Poll suggests SF behind SDLP for first time in 5 years

[holdini]

A secret poll carried out by the Northern Ireland Office in the wake of the St Andrew's Agreement earlier this month has shown support for Sinn Fein falling behind the SDLP for the first time in five years.

The poll shows 21 per cent of people voting for the SDLP as compared with 18 for SF. This compares with the 23 per cent support for Sinn Fein and 17 per cent backing for the SDLP in the last Northern Assembly elections in 2002.

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independe...issue_id=14826

Do people think this is accurate, seeing as an Irish News poll put SF 9.7% ahead of SDLP 2 weeks ago?

[MacCoise]

A secret poll carried out by the Northern Ireland Office
Do people think this is accurate, seeing as an Irish News poll put SF 9.7% ahead of SDLP 2 weeks ago?

Do you think it is? Does anybody?

[mcguirkj]

Whatever my feelings on Sinn Fein, it would disturb me that the NIO are taking polls of this nature.

[Pidge]

Whatever my feelings on Sinn Fein, it would disturb me that the NIO are taking polls of this nature.

Why?

[Jim84]

Aren't the NIO talking about having early assembly elections?

Are they taking a poll now to see if they call the election now it would be a disadvantage to SF?

IF so then it damages the integrity of N. Ireland democracy.

[El Matador]

Saw this in the Sindo the other day and wrote my thoughts on it here:

http://elblogador.blogspot.com/2006/10/ ... -poll.html

The report was rather scant on detail and the last Assembly elections actually took place in November 2003, but it makes for interesting reading. What is important is to see what was the methodology behind the poll, but there has been no detail on that as yet.

As regards the NIO commissioning polls, I would assume that this is a regular thing. As for the prospect of calling an early Assembly election, I don't think SF is averse to the idea (and the SDLP actually opposes it as far as I know), so I think we can dispose of the conspiracy theories.

[Lámh dearg abú]

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!

[Chuck_ER_Law]

Hurrah for the silent, moderate Catholic majority in N.I. Your counterparts in the South need to hear more from you please...

[32]

Aren't the NIO talking about having early assembly elections?

Are they taking a poll now to see if they call the election now it would be a disadvantage to SF?

IF so then it damages the integrity of N. Ireland democracy.

There is no such thing as democratic politics in the 6 counties. That's one of the many sensible reasons to oppose the GFA, as it not only copperfastens British rule, but it promises all things to all men. In short, it legitamises sectarianism, by using a sectarian headcount to define the political intentions of people by their perceived religion.

The right of the Irish people to self determination is removed.

As for the thread title itself, well there is very little difference between the SDLP and PSF. As far as I can see the only difference is that PSF organise in the 26 counties.

It is not surprising that the "NIO" is behind this either. But there you go, that's what happens when you accept English interference in Irish affairs as legitimate.

[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!