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Alliance Party News —Alliance Party News HomeAbout Alliance NewsReferendumReview: Alliance secures uneaten Lisburn seat By Alliance Party News27 June 2014Alliance News, ElectionsReferendumReview: Alliance secures uneaten Lisburn seat Alliance News April-June 2014 The new Lisburn and CastlereaghSteeringwill include a strong Alliance presence without the party saw seven of its nine potential candidates elected. And in a remoter show of strength Alliance took four seats in the Lisburn zone — one increasingly than the three the party has only overly held. Councillor Stephen Martin — Deputy Presiding Officer of the newSteering— said the group were delighted with the result. He added: “We have to say thank you to everyone locally and wideness the party who helped secure victory for Alliance. We must moreover thank the voters who stepped forward to vote for us, yoyo in our message of a united society and shared future for everyone. “We are all single-minded to working for everyone in our zone and we squint forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. “As the new Lisburn and CastlereaghSteeringgets lanugo to merchantry I am both honoured and delighted to serve as Deputy Presiding Councillor and looking forward to working with all my colleagues as the newSteeringbegins to establish itself.”ReferendumReview: Lo achieves weightier overly European referendum result By Alliance Party News27 June 2014Alliance News, ElectionsReferendumReview: Lo achieves weightier overly European referendum result Alliance News April-June 2014 Anna Lo achieved the weightier overly result in Europe in the party’s history, securing 7.1% of the overall vote. Running on a pro-European voucher — with polity relations and environmental issues featuring highly on her radar — voters identified with Anna’s vision of how Northern Ireland could goody from Europe. She said: “I aimed upper to unzip the weightier possible result for the party and am delighted to have achieved this. “The wayfarers took me to all corners of Northern Ireland and let me meet some really interesting people — people who would only goody remoter from at least one pro-European MEP. Sadly the same three MEPs will return to Europe, but not without knowing the pro-Europe vote has risen. “I moreover want to thank all the volunteers who canvassed with me and for me — you helped unzip this fantastic result. “Alliance has proven it can unhook transpiration both in Northern Ireland, through our MLA andSteeringteams, and at Westminster, through Naomi Long MP. We are on the move in Europe and I hope to see this vote protract to rise until Alliance is representing everyone at a European level.”ReferendumReview: Party reclaims North Belfast seat By Alliance Party News27 June 2014Alliance News, ElectionsReferendumReview: Party reclaims North Belfast seat Alliance News April-June 2014 The referendum of Nuala McAllister in North Belfast saw Alliance take its first seat in ten years in that party of the city. Originally joining Alliance considering she wanted to be part of an integrated movement, Nuala put herself forward to run for steering in North Belfast considering she believed she could do largest than the current political leadership in the area. With her chances of taking a seat not secure, Nuala hit the wayfarers trail hard, meeting with residents and peekaboo polity meetings, to outline how having an Alliance representative could goody them. Looking when on the campaign, Nuala said: “I think what I enjoyed the most well-nigh the wayfarers was the canvassing. Whilst it was tough, when you met one person who was so supportive and was uneaten lovely to you, it just made what you were doing all worthwhile. “That and 10pm on polling day — it was like the feeling you used to get doing your last exam, that this is it, in the next day or two you will know whether you have made it or not. “Whenever we first realised that I may unquestionably have secured a seat, the nerves really started kicking in. I refused to believe I had washed-up it until the moment my name was tabbed and I was deemed to be elected. You literally could not have lifted the smile from my face. Knowing what this meant for the party was a sweet satisfaction. I didn’t just do this for me; we did it for Alliance.” Looking forward she added: “I want to unhook integration of services in the community, in particular from the new polity powers that BelfastMunicipalityCouncil will have. “I want to use these powers to facilitate good relations within the polity and ensure that good relations is at the heart of all polity planning services. I want to make sure that I am held as a positive producer for North Belfast, and aim to work for everyone.”ReferendumReview: Alliance takes shock seat in Rowallane By Alliance Party News27 June 2014Alliance News, ElectionsReferendumReview: Alliance takes shock seat in Rowallane Alliance News April-June 2014 The Alliance Party pulled off one of the biggest shocks in the local government elections — taking a second seat on the new Newry Mourne &LanugoCouncil at the expense of the Ulster Unionists. Running for referendum was not on Patrick Brown’s radar until an interview with David Ford — as part of his dissertation on the peace process — led him to like-minded to stand as a paper candidate in Rowallane. Fast forward eight weeks and as Patrick was handing in his dissertation at Sheffield University on the morning of the court, little did he or anyone else realise he would be an elected representative by the end of the day. And certainly no one was enlightened of the political upset that would unfold as Patrick went on to unseat long-standing UUP Councillor Walter Lyons — leading to UUP protestations versus a candidate who they argued plane failed to plane put up any posters. Patrick Brown said: “I am incredibly fortunate to be a Rowallane representative in the new steering and am very honoured and excited to represent local people. I will work nonflexible to ensure my referendum benefits them. “Having once run for the party in 2011, David [Ford] recognised me from that referendum and asked me why I wasn’t a candidate this time. By the time the interview had finished, David had convinced me to run again. “While no one expected me to get the seat, I am veritably delighted to get the opportunity to represent Alliance in Newry, Mourne and Down. Along with Patrick Clarke, I am single-minded to working nonflexible to unhook a new shared society for everyone in the area.”ReferendumReview: Thoughts from the referendum count By Alliance Party News27 June 2014Alliance News, ElectionsReferendumReview: Thoughts from the referendum count Alliance News April-June 2014 Campaigns Officer Sam Nelson gives his thoughts from the wayfarers For all those involved in the referendum count process — whether candidates, verification and counting teachers or family relatives — there was a lot of time to deliberate on the first Northern Ireland elections in three years. First of all, I don’t think I was vacated when I was looking forward to the end of the 2014 campaign. There is little doubt, with purlieus changes; a volatile and polarised political atmosphere; and no referendum in three years, there was a lot of unknown variables at play. Despite this challenging atmosphere, the party came together and worked nonflexible to unhook a solid local government result and the weightier overly result in Europe. To this end, I would like to thank all the candidates, agents, organisers, campaigners and staff who helped unhook this success. During the third day of counting I began looking at the patterns of results wideness Northern Ireland, in relation to expected results. The thing that struck me most was that the party had held its ground in the squatter of some of the worst intimidation overly experienced by a Northern Ireland party in recent times. In post-conflict divided societies, periods of increased tensions tend to result in a serious loss of votes for the ‘middle-ground’ parties, as voters’ insecurities take over. Historically, Northern Ireland has not been any different. However, in these elections the ‘middle-ground’ vote marginally increased, something of a watershed moment. Those who said the Alliance Party was finished had failed to understand the strength of feeling towards the party’s pioneering vision of a shared society, self-ruling from intimidation, favoritism and fear, where everyone is unscratched and treated fairly and with respect — a society for everyone. Over the past two years, with many of our political reps and upper profile members coming under significant personal threat, the party can hold its throne upper in how it came together to stand up for its cadre principles, securing its democratic right to represent the silent majority in Northern Ireland. However, we cannot stop there. We have flipside two years of hugely important elections ahead, starting with retaining our Westminster seat in East Belfast. Naomi’s main opposition — the DUP — lost ground in these elections. I have no doubt their attempts to win when the seat by stirring up political tensions and fears has severely back-fired. We can now step forward into the next wayfarers with a confident platform, working together to retain our seat in Westminster. Just like the rest of Northern Ireland, the majority of people in East Belfast want increasingly than sectarian protestation from their politicians. It is up to us to engage with the voters and once then prove that Alliance offers the only viable way forward. No matter where you are based, there will be plenty of opportunities to lend a hand in East Belfast and make the biggest statement we can — we will not be bullied by a minority intent on taking Northern Ireland backwards. Over the next two years we can be thinking when from the referendum counts, pondering the significance of the 2014 referendum result. There is no doubt in my mind that it is one of the most important in the history of the Alliance Party, a platform from which our future strength is built upon.ReferendumReview: Alliance on undertow for remoter successes By Alliance Party News27 June 2014Alliance News, ElectionsReferendumReview: Alliance on undertow for remoter successes Alliance News April-June 2014 Stephen Farry MLA outlines why the party’s referendum results show positive growth for the Alliance message. Alliance has emerged from the 2014 elections with its points and standing significantly increased. The European referendum and the local government elections to the new eleven super-councils were the first electoral test in Northern Ireland for just over three years. This was in fact the longest gap between regional elections since the early 1990s. However, arguably increasingly events and developments have occurred in the intervening years to 2014, creating a greater sense of volatility. This was compounded by a new set of local government boundaries — then the first changes since the early 1990s. In the European election, Alliance achieved its weightier overly result, with 7.1% of the vote. This was a reflection of the growing strength of the party and the wide request of Anna Lo wideness the community. It is vastitude dispute that a significant number of people were voting for an Alliance candidate for the first time in any election. At the same time, the centre ground was arguably increasingly congested with both the Greens and the first outing for NI21. Alliance notably saw off the presumed electoral threat from NI21, and it is worth recalling that people went to the pols surpassing the real implosion of that new party. This notional centre ground vote tapped through the 10% barrier. While this European referendum was the weightier overly result for Alliance, it moreover provided the worst overly result for both the UUP and SDLP. With respect to the local government elections, Alliance secured 6.9% of the seats on 6.7% of first preferences. While it was disappointing to lose some sitting councillors and moreover to miss out narrowly on winning some seats, this result stands up well versus the 2011 referendum result, which itself saw the party achieving an scrutinizingly 50% increase in representation. With a reduced number of seats misogynist wideness Northern IReland, the party’s number of seats, in what was then a increasingly crowded market, was increasingly or less on a pro rata understructure with the 2011 election. There was much speculation and plane vaticination in unrepealable quarters that Alliance would suffer in the produce of the flag issue in Belfast. Yet the party gained seats in Belfast, and is now the third largest bloc of seats there, superiority now of both the UUP and SDLP. Notable gains were moreover made in Lisburn and Castlereagh, and in Newry, Mourne and Down. These elections were the most professional organised by the party staff. In terms of strategy, tactics and messaging, the wayfarers will be reviewed and positive lessons learned to position the party for remoter success in the forthcoming Westminster and Assembly elections in 2015 and 2016 respectively.ReferendumReview: Alliance’s successful season By Alliance Party News27 June 2014Alliance News, ElectionsReferendumReview: Alliance’s successful season Alliance News April-June 2014Withouta turbulent few years which saw Alliance offices and elected representatives attacked, many predicted the Local Government and European elections would signal the end of Alliance — they were wrong. Instead the party held its ground, securing its dominance in BelfastMunicipalityCouncil and making several key gains in new areas. Here we take a squint at the Alliance Party’s successful referendum season. Antrim and Newtownabbey John Blair Billy Webb Neil Kelly Tom Campbell Causeway Coast & Glens Barney Fitzpatrick Mid & East Antrim Robert Logan Gerardine Mulvenna Jon Paul Sinclair Newry, Mourne &LanugoPatrick Brown Patrick Clarke NorthLanugo& Ards Stuart Anderson Kellie Armstrong Deborah Girvan Alan McDowell Andrew Muir Gavin Walker Scott Wilson BelfastMunicipalityCouncil David Armitage Paula Bradshaw Carole Howard Mervyn Jones Michael Long Nuala McAllister Emmet McDonough-Brown Laura McNamee Lisburn & Castlereagh Owen Gawith Amanda Grehan Vasundhara Kamble Stephen Martin Aaron McIntyre Tim Morrow Geraldine Rice   ← Older posts Archives June 2014 March 2014 April 2011 April 2010 November 2009 September 2009 March 2009 May 2005 January 2004 January 2003 August 2002 March 2002 May 2001 November 2000 October 2000 February 1999 December 1998 November 1998 October 1998 September 1998 August 1998 July 1998 June 1998 May 1998 April 1998 March 1998 February 1998 January 1998 December 1997 November 1997 October 1997 September 1997 March 1997 February 1997 November 1996 March 1995 Categories Alliance News Alliance Youth Biographies Elections Policy Press Press Coverage video threshing upkeep Civic Forum Civil Rights Association climate transpiration polity relations Conservatives powerlessness DOE economy education referendum employment energy environment equality Euro European Union finance Good Friday Agreement health homophobia housing justice language military Multi-Party Talks murder New Ulster Movement Northern Ireland Assembly Northern Ireland Forum Northern Ireland Labour Party obituary parades peace process policing poverty power sharing public transport rates sport Sunningdale Agreement UUP violence womenMeta Register Log in Entries RSS Comments RSS WordPress.com Blog at WordPress.com. 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