As a bona fide political junkie I love elections. That said, back in the day as member of a political party I intensely disliked the prospect of canvassing.
What was enjoyable though was re-visiting places where my family lived. Old neighbours were a joy to meet. My bladder wouldn’t cope now with the overdose of tea - or dram’s - offered.
I often felt if politicians spent more time talking to constituents between elections there would be little need to annoy them en masse at election time. Even a busy constituency office does not guarantee electoral success because just like a doctor's surgery many are filled with repeat customers.
Whilst most politicians are hard working, honest, diligent and committed, a few are self serving, arrogant, lazy, and to coin a phrase, ‘could not lie straight’. It is actions of the few which the public tend to remember.
Glibly the electorate like to lump all politicians together defined by the low standards of the worst practitioners. This is both unjust and unfair. Across the political spectrum, when you look at Nichola Mallon, Michelle Gildernew, Pam Cameron, Chris Lyttle, Doug Beattie, Clare Bailey and Jim Allister, you couldn’t accuse any of them of not being dedicated public servants.
These forthcoming elections are going to be unique, despite familiar themes. The old paradigms of Orange and Green are hard to escape. Unionists consistently fight elections in Northern Ireland on the basis of insecurity.
Republicans are trying to invent a momentum from the ashes of the referendum by appropriating liberal unionist support for Remain in their drive towards an united Ireland. This is impossible because they are not engaging with those unionists. Ireland was partitioned because each side only viewed the future through orange or green tinted glasses.
In Britain the elections offer two stark choices between Johnson the bluffer and Corbyn the ditherer. It’s Hobson’s choice because both will diminish the UK’s reputation internationally, whilst widening the economic gap between the British social and ethnic classes. Politically it is a race to the bottom but Johnson seems favourite to become prime minister again.
Here there’s an imperative to do the maximum to minimise the support which the DUP can give to any future Tory government. ‘DUP bung’ aside, our health, infrastructure and education have been decimated by Tory cuts and austerity measures.
The Lib-Dems, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party recognise the inherent danger of an impending government comprised of the most right wing politicians since the 1930s. And especially if it’s propped up by the inflexible and dogmatic DUP.
Northern Ireland needed a similar strategic and selfless approach to minimise the influence of the DUP at Westminster. Over the past three years, the DUP has deliberately ignored the will of the people of Northern Ireland. Making the only thing worse than no representation, misrepresentation.
The decision of the Green Party, SDLP and Sinn Féin to stand aside in favour of the strongest Remain candidate in some areas is positive. It demonstrates that the greater vision can come from those prepared to make the smallest gestures for the common good, rather than party advantage or self aggrandisement.
This is not a pact. It is a temporary tactical re-alignment.
Jeffery Donaldson’s misguided intervention about the possibility of Shankill bomber Sean Kelly canvassing for the SDLP was pure rabble rousing and beneath the dignity of a Privy Councillor. (Not least because of the DUP’s eagerness to harness the actual support of both the UDA and UVF).
The Alliance opposition towards an actual remain alliance is bewildering but Stephen Farry would make for a good MP for North Down in carrying on the traditions of the retiring Lady Hermon. She was a committed unionist, principled politician and dedicated to diversity and pluralist values.
If the political landscape can be changed on December 12 then perhaps there is a small window for our politicians to re-establish Stormont as a place of equals.
