Poll suggests SF behind SDLP for first time in 5 years

[Lámh dearg abú]

[quote=El Matador]

2 securocrats from the NIO bundle Mrs O Neil into a blackened out hiace van on her way back fron chapel in Glabally so as to make sure that their secret poll into the likely voting intentions of the nationalist community post St Andrews announcement is kept secret. Similar kidnappings occur at 100 different locations in different nationalist areas throughout the six counties (So as to ensure the secret poll is objective in terms of geographical spread.)

Transcript of what was said follows:

"Hello Mrs O Neill,

"We're from the NIO secret poll department and i know you're a taig, because we're just after following you from mass, so we want to know whether you would vote the SDLP or Sinn Fein if there was an election tomorrow.

Response elicited Mrs O'Neil is thrown out of the van with a warning wringing in her ears

"Mention this interview to anyone and w'ell make sure your parish priest does'nt see mass next Sunday."

W'ell to me the above is just as believeable as the proposition contained in the silly season post that the SDLP are of any revelance within the republican nationalist community in the six counties anymore never mind gaining support.

PS

NIO SECUROCRATS+sUNDAY INDEPENDENT: Now there's a marriage made in heaven!

zzzzzzz

"the silly season post that the SDLP are of any revelance within the republican nationalist community in the six counties anymore never mind gaining support."

Ok, so the democratic mandate which 2 out of every 5 nationalist voters handed to the SDLP ought to be ignored? I know you provos are new to the idea of democracy, but get with the times man![/quote:curnwsm2]


If you do not accept that within the republican/nationalist community the SDLP are becomming increasingly irrelevant to what is going on in local communities never mind in the grand political scheme of things then i'll not rob you of this wee chink of light that you have latched onto in the form of this SECRET NIO POLL that only that objective paper the SUNDAY INDEPENDENT claim to have access to.

When the SDLP accepted policing it was curtains and if Sinn Fein follow suit then it will be curtains for it too in the six counties as a massive section of the nationalist republican community in the six counties will never accept a british controlled police force no matter what way it is dressed up.

[KingKane]

I reckon the NIO was doing polls to guage support for SF entering into the policing arrangements and how the DUP supporters felt about doing a deal with SF, just to counter any argument either side might have brought up about how their supporters wouldn't accept this or that.

[El Matador]

increasingly irrelevant

How have you come to this conclusion? They maintained three MPs at the general election. The fact that SF is about to sign up to policing illustrates exactly how the SDLP continues to be relevant in nationalist communities, and this was reflected in good council results last year. And what is this rubbish about it being curtains for SF 'too' if they follow the SDLP? How? It wasn't curtains for the former and it won't be for the latter.

[Chuck_ER_Law]

Lamh, in this country (R.O.I.) the Sunday Independent sells more than 1 million copies. Your favourite comic, Daily Ireland, sold a few dozen and as a result is no longer with us. What are your views of the those who have the temerity to read the Sindo regularly?

[President Bartlet]

I think we'll think this supposed poll with a pinch of salt - i have seen nothing and heard nothing on the ground that indicates SF are now trailing the SDLP - as much as it would be nice.
Next they'll be telling us that the UUP is ahead of the DUP for the 1st time in 5 years.

The moderates need to stand up.

[rover]

hmm- thats interesting.

werent the DUP keen to have assembly elections? could this explain why?

[cain1798]

the SDLP continues to be relevant in nationalist communities, and this was reflected in good council results last year.

In 2001, you polled 19% and won 117 Council seats, third of the four big parties. Total vote, 153,424.

In 2005, you polled 17% and won 101 Council seats, fourth of the four big parties. Total vote, 121,991.

So you lost 16 seats, about 14% of your strength at local level, declined 2% in the share of the vote since 2001 and mislaid 30,000 voters.

Now arguably, it's not as bad as you expected. It's certainly not nearly as bad as you deserve, but for any valid definition of 'good', it isn't.

[Seánod]

Nationalists in the 6 Counties tend to be suspicious of innocent looking pollsters because we have learnt not to trust those in the establishment here. We are more inclined to tell porkies when approached by inquisitive strangers... the only poll worth talking about is the last election...

[sarsfield]

"A secret poll by the NIO" gimme me a break. Anybody on the ground in the 6 COs or MARS for that reason will tell you that the SDLP have not made any gains and SF will gain further if and when an election is called....

[FutureTaoiseach]

As an opponent of SF, I don't believe this poll. Reasons:

A: Carried out by the NIO. Aha. After WMD no-one believes the British govt no more. Anyway powersharing would probably be easier to restore if the SDLP were the larger party.

B: Unlike the South, polls in the North tend to underestimate the SF vote. Before the last Assembly elections, SDLP and SF were level on 20%. Remember what happened?

C: When I hear "secret poll" the 'leaked FG polls' springs to mind. They have equal credibility I'd say!