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Record low for DUP in Euro vote
Monday, 8 June 2009
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) suffered a major collapse in its vote today as a new force in right-wing unionist politics emerged in Northern Ireland.
Sinn Fein topped the poll for the first time in its history with 26% of the vote when the European election results were announced in Belfast's King's Hall count centre.
But the DUP vote plummeted from 32% vote share in 2004 to 18.2% today after the hardline Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) seized 13.7% support in its first major electoral outing.
In a further development the Ulster Unionist Party, in the first test of its electoral pact with the Conservatives, won the second of the three seats available in Northern Ireland, forcing the DUP into an unprecedented third place.
Bairbre de Brun was elected on the first count for Sinn Fein, with the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists candidate Jim Nicholson taking the second seat, before Diane Dodds took the third seat for the DUP.
It was a record low point for the DUP which has topped every other European election held in Northern Ireland.
There are now fears that a hardening of unionist opinion might have implications for the stability of the coalition government at Stormont, which is led by the DUP and Sinn Fein.
But DUP leader Peter Robinson said unionist voters had to understand there was no alternative to power-sharing.
"A large portion of the unionist community find it very difficult to have Sinn Fein in government," he said.
"I feel that we did the right thing. I believe that we have undersold our case.
"People need to know that there is no more acceptable alternative available."
After a low voter turn-out, he said his party had to re-connect with the electorate and he accepted that concerns existed over the Westminster MPs expenses scandal.
The DUP vote was shattered as a result of a number of factors, party figures claimed today, but the results showed substantial support had shifted to leader of the hardline TUV Jim Allister.
He was a sitting MEP for the Democratic Unionists when he split from the party in 2007 over its decision to enter power-sharing government with Sinn Fein.
In 2008 the TUV rattled the DUP by taking votes off the party in a local government by-election in Dromore, Co Down.
But Mr Allister said his party's performance in its first major electoral contest heralded its arrival as a serious political player.
"That is a remarkable achievement and shows the depth of feeling that there is among many unionists who refuse to be rolled over in the era of Sinn Fein rule," he said. "We are the success story of today."
Mr Allister failed to secure a seat, but vowed to stand at the next general election in former DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley's north Antrim heartland.
The split in unionists ranks and a solid performance by Sinn Fein saw it become the first nationalist or republican party to ever top a Northern Ireland election.
Sinn Fein said that despite the success of the TUV, the vast majority of voters had backed parties in favour of the peace process and the power-sharing Assembly.
Sinn Fein's Bairbre de Brun said her party had registered an historic victory, but she said her focus was on delivering a better future for all.
"I see the vote I received as an endorsement of positive politics," she said.
"And I think what we have seen, and want to see, is positive leadership from all parties.
"We have to tackle the scourge of sectarianism. I promise to do my part."
There were raucous scenes as the candidates were declared MEPs at the count centre.
TUV supporters waved Union flags and turned their backs on Ms de Brun as she spoke, while others twirled football rattles and jeered.
The DUP's Diane Dodds refused to shake Ms de Brun's hand, but she too was barracked by the TUV.
The hardliners, however, cheered a speech from their leader Jim Allister, where he adopted a former republican slogan for his own purposes and said: "We haven't gone away you know."
The Ulster Conservatives and Unionists candidate Jim Nicholson won 17.1% of the vote, a half percent increase on the veteran MEP's last outing.
While he came third in the share of first preference votes, he jumped ahead of the DUP during the transfer of votes from eliminated candidates.
Mr Nicholson said: "The Conservatives and Unionists Party is back and we are back in style."
The Conservative Party's Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Owen Paterson said: "This is an important step in our efforts to establish normal UK politics in Northern Ireland."
The SDLP remained on much the same level as its past performance, with 16.2% of the vote.
The Alliance party candidate Ian Parsley took 5.5% of the vote, while the Greens' candidate Stephen Agnew increased his party's performance to take 3.3% of the vote, an increase of 2.3%.
Only 42.8% of people eligible to vote cast a ballot - a major drop on the figure of 51.72% at the last European election.
Turnout figures for Northern Ireland's 18 Westminster constituencies showed that regions of unionist voting strength suffered lower turnouts than areas that are predominantly nationalist.
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Comments
23 Comments
Diane Dodds is pathetic. She refuses to shake the winner's hand on the grounds that she 'doesn't do stunts', but if another Unionist had topped the poll she would have shaken hands with him. Don't insult our intelligence, Mrs. Dodds.
Posted by Edward Smith | 10.06.09, 08:33 GMT
Mr Robinson stated on TV that the DUP were too busy to canvas. I would believe this as they double and triple job. I and other voters obstained from voting due to the expences scandle, double jobbing and family only employment. Not as he would have us believe due to power sharing.
There must be honest, non bigoted people that can also govern Northern Ireland.
We must move forward for the sake of the children who are the future of Northern Ireland.
Posted by Jake | 09.06.09, 19:37 GMT
Diane Dodds is pathetic, a disgrace refusing shake DeBrun's hand
Is she trying to outbigot Jim Allister? Sinn fein won grow up and
Accept it. And how does Allister think he's going to shun a party
That got twice as many votes as his own? Unionists need to face
Reality. Willie Mccrea didn't have a problem meeting mass murderer
Billy Wright.
Maybe the people who should be shunned are the ones who refuse
To work with their fellow citizens for the greater good.
Like the Dup TUV.
Posted by Fergal C. | 09.06.09, 19:25 GMT
Congratulations to Jim Nicholson and Bairbre De Brun on their success and the gracious way in which they acted in the King's Hall - they will I'm sure work well in Europe for Northern Ireland.
Shame on Diane Dodds for portraying such bad manners and sour childish behaivour because she came 3rd! It would have been a more Christian gesture to shake hands with all her fellow candidates, but then we are all used to bad manners from the DUP!
Posted by Thomas | 09.06.09, 18:28 GMT
Peter Robinson & his DUP cronies must realise that many voters (myself included) failed to vote in protest at our disgust over politician's expenses. I found his recent televised 'defence' on the matter most offensive...being both arrogant and condescending in the extreme.
Perhaps it's time that he and his wife, sought gainful employment elsewhere and saved us hard-pressed tax-payers £550,000 pa. And Diane Dodds ...how much is she getting paid now... & for what!
Posted by Mary | 09.06.09, 16:20 GMT
Well Diane Dodds proved that the DUP are still nothing more than a bigoted party that have no intention of moving forward. When she refused to shake the hand of a women merely for being an Irish Republican she concreted that point. She is a disgrace to Politics. We are now sending a women over to Europe, who will do all she can to make sure that 50% of the people living here will get no representation becuase they deem themselves Irish/Republican.
Posted by Chris | 09.06.09, 11:48 GMT
Diane Dodds has emabrrassed herself and her party, and all NI politics as reported across UK and Europe. It is just ignorance and lack of manners not to shake hands with the more successful candidates - if PR and IP could manage to be civil to their SF contemporaries, then surely so should DD. I also think the electorate have had their say regarding DUP expenses!
Posted by embarrassed unionist | 09.06.09, 10:24 GMT
Thanks for the Economics update Phil, can you explain this to me though? If the UK is doing so good how come they decided to to no longer attempt to spend their way out of the recession? Oh that's right, their bond auctions were starting to fail as no-one would lend them the money anymore due to the risk of them going bust.
You'll know all about it next year when the Brits decide to cut the massive subvention of your economy, but as the biggest receipients of EU aid Brussels can bail you out..
Posted by Bren | 09.06.09, 10:11 GMT
Gotta agree with David and John, the behaviour of the TUV is the sort of thing you would expect from a group of BNP supporters ....
Also voting for someone because of their name is about as intelligent as voting for them because they look good on the poster. However if Sinn Fein want a tip tell them if we wanted single mothers with babies hanging off them who don't really want the job in Europe anyway, we would vote for them. Oh wait, we didn't...
Posted by Bren | 09.06.09, 10:03 GMT
What an absolute farce this election has become. Its embarrasing. Horrible turnout, politicians acting like children.
If these are the people representing Northern Ireland, we are all in trouble.
Bairbre de Brun and Jim Nicholson managed to come through it with some grace and civility, but that Dodds one is a nutter.
I dont know why everyone up here just cant agree there was wrong doing done by both sides. We have a recession to deal with here. No more juvenile politics.
Posted by Éamonn | 09.06.09, 09:46 GMT
TUV boo and jeer, Diane Dodds refuses to shake the winners hand, yeah, democracy in Norn Iron. Is it any wonder the rest of Europe look upon us as Neanderthals.
Posted by john | 09.06.09, 00:29 GMT
Childish behaviour at the count centre. Bottom line the Unionist vote was badly split and despite her 'win' Diane Dodds was a poor, ill-informed candidate who does nothing to represent me as an Unionist.
It's time we had representatives who care more about real economic and social issues rather than flags, symbols and political posturing.
Posted by David | 09.06.09, 00:26 GMT
Your funny Robbo.....and Robbo.....thats an Irish name??? Go put your head back in your little corner in your little ghetto
Posted by Gary | 08.06.09, 23:28 GMT
Robbo, are you for real?
Posted by Sam the man | 08.06.09, 23:23 GMT
robbo dream on remember the unionist vote was fragmented but as usual we have to strive for that united front which is currently lacking.your dream of a united ireland is a long long way of..
Posted by ero | 08.06.09, 23:01 GMT
Has anyone seen hide or hair of Diane Dodds since she managed to decimate the DUP vote ?
She was never off the TV in the run up to polling and her masterplan to Top The Poll....but alas she has gone to ground without even the courtesy of a handshake.
Posted by Former DUP Voter | 08.06.09, 23:01 GMT
Robinson is right-there is no sane alternative to power-sharing now. Speaking as a moderate catholic, if the DUP have the courage to stay the course in stormont, I'll be voting for them if they need the support, even though I'd rather not vote for any of the sectarian parties. Allister? What has he got to offer me and the future of NI?
Posted by Ciaran | 08.06.09, 21:43 GMT
this was the first time in 23 years that I chose not to vote, it was not about sharing goverment with Sinn Fein, if it was i would have voted for Jim Allister's TUV. It was about tax payers money that these polititans have taken to live extravagant lifestyles and then have the barefaced audacity to tell the working man to tighten his belt as he is made redundant. They need to realize that they are public servants and start serving the people who vote, whither Protestant or Catholic
Posted by mark | 08.06.09, 21:27 GMT
Having watched the European results programme BBC N.Ireland I was struck by the margin of defeat of Diane Dodds. Having watched her wretched performance last week when she spouted endless drivel I expected her to get Nul Points as in Eurovision.
Surely the DUP can find someone better than this to represent them.
Regarding Mr.Allister, we all are aware of what he wont do but we need to know, more importantly, is what he will do.
Another empty vessel.
Posted by Henry Campbell | 08.06.09, 21:15 GMT
Robbo it would seem your maths just isnt quite there ! (along with your rather poor grasp on the political system) , Unionism will always be opposed to a united Ireland and lets face it what nationalist wants to join a country thats got a 3rd world credit score and has been hit far worse than the UK by the recession due to a Goverment that could teach our MP's a thing or two regarding expenses and misuse of public money! , but I suppose when your on the dole economics isnt a concern!
Posted by Phil | 08.06.09, 20:43 GMT
23 Comments