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Northern Ireland election

Election 07 graphic

Welcome to the blog

  • Mark Devenport
  • 16 Feb 07, 11:57 AM

Hello everyone. The Secretary of State Peter Hain has apologised for Belfast's contribution to the slave trade. But he forgot to say sorry for the late appearance of this blog, so I better start off by doing just that.

markcartoon.jpgThe election campaign is up and running, and we've already had controversy about Bob McCartney standing in six seats, the authorities deciding that Republican Sinn Fein isn't a party and DUP candidates having to give their leader a pre-signed letter of resignation.

In the weeks to come, with the help of my colleagues Martina Purdy and Gareth Gordon I shall be doing my best to contribute whatever I can in terms of news, analysis and plain old gossip. And of course your comments will be gratefully appreciated.

And on 20 February, 91热爆 Northern Ireland is hosting an election webcast at 1500 GMT, when yours truly will be joined by representatives of the five largest parties. Feel free to post a question for me to put to the politicians then .

Comments   Post your comment

  • 1.
  • At 07:46 PM on 16 Feb 2007,
  • 'The Craic Party' wrote:

Will Bob McCartney鈥檚 campaign posters read; 鈥淪ix of the Best 鈥 Better than all the rest鈥 (with apologies to Tina Turner)!

If he stood in eighteen constituencies and got elected in all, he could become the largest unionist designation, all on his own!

Imagine, eighteen fingers pointing in unison towards poor Sammy Wilson with no hiding place and forced to go on the run back to East Antrim!

You can just see the Speaker of the Assembly telling Mr McCartney to 鈥榩lease sit down鈥 eighteen times 鈥 nothing usual then!

Having scraped through in North Down at the 2003 election without reaching the quota, is Bob hedging his bets and hoping on this occasion to pull his votes in all six counts?

A tip for the voters: If you spot Bob outside the polling station, make sure it is the 鈥楻eal McCoy鈥, not just a cunning cardboard cut out!

Mark, good to see you're all embracing new media at the 91热爆! I look forward to reading your thoughts on the election, maybe you'll have the odd look in on mine!

  • 3.
  • At 03:49 PM on 19 Feb 2007,
  • The Craic Party wrote:

Has the UKUP so few members or people that may be deemed unelectable the reason behind Bob McCartney standing in six seats.
The UKUP could have been in a very strong position now if they hadn't lost all the members that helped get 5 seats in 1998.
The DUP will be no better than the UUP if they sit down in Government on March 26 with Sinn Fein/IRA and have gained nothing in concession from Tony Blair.
Getting it right may be the DUP be slogan but it will be have got things very wrong if the St Andrews Agreement is put in place.

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