London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Feb 10, 2025

NI council elections 2023: A Sinn Féin coronation after a 'tsunami' election

NI council elections 2023: A Sinn Féin coronation after a 'tsunami' election

In the end it was more a coronation for Sinn Féin than a contest.

Crowned local government kingpins without even breaking a sweat.

From the moment the first ballot box was opened the party was on course to make history.

But not even Sinn Féin predicted the scale of its success.

Sweeping to victory with a staggering 144 seats, leaving the once dominant DUP trailing 22 seats behind.

Almost one in every three votes cast went to Sinn Féin and it picked up new seats in 10 of the 11 super councils.

Even in the council where it suffered its greatest loss last time - Derry and Strabane - the party secured seats for all of its 18 candidates.

Along the way Sinn Féin also picked up some trophy seats in the unionist heartlands of Ballymena, Lurgan and Coleraine.


A 'green wave'


It was, to quote Naomi Long, a "tsunami" which caught the other parties by surprise.

Such was the size of the green wave, it left some unionists bewildered.

One former Ulster Unionist minister suggested Sinn Féin might scale back its ambition in the interest of preserving cross-community relations.

He raised it during a count centre chat with Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald.


'Wake up and smell the coffee'


A more radical plan was floated by one-time UUP leader Mike Nesbitt who wants to realign unionism into two parties, one traditional, one more liberal.

He was even prepared to sacrifice his own party to make it happen.

While another former minister, the DUP's Edwin Poots, said the result should act as "a wake up and smell the coffee moment" for unionists.

But others have credited his party for laying the foundations for Sinn Féin's success.

Jonathan Buckley MLA, Councillor Andrew McCormick, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and Councillor Dean McCullough at Belfast City Hall


The DUPs Stormont boycott, which is effectively blocking Michelle O'Neill from becoming first minister, helped mobilise the nationalist vote.

That, according to the SDLP, played into the hands of Sinn Féin.

Hence the party framed its campaign around a would-be first minister willing to work for all if only she was allowed.

Michelle O'Neill's attendance at the King's Coronation helped to reinforce that "positive" message.

But while the nationalist electorate was energised to vote, many unionists stayed at home.

The SDLP's Gary McKeown had support in the form of his sons Thomas and James


Gary McKeown (centre) from the SDLP at Belfast City Hall during in the Northern Ireland council elections.

That was reflected in the turnout figures.

Despite that, the DUP still managed to cement its vote.

Running fewer candidates allowed the party to better manage its support base

It suffered some losses but made significant gains at the expense of the UUP.

That leaves Sir Jeffrey Donaldson with a renewed mandate to seek the changes he needs to the Windsor Framework before returning to Stormont.

But there is nothing to suggest that process could lead to a quick return of the power-sharing institutions

Much will depend on whatever legislation the government brings forward to ease unionist concerns.


Alliance Party leapfrog


On another day the Alliance Party would have grabbed the headlines.

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long with Nuala McAllister and Sam Nelson wait it out at Belfast City Hall on Friday


Alliance Party leader Naomi Long (left) with Nuala McAllister and Sam Nelson at Belfast City Hall as the results come in for the Northern Ireland local elections. Picture date: Friday May 19, 2023. PA

Leapfrogging the Ulster Unionists to become the third-largest local-government party is another momentum builder.

Picking up an extra 14 seats has made the party a formidable force on mostly unionist controlled councils.

But the loss of its only two councillors in Derry and Strabane is a significant blow for a party keen to build beyond its power base in the east.

Ulster Unionist Party candidate Sonia Copeland celebrates winning a seat with party leader Doug Beattie


As expected, the Ulster Unionists and SDLP suffered some heavy losses.

Losing 21 seats has severely weakened the UUP's power base in many councils where the party once dominated.

While the SDLP will point to gains and seats retained in Belfast in the face of the Sinn Féin surge, the party has lost ground in Derry and Strabane where it is eight seats behind Sinn Féin.

Questions will once again be asked about Doug Beattie's and Colum Eastwood's leadership but even before the final tallies both dismissed any talk of change.

The TUV has recovered the seven seats it lost in 2019 and managed to add two more but it didn't scale the heights of its assembly success last year.

While the Green Party held on to three seats but could soon be on the hunt for a new leader after Mal O'Hara lost his seat in Belfast council.

Sinn Féin's John Finucane and UUP leader Doug Beattie stop for a chat


Like the Greens, People Before Profit also felt the squeeze of the Sinn Féin surge and has been reduced to two council seats.

While the pro life Republican Party Aontú has been wiped from the political landscape after losing its only two councillors.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
"Marrow stupid": Senator John Kennedy Blasts UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Over Chagos Islands Transfer
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Surge Reshapes Electoral Dynamics
Kemi Badenoch Faces Internal Criticism After 100 Days as Tory Leader
Campaigners Urge UK to Apologise for Forced Adoptions
Church of England Upholds Traditional Eucharistic Elements Amid Calls for Alternatives
Rayner Defends Approach at Grenfell Tower Meeting Amid Dismantling Plan
China Implements Tit-for-Tat Tariffs on US Goods Amid Trade Escalation
Italy and Wales Set for Six Nations Clash at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico
Ministry of Justice Apologises Over Prisoner Early Release Letter Error
Rare First Edition Harry Potter Book Sells for Over Twenty-One Thousand Pounds
Drax Power Station Under Scrutiny for Incomplete Wood Sourcing Reporting
UK Government Reaffirms Pledge to Build 1.5 Million New Homes by 2029
Freed Israeli Hostage Learns of Family's Death After Release from Gaza
French President Macron Employs Deepfake Technology to Advocate for AI Summit
Trump Names Musk to Investigate Government Fraud Amidst Controversy
Police Stop Ed Sheeran's Street Performance in Bengaluru
FBI Alerts Smartphone Users About Toll Scam Threat
Australian Educator Declares Identity as a Cat, Sparking Parental Backlash
Kremlin Addresses Claims of Trump-Putin Phone Conversation in Light of Ukraine Crisis
Trump Connects with Putin to Address the Ukraine Crisis
Super Bowl Ad Prices Soar to Record Highs Amid Streaming Surge
China Achieves 2030 Solar Energy Targets Early, Cuts Subsidies for Renewable Energy
Trump Signs Executive Order Prioritizing White South African Refugees
Europe Faces Growing Security Concerns and Trump's New Demands on Ukraine
Trump Revokes Security Clearances of Biden Officials, Including Blinken and Sullivan
Justin Bieber Sparks Concern as New Footage Raises Health Fears
European Right-Wing Leaders Celebrate Trump’s Impact on Global Politics
Trump Administration Directs Admiral to Leave Official Residence Within Three Hours
British Health Secretary Andrew Gavin Fired Over Controversial Messages
Report: Iran Attempted to Assassinate Trump During Election Campaign
Trump Declares He Won't Deport Prince Harry, 'He's Already Dealing with Enough Issues with His Wife,' He Comments.
Macron's AI Vision Encounters Hindrance in the Global Technology Competition.
TikTok Sued Over Alleged Child Deaths Caused by 'Blackout Challenge'
Governments Prohibit DeepSeek AI Due to National Security Issues
Russian musician Vadim Stroykin passes away following an apparent fall during a police raid.
Zelensky Suggests Mineral Collaboration with Trump for Security Assistance
Naomi Campbell Claims Unawareness of Financial Irregularities at Fashion for Relief.
House Republican Introduces Bill Aimed at Limiting AI Exports to China
Trump Signs Executive Order Prohibiting Transgender Athletes from Competing in Women's Sports
Intense Pressure Builds for a Free Trade Agreement Between the UK and GCC in Light of Economic Difficulties
UAE Aids in the Transfer of 300 Prisoners Between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump Suggests U.S. 'Takeover' of Gaza, Sparking Global Worries
At least ten fatalities reported in Swedish school shooting, authorities confirm.
EU Reveals Significant Advances on Special Tribunal for Prosecuting Vladimir Putin
Trump Administration Preparing Executive Order to Abolish the Department of Education
Trump's Gaza Plan Provokes Global Debate
Spain Endorses Initiative to Cut Working Week to 37.5 Hours
Australia Prohibits DeepSeek AI on Government Devices Due to Security Issues
Trump Warns of Tariffs on EU Products, Labels Bloc an 'Atrocity' in Trade Matters
Zelenskyy Proposes Nuclear Arsenal if NATO Membership Lingers.
×