Good piece by Fionnuala O’Connor in today’s Irish Times where she addresses Bertie Ahern’s resignation and asks whether Gerry Adams can be far behind. He is under no internal pressure, she writes, but his “standing has diminished as peace segues into normal, boring politics. The Dáil election was a slap in the face in the face for both party and president. An even more painful Adams realisation must be that he looks a little shrunken where he once stood tallest and most commanding: in west Belfast, his own home base and modern republicanism’s capital.
“Sinn Féin in Stormont has failed to shine and Martin McGuinness powersharing with Ian Paisley, has its drawbacks, not least relegation for Adams. It is a long time since he last looked presidential, and now he has lost face at home.”
O’Connor points to the recent Squinter controversy (what do you mean you hadn’t heard!); she writes that Adams’ reaction was a knee-jerk one and wonders whether Sinn Féin’s “leadership status has to be won afresh in west Belfast”.
O’Connor’s remark on “leadership” is one that should also be exercising the SDLP too, one would think. Reading many of the comments around the Squinter controversy, I was struck by how many people said there were not going to vote Sinn Féin. That will have little effect on Adams. I suspect that 1,000 extra votes for the SDLP would pain him much more. Convincing voters that their best interests are served by voting for the SDLP – as opposed to merely not voting – is a challenge that the party’s leadership should be addressing urgently.
After all, “normal politics” should be an opportunity for normal parties.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
‘Glory days’ over
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5 comments:
Adams and nearly all SF have not been able to transition to "normal" democratic politics. Ten years on and people are murdered, the criminality continues, newspapers are censored, PSNI supported with only weak words - they just can't give up their old tricks. It is an opportunity for other political parties, as you say. But don't hold your breath for SDLP, they do not realize they are in competition with SF.
Re the SDLP: How do you convince people to vote for a party that may not even exist.
I wish this was true, but from what I am seeing on the ground is the Shinners gaining further ground.
Gerry Adams is u turning all over the place - he has embarrassed himself over the newspaper apology and this shows that normal politics and proper criticism comes hard to a man that has had his way for too long - he is now learning that he has to take it on his bearded chin just like other politicans.He criticises the police for inactivity in his area (not that long ago his crowd made it a no go area) and then says over 100 people have spoken to the PSNI - well Gerry what is the next spin???
I think it is time that the SDLP started to get much more critical of the DUP/SF axis and their lack of concrete progress - Ruane as education Minister - well that is an education in itself of how not to solve the 11+ fiasco - and now Conor Murphy who was all aglee today with the idea of super buses instead of a light railway - well that shows how daft they all are - will they be flying buses because there is nowhere else for them to go - I think Belfast deserves more than a second rate cheapskate solution to public transport -and the other big issue - the Sports Stadium - how much longer is it going to take Minister Poots to make up his mind - get on with it!
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