Labour in Northern Ireland

Labour Candidates in NI

This appeared in the Newsletter on Saturday 15 May 2010.

NOW WE NEED LABOUR CANDIDATES

BY BOYD BLACK - SECRETARY OF THE LABOUR PARTY IN NI

So, regrettably, the Labour Party is out of power.   The Labour Government has done much for the people of Northern Ireland.

The political cycle comes round, but even so the electorate did not give the Conservatives a majority.  Despite the efforts of David Cameron, they are still a toxic brand.

 The important thing for Labour is that we elect a modern progressive leader who can build on the progress made in recent years. 

Locally, the most significant result was Naomi Long’s victory for Alliance in East Belfast.  While there were personal factors involved, this result raises doubts about the future of ‘Unionism’  in the post- Agreement set-up.

Together with Lady Sylvia Hermon’s massive victory as an Independent in North Down, it suggests the old electoral icebergs are beginning to melt.  Opportunities for new political developments may be opening up.

It is too bad for Naomi and the Alliance Party that they are now firmly allied to the Tory Coalition through their sister party the Liberal Democrats.  It is clear that the future for the left of centre is in the Labour Party.

The Conservatives’ experience of their link-up with the UUP will be mixed.  Given that a large proportion of previous UUP voters would not have considered themselves to be Conservatives and given that the Party have been in prolonged dispute with, and eventually lost the popular Lady Hermon, their share of the vote held up quite well at 16 per cent.  After the Fermanagh-South Tyrone fiasco, they have much to do to detoxify their brand in Northern Ireland.

The need for Labour Party candidates is now urgent.

The Good Friday settlement is secure.  The main threat to its future is from sectarian politics.  We need the possibility of developing an alternative non-sectarian future through Labour Party politics.

On the positive side, this election has started the debate about real politics in Northern Ireland, with the issues of the economy, jobs and public services coming to the fore.  Hopefully this new focus will help move us away from entrenched sectarianism.  But we need the Labour Party to give the lead.