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Wow whee, what a day, who'd have thunk it?
Record low turn out almost 10 per cent from 2004.
Sinn Fein topped the poll for the first time in a Northern Ireland wide election.
The DUP vote basically collasped to the point where their candidate instead of topping the poll as they have since 1979 scrapped in without making quota.
Ulster Unionists, or UCUNF as they have distastefully rechristened themselves, topped pro union poll.
Jim Allister got 70,000 plus votes and was even in the frame for a seat at one stage.
Greens tripled their vote.
And well Alliance and SDLP turned up for a cup of tea.
DUP quickly adopted the mantra "This is a bad day for unionism", presumably because they didn't top the poll? No, according to Jeffrey Donaldson, because unionists didn't turn out.
Jim Allister was like a shark circling, no one knew quite where he was going to pop up or how big his bite would be.
Fairly gruesome as it turned out, taking 70 per cent of the ballots.
Now there had been some warning signs with disquiet on the doorsteps about DUP expenses and political dynasties.
Paddy Power's bookmakers also showing a shrewd grasp of an unusually tricky election at one stage were cutting the odds on Allister several times a day as it became apparent his vote would be stronger than expected.
The Ulster Unionists (no I won't use that awful short form) also shocked by becoming the first unionist to be elected. While representatives were talking about the come back of the party, it remains to be seen if the "Dromore effect" is a false dawn or a new beginning.
Now because politicians have been abusing and bending voting figures, here are the facts. A low turn out skews the figures slightly but still make for some interesting reading.
Jim Allister (DUP) 175,761 (2004), TUV 66,197 (2009)
Bairbre De Brún (SF) 144,541 (2004), 126,184 (2009)
Diane Dodds (DUP) 88,346 (2009)
Jim Nicholson (UUP) 91,164 (2004), 82,893 (2009)
Alban Maguinness (SDLP) 87,559 (2004, Morgan), 78,489 (2009)
Ian Parsley (All) 26,699 (2009), no candidate in 2004
Lindsay Whitcroft (Green) 4,810 (2004), Steven Agnew (Green) 15,764
Whether you like it or not, Jim Nicholson stood as a Conservative and Unionist and will join the Conservatives in the European Parliament. In the sense that your notation relates to a party ticket, therefore, you really must accept the change in position. Anything other would be just inaccurate.
ReplyDeleteJim Nicholson, as a member of the EPP, which he has now left along with the Tory MEPs, has been in the same group as the Tories for years. He is continuing with rather than joining the Tories. Not much change there.
ReplyDelete