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Original poster

N Ireland mumsnetters. How on earth do we change the situation?

187 replies

isabellerossignol · 08/12/2019 20:57

With the election coming up, this has been really playing on my mind. We need a functioning health service. How do we get one? I don't vote DUP or Sinn Fein, but nearly everyone else in my constituency seems to and I feel so powerless.

I feel pretty horrified by the education situation too, but the health service is on a whole other level, it is properly scary.

I don't want to be in politics myself, I am not robust enough for that, but I want someone to step up and say 'enough is enough' and yet I don't even seem to have anyone to vote for who is willing to do that. I have been reading all the election literature through my door and there is very little mention of the health service by any of the parties, how can they be ignoring such a huge issue?

OP posts:
MindyStClaire · 09/12/2019 13:01

I don't think there's a formal alliance between the Tories and the UUP any more - they're both running in my constituency.

Original poster
isabellerossignol · 09/12/2019 13:01

Just looked it up and they are fence sitting on Brexit. They were remain in 2016 but now say it should be implemented, but not at any cost.

OP posts:
ClinkyMonkey · 09/12/2019 13:03

Every time the Westminster elections come around, I feel so bloody frustrated that the future of NI is essentially in the hands of people who don't live here, people whose vote actually helps to elect the next Prime Minister. We don't get to actively decide that we do or don't want Boris Johnson (or whoever) as the leader of the country. And with Stormont down, we are even more disenfranchised.

I generally vote Alliance (occasionally Green Party), but will vote SDLP as a tactical attempt to oust the DUP candidate in my area. For all the good it will do.

Feeling very negative and unhappy about the whole rotten system.

Original poster
isabellerossignol · 09/12/2019 13:05

I don't think there's a formal alliance between the Tories and the UUP any more - they're both running in my constituency.

I didn't realise that. That's embarassing, I like to try to stay informed but honestly I think I have got politics fatigue.

OP posts:
AravisQueenOfArchenland · 09/12/2019 13:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MindyStClaire · 09/12/2019 13:09

Completely with you on the fatigue. Tbh, hate being one of those posters, but I said something similar to DH recently and it was him who said the pact was just for the one election. He does follow politics more closely than I do. They are definitely both running in my constituency though.

MindyStClaire · 09/12/2019 13:14

The whole first past the post system doesn't help us.

When I first moved to NI (from ROI), my constituency was South Belfast, and the first election I voted in was a general election. Mentioned to DH that I was voting Alliance, he pointed out that it was going to be tight between DUP and SDLP, and suggested that I do some research into the DUP. Wink I did so, voted SDLP and sure enough, the SDLP had a narrow win over the DUP.

About a year later we were voting for Stormont. The first candidate elected in all of NI was Anna Lo for Alliance in South Belfast. Got in on the first count.

When we could vote for more than one candidate, we chose a progressive woman from a cross community party who wasn't even born in NI. But with one choice, we withdrew to the old divisions.

FPTP is poison in NI.

Linwin · 09/12/2019 13:16

I think there is a problem with Alliance though in that they were formed at the start of the 1970’s as a more moderate Protestant party. Their origins don’t bother me but they are still seen by many as part and parcel of the politics of the past.
Most of the young people who work for me say they won’t bother voting as they don’t feel anyone really represents them.

Newschapter · 09/12/2019 13:17

I'll be voting alliance in my area too.

My MP is currently a DUP member.

I'm Catholic, but I have never voted Sinn Fèin.

How do I ruin my ballot paper in the event I don't want to vote Alliance?

I haven't had one of them at my door but through my job have contact with a number of the candidates in my area and I can tell you firsthand, they're all shite.

buckeejit · 09/12/2019 13:18

Alliance for me. Lot of respect for Naomi & they are the closest bus as it were.

Also local candidate is good. Alas I'm in Paisley territory & family of staunch DUP'ers Confused

FloatOn · 09/12/2019 13:21

I'm seriously considering spoiling my ballot, I dont want to vote for any of them SF/DUP are scum with no real policies other than throwing dirt at each other, as the daughter of an RUC man I could never vote for either anyway, especially SF bearing in mind the history of most of their MPs/MLAs.
UUP are politically useless, same as SDLP and I just dont like the Alliance runner for my area! Ugh.

DioneTheDiabolist · 09/12/2019 13:23

I know some Mnetters like to make a thing about spoiling ballot papers, but you might as well not bother going to the polling station and save the petrol.

But please dont. Go and use your vote to help NI get rid of this Sinn Fein-DUP stranglehold that has fucked this place so badly.

MindyStClaire · 09/12/2019 13:29

What Dione said. The only way you can use the ballot box to speak against the status quo is to vote against it. A spoiled ballot does nothing.

FloatOn · 09/12/2019 13:55

But they count the spoiled ballots, I could never not vote and I usually vote for the least worst candidate, but holy shit they're all bloody useless.

Patroclus · 09/12/2019 13:56

To not have a PR voting system is criminal in that environent, IMO

DioneTheDiabolist · 09/12/2019 13:58

They count them to make sure the numbers tally. They keep them in case the vote is really close. But spoilt ballots are no use if you want things to change.Xmas Sad

shoofly · 09/12/2019 14:10

Spoilt ballots give us a laugh when they're being looked at but that's it. I'm an Alliance party member, I'll be voting Alliance as usual in the hope that they at least put a dent in my DUP MPs ginormous majority.
Someone above said that the alliance leaflet through the door was just waffle. Its hard to put the full manifesto on a canvas card or electoral address but the full manifesto is on the website

maidenover · 09/12/2019 16:31

I’ve just had a leaflet through the door from Gavin Robinson offering me a lift to the polling station, might take him up on the offer, will be two less spaces in the car for DUP voters......

Linwin · 09/12/2019 17:22

Oh dear is poor old Gavin getting a bit desperate?!

I still Arlene is still crying about being thrown under the bus by known liar Boris. No sense of an apology or admission of mistake for leading Unionists down the Brexit path in the first place. 🤔

TerribleCustomerCervix · 09/12/2019 17:33

I’m in a safe DUP spot (43% last election), but I’ll be voting Alliance.

I’m hoping the lack of action with regards the A1 will spurn more people to vote for anyone else but Sir Jeffrey, but I somehow doubt it.

InTheShiteGardenn · 09/12/2019 17:37

I'm just looking forward to them all dying. Not that I wish death on anyone, but I'm in my late twenties, and I do feel that as time goes on, NI will naturally become more "normal" (as long as we all manage to avoid Troubles Round 2)

I refuse to leave. Another brain drain won't help anybody. Not that I'm some sort of intellectual titan, but seeing as most of our politicians have only recently emerged from the primordial swamp...

The whatabouttery and SF/DUP worship needs to stop. I recently started a new job in an area which is very old school DUP, and I'd forgotten how absolutely ferociously mental these otherwise nice people can be, when their precious DUP are under the least criticism. Real jaw dropping stuff.

DioneTheDiabolist · 09/12/2019 18:02

SF offered me a lift at the last General Election. I don't think they'll offer me one this time.🤣🤣🤣

sliceofbeautypie · 09/12/2019 18:16

It's all so grim! I'd heard some very juicy goss from a reliable source about the lack of good Christian and family values of two members of the DUP. I checked with a journalist friend and they were also aware of it, but no one has reported it yet. I was hoping they were saving it for pre-election news scandal, but it seems not Sad

I've actually been hoping that UKIP would get more presence here, despite hating them. It's the only thing that might just split the DUP vote, but thru haven't made much of an appearance.

Newschapter · 09/12/2019 18:20

I will go and vote Alliance.

The woman we have is quite young and as far as I am aware she is a councillor in the next Borough so at least would have a grasp of grass roots issues? You would think?

Another one, SDLP, during the last election, was described to me as having "the political nous of a cabbage" so I will give her a miss too....

I was speaking to the Sinn Fèin candidate for my area today and she is very confident...even though they don't take a seat at Westminster... Hmm

We also have an independent candidate who believes in corporate punishment, is against 'the gays' and believes nursing is a vocation therefore ok to be lowly paid and they shouldn't strike.... He also believes nobody should vote, drink, drive or be able to marry until they're 21..... His comments made us all howl with laughter.

InTheShiteGardenn · 09/12/2019 18:30

Jim Allister's last campaign video was a work of art though, I'll miss all that shite when they go.

I also know some interesting facts about certain folk. Put it this way, some of the most vocal in the recent abortion debate know what the early boat crossing looks like, if you get me