THIS THURSDAY voters in 15 constituencies in the North of Ireland go to the polls in by-elections created by the unionist parties as a referendum on the Anglo-Irish Accords. They are fielding joint 'Ulster says no' candidates in all 15 constituencies. Sinn Fein and the Social Democratic Labour Party (SDLP) are each standing candidates in four marginal seats.
The massive media attention given the Anglo-Irish agreement certainly ensures it will figure prominently as an election issue. What is less clear is the effect of the different stances towards it taken by Sinn Fein and the SDLP on the nationalist vote. While Sinn Fein has trenchantly rejected the deal as phoney, SDLP leader Hume has abjectly supported its every dot and comma.
He enthusiastically threw himself behind the Thatcher government's attempt to subordinate Irish interests to Britain. And the bourgeois press have acclaimed him as a statesperson for so doing The SDLP claim that the latest Hillsborough deal shows that Britain has Ireland'. Few nationalists are likely to that claim without a large measure of salt!
Under the slogan 'Keep the pressure on', Sinn Fein launched its election campaign at a press conference in West Belfast a week last Tuesday. Three of its four candidates (Mid Ulster), McAllister and Frank McDowell (South Down). Owen Carron, the fourth candidate for Fermanagh-South Tyrone, was represented on the platform by Paul Corrigan, Sinn Fein chair for Fermanagh district.
Gerry Adams opened the conference by explaining: 'Sinn Fein is contesting this election on republican policies. Our changed.' He described the Accords as a: and stick agreement, a mixture of repression and appeasement'. response to Sinn Fein's growing electoral success.
Competition between Sinn candidates, of course. risks splitting the nationalist vote and leaving a path clear for a unionist victory in the four constituencies with nationalist ma jorities. This would play straight into Margaret Thatcher's hands. had this to say: Had the SDLP leadership been interested in the overall nationalist interests, they would have consulted their grass roots about our offer of a boycott or of coming to an agreement'. They have kept a 'guilty silence' too, said Adams, on the harassment of Sinn Fein campaign workers.
The British government is clearly hoping that the Accords will eat into Sinn rein's success anc divide the nationalist vote. In the medium and long term Whether it will have any immediate effect on th by-election voting remains to be seen.
'no strategic interest in swallow were there: Danny Morrison (Newry-Armagh), demands remain unThe deal, he pointed out, was a rein and The Sinn rein election addres.
prove a forlorn hope.
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nina y dar 2nd Feb. 1986