Everything Ulster - Election 2005

DAVID Trimble has called on voters to back his party and the SDLP to 'reinvigorate' the centre ground of Northern Ireland politics. Since the extreme parties, the DUP and Sinn Fein, became the largest parties in Northern Ireland in 2003, the Assembly has remained suspended.

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Trimble claims that a coalition should be formed between the centrist parties "if the voters support us". He told the BBC's Breakfast With Frost programme, "I think you could have a cross-community administration based on the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP. I think that trying to have a cross-community administration that brings every party in isn't going to work in the present circumstances."

The idea of a a coalition among the centre-ground political parties is a great idea in principle, but it would require the UUP and SDLP to regain their positions as the leading parties in their repsective communities, and this doesn't look like happening in this election. It's also problematic because lately some Ulster Unionists seem to be going out of their way to appear more extreme, presumably trying to win back the voters lost to the DUP.

However, Trimble says voters have a choice - vote for the SDLP or UUP to bring local accountable government back to Northern Ireland, or vote for the extremist Sinn Fein/DUP for "25 years when nothing will happen". He went on to say that "there will be [a power sharing executive] again if people vote for the Ulster Unionist Party and the SDLP, but there won't be one if they vote for the DUP and Sinn Fein."

The choice for the electorate is clear: to reinforce the extremes that have produced this stalemate or to strengthen and reinvigorate the central moderate parties which produced progress.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan rejected these calls, claiming that the failures to achieve a deal in recent years was down to the governments negotiating and excluding certain parties, focusing on those seen as key to success. Obviously Durkan is worried about scaring off any potential voters for not appearing Green enough. One wonders though, would the SDLP gain more votes by differentiating themselves from rather than trying to out-Sinn Fein them?