Local government results in the North

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

On the whole the North's results on May local 18th produced

RESULTS

government election the most convinaing Picture of the present balance of forces in the North, Although there was some erosion particularly in support, support remained solid. rural The decline in their rural support meant that Unionists gained a in Sinn Fein’s areas, their core marginal majority in Fermanagh council while in Newry and Moure and Down councils the SDLP gained an absolute majority of the seats. In Enniskillen it is likely that the Poppy Day bombing was a factor, but generally the question of the IRA’s military campaign did not lead to any significant change in the vote, despite the Warrenpoint ‘mistake © shortly before the election. There is evidence that different views of the military campaign inside the Republican movesent were iooking to the results for evidence of reaction from their supporters.

This was not in evidence, but the question will not go away, and is likely to be discussed now in pore direct teres, outside the question of gains and losses in votes.

One thing whach was quite clearly evident was the way in which the present campaign isolates and marginalises Sinn Fein outside its traditional vote. There mas a consistent pattern of Sinn Fein doing well in first counts and then losing as the votes for every other party turned to an anti Sinn Fein vote. If anything, erosion of the republican vote care froe the even more pro-ailitarist Republican Sinn Fein, who ran an abstentionist campaign, sade sore effective by the totally opportunistic way in which Sinn Fein representatives presented their decision to sign an ‘anti-violence’ oath.

They were right to stand, but wrong to divorce this from the need for defence against electoral, legal and gedia curbs and the need to challenge the SDLP and Dublin Governgent on the issue. In West Belfast the Sinn Fein vote increased by approximately 32 against the overall trend. The party polled a total of 67000 votes( 11.2%) compared with 75600 (11.8%) in the 1985 Local Governeent elections. This compares with SDLP results this time of LATS (21.70) and in E985 LLAQQOUL7.Bi).

No clearer test of the strategy of Sinn Fein - SDLP talks or the various ‘unity’ drives which failed to challenge SDLP collaboration could be found. So the SDLP made gains against a background of increasing repression, the absence of any nass struggle and an arred campaign which is seen as increasingly reckless. However these gains are not the decisive step forward that has been trumpbeted in the pedia. On the Unionist side the DUP vote took a sharp drop of Sk to IGK while that of the OP cliebed from 27.42 to 30.4%. The OUP total vote resained virtually static coapared to "85, the DUP vote went down from “likewise, The 135000 to 114500. British supremo King and the media have again hailed this as a swing to moderation’ and oa shift away = from confrontation over the Hillsborough agreement. In fact it represents a criticise of Paisley from the Loyalist far right as he distanced hieselt trom “Ulster Resistance’ following arrests in Paris linked to a missile deal with their blood brothers in the Apartheid South African government.

For Socialists and Republicans the elections confire that fA2 wave =o of = political radicalisation that followed the H-Hlock struggle and was channelled through the electoral rise of Sinn Fein has been halted.

While Republican activists talk of the ‘Long war’ and of marking time on this base it is unlikely that their enestes will do 32 county «strategy of repression is starting to lock into place.

It ts becoming increasingly urgent for the anti-imperialist soverent to break out of its isolation. For socialists that breakout aust occur in the directron of the working class in the South. fn increasingly sterile ‘Long War’ strategy linked to huanliating and demoralising ‘unity drives’ to the SDLP and Fianna Fail can only further damaye the whole sovesent,

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