ANALYSIS:Seat losses in council and Assembly elections mean both parties need a new sense of purpose
IN THE Northern Ireland council elections the DUP and Sinn Féin have turned the screw on the Ulster Unionist Party and the SDLP, to such an extent there are now issues over the leadership of Margaret Ritchie and Tom Elliott.
Alliance also made significant gains while Sinn Féin and the British and Irish security and intelligence services will be reflecting on how and why dissenting and dissident republicans garnered support in the republican heartlands of Belfast and Derry.
The DUP take of seats was marginally down on the last local polls in 2005 from 182 to 175 but contrast this with the 99 seats the UUP won, down 16 from 2005. Sinn Féin increased its seats from 126 to 138 while the SDLP dropped from 101 seats to 86. Alliance won 44 seats compared to 30 in 2005.
These results will be particularly worrying for the UUP and SDLP. It was bad enough for each party to drop two Assembly seats but to see the grassroots support also dwindling in the local councils further heightens concerns. Questions are now being asked about UUP leader Tom Elliott and SDLP chief Margaret Ritchie.
There was only one public call for the dismissal of Ritchie, coming from defeated SDLP council candidate Peter Fitzpatrick. Disappointment could explain his comments but what he said in public is what some of the SDLP’s 14 Assembly members are saying in private.
Neither are there any ringing defences of Elliott from the UUP. He was given ample opportunity to withdraw the remarks about Sinn Féin supporters being “scum” but he just kept digging.
The SDLP and UUP badly need figures who can bring unity and a sense of purpose. Deputy leader Patsy McGlone and Dr Alasdair McDonnell, whom Ritchie defeated for the leadership last year, seem the strongest potential contenders at this stage. Newly elected MLA for Strangford and former UTV news anchorman Mike Nesbitt seems likeliest for the UUP.
All this will take some time to play out but ultimately it will be very difficult for Ritchie – who has been brave and innovative at times in her leadership – and Elliott – whose hardline approach doesn’t seem in tune with his party – to avoid the chop.
In the meantime the Alliance Party just happily cracks on, making gains on nine councils and overall increasing its representation by a whopping 50 per cent. The UUP’s disarray has assisted its fortunes.
Despite the dissident republican murder of Constable Ronan Kerr and the Real IRA threat in Derry to kill more officers, Gary Donnelly polled strongly in the Derry City Council election, although he failed to take a seat. Donnelly, who is spokesman for the Derry 32 County Sovereignty Movement, viewed as the political wing of the Real IRA, won 612 first preference votes.
The Éirígí republican socialist group, which distinguishes itself from the dissidents in that it opposes the use of violence, also performed well, winning 2,061 votes in west Belfast.
Neither of its two candidates were elected to Belfast City Council but it will be heartened by its performance.
