Everything Ulster - Election 2005

THAT's the claim made today by SDLP leader Mark Durkan. He told colleagues in his Foyle constituency that the provisionals are acting like a political settlement will just fall into place after the elections, and that Sinn Fein are misleading voters by talking as if a deal will just 'click into place' after May.

Durkan went on "They ask people to strengthen Sinn Fein’s hand for one last bit of negotiation. We have heard this all before. That is what we they told people before the last elections, the ones before that and the ones before that again." He also said that as long as Sinn Fein's vote has continued to grow, the provisional movement as a whole has "no incentive to clean up it's act".

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Unfortunately even Mr Durkan's seat seems to be under threat from Sinn Fein. Mitchel McLaughlin is standing in his East Foyle constituency and many pundits think it is too close to call.

My opinion? This is a sad reflection on the polarisation of our society in Northern Ireland today, and possibly the apathy of the middle-ground who probably make up a much larger percentage of the population than election results indicate. The problem is not enough moderates come out to vote, instead preferring to complain about the politicians from the sidelines.

Once you vote, then you have a right to complain. Until then, these complainants should take a long look at themselves. If you can't even be bothered to vote in an election every few years, how can you complain about people who are trying, if unsuccessfully, to do something? I encourage all the moderates to come out and vote for any of the middle of the road parties and send a message to the politicians that the confrontational politics currently on display in this country have to stop.

Source: The Scotsman

Non-Extremist Parties:
SDLP - want a united Ireland as much as Sinn Fein, just don't see a need to kill, mope and deride everything British to achieve that.
Ulster Unionists - no less British than the DUP, and at least perpared to try and make Northern Ireland work!
Alliance - Forget the border until there's a referendum when the people will decide. Working for all the people of Northern Ireland.