THE BATTLE FOR DROMORE - PART THREE!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 07:38PM Ok – here is the final part in the ATW trilogy which is already being compared to the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy but with mostly political pygmies instead of orcs. I refer of course to the Dromore by-election for Banbridge District Council which approaches the big day of decision – tomorrow. The situation is now at fever-pitch with the world’s media heavily encamped in the picturesque County Down town (twinned with Chernobyl and Three Mile Island) and just a few miles from ATW central. (Well, the “Dromore Leader” newspaper – the authentic voice of this town, ahem - has assigned its second top reporter to this hot topic.)
Since I last spoke on the by-election, election posters have been festooned from almost every lamp post in the town. I have to say that the images of the political class hanging from lamp posts has a certain resonance. The main posters that I have seen are for the Traditional Unionist Voice candidate Keith Harbinson, and the Green candidate ( These are officially collectors items) I put little store by posters, though I must share with you the story of the “stealth poster” that my former Party, the UK Unionists devised once upon a time for council elections– the images of the candidates vanished by election day! This was fortunate as so did our chances!! The cheap inks used meant that they could not withstand daylight for more than a week or so without disappearing - and so it was I watched our political hopes vanish!!
On the ground we have witnessed the DUP send in Lord Vichy himself, dear old chuckle brother Dr. Paisley, along with other members of the senior party hierarchy. For some reason, they seem very anxious to ensure a good result in this minor of minor by-elections. In the centre of Dromore, they have an old stocks – the sort that villains used to find themselves chained in before a public humiliation. I wonder if Paisley posed in front of it?
The UUP have also sent in the heavy squad in the shape of Jim Nicholson - its MEP. I happened to see Jimbo when he was in town the other week and he wore a suit that was so shiny that it dazzled the vision of all who looked his way. Basil McCrea, my old work colleague, is the MLA for this area and he has an office smack in Dromore so it was good to see him helping out in this campaign. However, I must declare an interest and say that I trust both the DUP and UUP do badly here, and I hope that the TUV candidate wins, or at least acquits himself honourably. I am encouraged that there are young unionists with principles and that is why I hope he does well, and stays in politics. The main enemy here is apathy however – and by-elections for Council seats have little motivation for the electorate on a cold February day. That said, I hope they do come out tomorrow and give the DUP and UUP a bloody nose. The worst result here from my point of view would be a DUP victory but in politics you never can tell. So, let’s wait for the people of Dromore to speak – or at least mutter! Then we will review the result, here on ATW, in our unique manner. I urge all unionist voters to vote early and vote often – come on the TUV!
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Reader Comments (11)
Vote the TUV who would also share power with Sinn Féin, but just not yet?
I'm surprised David.
Not as surprised as the DUP will be.....
I think Harbinson will do well. My brother tells me he has seen him out and about canvassing, even in the very cold weather, , and doing a lot of his own foot work. That takes a lot of committment, and you're right its good to see the young with strongly held convictions. So good luck to him tomorrow.
What results are Fox news predicting ?
Fox never get their predictions right. But will the BBC be biased in their reporting of it, and who will they favour is the real question?? Will it be Carol Black who gets favourable treatment from the BBC because she is DUP or the Green party gal posing with her new baby?
It all rests with the BBC and who they favour!! Or will the BBC be neutral in its coverage, and stick to its charter. If not can we demand our licence fee back??
Couldn't they use some licence fee money to buy Noel Thompson a new tie, they terrible, and he wore one last week with food stains on it...I'm not kidding- and his suit is even shinier than Jimbo's.
And....what of the environment. Will all this human activity damage it. All those people out and about, driving, breathing, walking, eating......
It's positively scary.
Superb post, Vance at his best. Almost makes one hope that TUV lad does well.
David, write a screenplay about the event and submit it to Spielberg.
Noel,
Now he's out of the Olympics (and fair play to him btw) wonder if Spielberg would like to make "DT" - the follow up to ET? I see it as the life of David Trimble and his party of extra-terrestials, I bet I could make it work as a comedy.
You disappoint me, David. You are much too good for Jim Allister’s crowd! I cannot see what the Traditional Unionist Voice (what an awful name) has to offer - apart from postponing the inevitability of yet another ‘sell-out’ at some point in the future. If the TUV is a success just give it a few years and Jim Allister will be the one getting heckled by old grey haired ladies with Union flags screaming ‘Lundy’ and ‘traitor’ over his decision to cut a historic deal. Irish history is just one big Groundhog Day and if you really think big Jim and co are going to reverse this then I think you are misaken.
However, the one point I would agree with the TUV on would be an end to compulsory coalition at Stormont. I’d like Belfast to be treated like Edinburgh and Cardiff. We need a better opposition than Alliance and the Greens. And Kieran Deeney.
Johnny,
You make a lot of good sense, and I am not aligned with ANY group, I reserve the right to be independent of the political class.
No matter how stupid the politician, they can usually manage to learn from each others mistakes, and on that basis, I seriously doubt that the TUV will be fighting any election on the basis of when they go into government with SF/IRA. Their whole reason to exist remains in resolute defiance to such a proposition Garfield.