheid-era TUV is on the march.
Posted by Donald Goines | 02.12.09, 09:55 GMT
Hi Editor, thanks for editing my comment. I knew I made and claimed a few "close to the edge" comments but they are actually true and I will demonstrate this on my websites. But you made a very wise choice, a good compromise in deleting the second part to my original comment. Some people would have deleted it in its entirety. You are a very fair minded and democratic people at the Belfast Telegraph. Kindest regards, Philip
Posted by Philip Holdway-Davis | 01.12.09, 22:30 GMT
96 Comments