Sinn Fein now tipped to top European poll
Saturday, 6 June 2009
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Sinn Fein is being tipped to comfortably top the poll in Northern Ireland’s European Election.
Turnout was officially confirmed last night at 42.81%, a dramatic fall of almost 9% on the 2004 Euro poll figure of 51.72%.
The count will not begin until Monday morning, but it is being privately admitted by all parties that Sinn Fein’s Bairbre de Brun will finish well ahead.
The DUP, which has topped all previous European polls in the province, is braced for a slump in its support. However, party sources last night predicted candidate Diane Dodds would still claim one of the three seats.
It has nevertheless lost a significant slice of its vote to Traditional Unionist Voice candidate Jim Allister, an outcome which could destabilise the Stormont power-sharing coalition.
Conservative-UUP candidate Jim Nicholson is said by party colleagues to have polled well, while the SDLP is also pleased with the level of support secured by Alban Maginness.
The speculation is based on unofficial tallies by party workers yesterday, during the checking of the ballot papers at the King’s Hall. It confirmed the turnout, which ranged from nearly 53% in Mid-Ulster to just 34% in Strangford.
The indications were that turnout was generally lower in unionist districts. UUP sources were very upbeat last night on the party’s performance, while the SDLP was also in a positive mood and insisting that Mr Maginness was “in the mix” for a seat.
The TUV was meanwhile privately delighted with Mr Allister’s showing, and not conceding its chances.
It is anticipated that Monday’s count may take some time before all three seats are filled. The turnout figures for each constituency were:
- Belfast East 38.82%
- Belfast North 40.98%
- Belfast South 42.1%
- Belfast West 46.6%
- Lagan Valley 38.86%
- South Down 44.97%
- Mid Ulster 52.83%
- North Antrim 43.7%
- East Antrim 34.53%
- North Down 34.48%
- South Antrim 38.03%
- Strangford 34.24%.
- East Londonderry 42.3%
- Foyle 44.4%
- Fermanagh/South Tyrone 51.52%
- West Tyrone 50.3%
- Upper Bann 41.81%
- North Antrim 49.1%
Commentator and policy analyst Robin Wilson said the turn out should surprise no one.
He said: “Electoral participation has been falling since the Belfast Agreement: 81% turned out for the post-agreement referendum, falling to 70% for the first assembly election and falling further to 63.5% for the latest in 2007.
“In 1998 the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey found that fewer than a third of respondents said they had ‘not very much’ interest in politics or ‘none at all’. By the time of the 2005 survey, however, more than half said they were ‘not very interested’ or ‘not at all interested’.
“Citizens energised by the hope the Agreement fostered have become progressively disillusioned by the failure of a political class dominated by sectarian and paramilitary figures to make the power-sharing institutions function most of the time, or even to show basic literacy on the ‘bread and butter’ policy issues when those institutions have been up and crawling.”
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As I have already pointed out before Mick-ey. It is not the "Queen's Shilling." It is mine and yours as we are taxpayers. The Queen does not subsidise or pay politicians for the work they do. All the Queen does is take our money paid in taxes.
I'm sure Sinn Fein would like to thank you and everyone for funding their elected politicians.
Nice result SDLP & Sinn Fein on one side and DUP and UUP on the other. Wierd, though. Sinn Fein were the only ones to reach the quota on the first count.
Posted by Ulysses31 | 08.06.09, 14:46 GMT
Fair play to Sinn Feinn. Bairbre de Brún composed herself well on the BBCNI Politics Show. Unfortunately that couldn't be said for the DUP or TUV. All the other political parties were well spoken aswell.
Posted by SOT | 08.06.09, 00:48 GMT
So all those who had "had it up to here" with SF and their continuing to take the Queen's shilling and their "traitors to Ireland" statements, have recently drifted back to the party?
What does this tell us?
Posted by mick-ey | 07.06.09, 23:07 GMT
The DUP failed to run a positive pro-active campagin - there is no point trying to derail Jim Allister - they spent 30 odd years doing it themselves to the UUP and if they do not change tac only the TUV will win. Message to Peter Robinson - stop listening to yourself and the politico's like Simon Hamilton and engage with the electorate and our problems.
Posted by The Entertainer | 07.06.09, 19:37 GMT
This is hardly a surprise - the DUP campaign was dire, their candidate came across as a buffoon, and it was entirely negative. I know many people who had always voted DUP in the past who this time decided to vote 'normally', ie. on the issues involved in a European election. Given this, no wonder that Mrs Dodds is in trouble!
Posted by Brian | 07.06.09, 18:07 GMT
Well done to Sinn Fein!
Posted by john smith | 07.06.09, 16:39 GMT
I am disgusted with the apathy of the Unionist electorate. When the Rev Ian Paisley topped the poll in the European elections he claimed that gave him the right to speak for the people of Northern Ireland. If Bairbre de Brun makes the same claim now, then no Unionist can have any complaints since the majority of them never bothered to vote.
Posted by disgusted unionist | 07.06.09, 12:30 GMT
Perhaps after the next 6-county elections, Sinn Fein and SDLP can form a majority government with unionists in opposition.
Posted by JerryF | 07.06.09, 05:52 GMT
Unionists/Loyalists have been destroying themselves for years because of splits. If they keep it up we might as well surrender.
Posted by James | 07.06.09, 03:09 GMT
this article is 24 hours old and no one has commented on it ,,strange,,
Posted by baily | 07.06.09, 02:10 GMT
remember who voted for billy ooops!!!!! bobby sands. the people who coerced him and the other "volunteers" into dying got the same voters to vote for them.
even the voters in the south reject republicans. that should tell you something............doesnt it???
Posted by billy | 07.06.09, 00:08 GMT
Now I hope that the election results. especially Sinn Fein's, will enable the anti - Agreement so - called Republicans to dry up and blow away! They have been harping on since the Assembly elections that " people are fed - up with Sinn Fein's strategy and most nationalist won't vote for them any more. " Dream on, boys and girls, it's time to leave the political arena, if you ever had support in the first place, which you hadn't.
Posted by Patrick | 06.06.09, 21:05 GMT
Great news! Sinn Fein are making great progress towards a United Ireland, with the help of some backward unionists wanting to live in the past - what backward people would vote for Jim Allister who offers nothing but wanting to go back to the past.. pity he can't accept change... well he is going to have to if he likes it or not.. Sinn Fein in government is here to stay..
Posted by John | 06.06.09, 10:43 GMT
people are sick of voting for people who look after themselves and their families the dup vote will be well down no thanks to robinson incorporated ,,,but not to worry politicians can put spin on the ending of the world
Posted by baily | 06.06.09, 10:12 GMT