Will you vote for a new Unionist Party?

[Harry]

What will this acheive other than split the Unionist vote further. Hell i don't like excatly whats happening now but what is the alternative. Its time for Progressive Unionism.

[Wasp]

IMO I think any new Unionist party that caters for the many disillusioned Unionists would be very popular.

[Shades40]

Hard to believe people actually want the bad ole days back, backwardness is ballix.

[Jim]

The only difference this will have from the DUP will be that they'll not go into government, for now, untill the worlds media, europe, the irish government and ultimately the UK as a whole make them bow to pressure like the DUP did.

Another party for doctors and solicitors wanting a working class vote, doesnt unionism have enough of those?

[Wasp]

I don't think they will bow to pressure, from what I have heard they will be standing alot more firm than the dupers. Why do you think it will be another party for doctors and solicitors, most of whom that I know being involved in this are working class, infact as yet they all are. There has also been some interest from a few within the PUP.

[Jim]

Yes they will bow to pressure. If the IRA could bow to pressure and if Paisley of all people could bow to pressure then this group will bow to pressure. It was only 8 years ago Paisley was saying the exact same thing they are now. Once he was in the position to chose over a divided society ruled by the English or a divided but better off society ruled by ourselves he had a dilemma and took the right choice.

If unionism or loyalism cant adopt to what is happening its going to be left behind. Britain doesnt care if it does or not, its not an issue to Gordon brown. The only people that will care will be yourselves left high and dry with no leadership, but nevermind that, you'll have your unionist morals

[Jim]

There is going to be four or five unionist parties fighting elections, for a population of half a million. The UUP, the DUP, the PUP, this new party, and the Conservatives who want to step it up here. I mean, really. This new party will fill the gap of those who dont want to vote for the "terrorists" of the PUP, the lost UUP, the sellout DUP and the Conservatives who are too nation-wide with a stupid leader. Thats not a big proportion of the vote after the DUP take the majority of the working class votes when they see the benefit of the government (its early days remember), the shankill PUP vote, the middle class DUP vote who are benefiting from the major investment, the middle class old school UUP vote, and the all around low tory vote. Oh, and ofcourse, those who give preferences to Alliance. Dont forget one issue candidates who might get a sympathy fourth and fifth preference.

All that, while nationalists and republicans around the north are voting for Sinn Fein and the SDLP and maybe Alliance and sometimes a preference for single issue candidates. Thats a strong leadership from Sinn Fein and the SDLP to a lesser extent.

[An Fear Dubh]

Mmm splitting the Unionist vote, that seems exactly what the unionist tribal voters will go for! What is the biggest threat to bigoted unionists?? The DUP or an increased majority for SF! As we know tribal voting is the 'norm' here, so unionist voters will not support a split vote unionist party.

[Jim]

I'm not worried it just benefits nationalist parties in the end.

[He_Who_Walks_in_The_Wilderness]

worth noting that finna foil and finna geal have plans to run in northern ireland. The sdlp have also been in talks with finna foil about a possible merger

[Harry]

I just can't work out what some members of my community actually want or how they intend to deal with SF. Whether we like it or not SF have a huge mandate that we can't ignore, we can't just say we're not dealing with them because of their past and shun hundreds of thousands of voters. If we do, we only further alienate ourselves and IMO make our position within the Union less secure. It'd be really interested to hear what the plans are and exactly how they intend to overcome this issue of potential alienation.

I've nothing against a new party which believes it can cater for these numbers of unhappy Unionists but what do we we achieve as a whole. All i can see is a further split in the Unionist vote which stands to gain us nothing. All these moaning about being duped by the DUP, christ if they had opened their eyes in the first place and seen the hypocritcal actions taken by the them on a near daily basis they should of been prepared for Paisley to do exactly the opposite of what he said. Why would he change a habit of a lifetime???

[An Fear Dubh]

What do any voters want?
Be they Unionist or not, people basically want the same things.

What do disillusioned Unionists want?
They seem unsure themselves, they can tell you what they are against but seem to get stuck when asked for positive input. As Harry said Paisley has not changed he just wanted to be in the ascendancy (top Unionist dog), So if people could not see this and feel let down how sure are they Jim Allister will be any different. His previous form suggests that he just wants to be top dog too!