Posts tagged ‘Westminister 2010’
Westminister 2010: Final planning
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010agendaNi looks at the agreed planning reform proposals. Extra powers for new councils and a new hierarchy to categorise developments are the main elements in the planning reforms, finalised by the Executive after a long wait. The plans, which met with no major Assembly opposition, are now due to be written up in law but time is again tight. A consultation on the proposed reforms to the planning system opened in July 2009 and in January this year Environment Minister Edwin Poots presented the final proposals to the Executive. The reforms were passed by the Executive on 25 February and...[full story]
Westminister 2010: Antrim East
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010The constituency has always been unionist, with the combined votes for nationalist parties rarely exceeding 10 per cent. However it has been known for supporting candidates outside the four main parties, such as Alliance, the Conservatives, Greens and UKUP. The current MP, DUP’s Sammy Wilson – whose profile has risen since he became Environment Minister – won the seat from UUP’s Roy Beggs in 2005. Beggs had held the seat since the 1983 general election, therefore the DUP, who are standing Wilson again, will be keen to repeat his spectacular success. Rodney McCune, a London barrister...[full story]
Westminister 2010: Antrim North
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010One to Watch Were it not for the senior Paisley stepping down after nearly 40 years as MP for the area, we could have had quite a matchup against TUV leader Jim Allister. As it stands, there will be a Paisley on the ballot paper, but it won’t be the big man. North Antrim has been one of the safest seats in the province but 2010 could see a change in the guard. Jim Allister will be hoping so. The TUV claimed victory in the area in last June’s European poll, though no official figures are held. Using the same ratio of vote as the TUV took last June that party could stand to win around...[full story]
Westminister 2010: Antrim South
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010The most predictable thing about South Antrim is its ability to change hands, as it has done at every Westminster election since 2000. That year saw Willie McCrea, formerly MP for Mid-Ulster, top the poll in the by-election caused by Clifford Forsyth’s death. Such a victory was short-lived with David Burnside ousting McCrea in 2001 and the DUP contender reclaiming it four years later. McCrea enjoys a high profile given his long political career and stint as Stormont’s Agriculture Committee Chairman. However, his majority was the smallest gap between a DUP MP and UUP candidate. Adrian...[full story]
Westminister 2010: Belfast East
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010First Minister Peter Robinson has held this seat since 1979 and it is now clear that he will stand again. Coverage of his wife’s financial dealings and the related police investigation may, though, sway his dedicated voters towards the new UCUNF candidate Trevor Ringland or the more hard-line TUV candidate, David Vance. This will be the TUV’s first time running in the constituency and Vance, former deputy leader of the UKUP, will be seeking the votes from those who have become disillusioned with Robinson. Reg Empey, who came in second after Robinson in the 2005 and 1997 general elections,...[full story]
Westminister 2010: Belfast North
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010It is no secret that Nigel Dodds sees himself as a parliamentarian. If re-elected as an MP, he will be stepping down as an MLA, thus signalling the end of his Stormont career. While his is not a vast majority, Dodds does enjoy some breathing space. Indeed the 3,000 strong DUP vote coming in from Newtownabbey Council wards Ballyhenry, Collinbridge, Glebe, Glengormley, Hightown and Cloughfern will bolster the deputy leader’s position. Similarly, Gerry Kelly could reasonably expect to attract around 1,500 Sinn Féin votes as a result of the boundary changes. That addition could see him...[full story]
Westminister 2010: Belfast South
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010One to Watch Northern Ireland’s smallest majority makes Belfast’s southern quarter one of the most exciting election battlegrounds this time round. Unionist unity, or a strong swing to either unionist party, would probably unseat McDonnell. For the record, the total unionist poll was 16,367 in 2005 and 12,370 in 2007. The nationalist poll has risen over the years. Home to many students and immigrants, it is the most mixed part of Northern Ireland with less sense of community than elsewhere. As part of South Belfast also lies in Castlereagh, the troubles surrounding Iris Robinson...[full story]
Westminister 2010: Belfast West
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010West Belfast is set for a change. From this general election, the Boundary Commission’s recommendation for the constituency to include Dunmurry and part of Derriaghy will come into play. On the face of it, the boundary changes will only increase Sinn Féin’s hold on the safest seat in Northern Ireland; sitting MP Gerry Adams enjoyed the support of 70.5 per cent. Adams is pipped only by Joe Benton’s 75.5 per cent in the very safe Labour seat of Bootle, in Liverpool. In the 2005 local government elections, the Dunmurry Cross district returned 6,362 Sinn Féin votes and 2,203 for...[full story]
Westminister 2010: East Londonderry
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010This constituency covers the boroughs of Coleraine and Limavady, therefore taking in Portrush and Portballintrae which actually happen to be in County Antrim. In general the more densely populated countryside to the east and the larger towns tend to have unionist supporters, while the countryside in most of Limavady district and the town of Kilrea are mainly nationalist. According to the 2005 local council results, East Londonderry will gain up to 3,000 SDLP voters from Foyle and the DUP could gain over 2,000. To this end, the DUP are likely to retain the seat they have held since 2001...[full story]
Westminister 2010: Fermanagh & South Tyrone
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010One to Watch The introduction of a new SDLP face in the shape of former UTV presenter Fearghal McKinney and the pledge by DUP’s Arlene Foster and UUP’s Tom Elliott, to step aside if a unified unionist candidate is agreed, mean that speculation is rife in the constituency where Sinn Féin have held the seat since the 2001 general election. A “huge” amount of resentment still exists over the fact that the UUP lost the seat it had held for 18 years to Michelle Gildernew in 2001. Gildernew, who was elected on a margin of 53 votes and has retained the seat since, is insisting that...[full story]
