A speech to forget and a leadership race that will have Sinn Fein and the DUP sleeping easy.
McGlone and McDevitt would be a formidable team. Replacing one white elephant with another larger white elephant. When are the SDLP going to learn?
McDonnell was admitted into South Belfast on the back of Sinn Feins Alex Maskey and even though the statistics clearly showed this, whilst live on UTV, McDonnell would not concede. This is another piece of proof that until the SDLP are willing to accept they are no longer a front runner and begin to rebuild from within, then this appointment of McDonnell, who is out of touch with the young vote by default, will simply emulate the Ritchie years but to a lesser extent.
Here is that debate: http://www.u.tv/News/McDonnell-and-Maskey-clash-over-win-/1cd9b82c-9d28-4bfa-a817-e796cb4832b2
For example, when asked during question time with Mark Carruthers how he and his family experienced the credit crunch, McDonnell's reply was one of little or no relevance to the electorate, he simply stated that 'we have to make cuts in our family and we don't go out as much.' Instead of taking the honest stance and perhaps gaining more respect from the audience he could have stated what we already know. He had three jobs at the time MLA, MP and a Doctor and fortunately he wasn't experiencing the credit crunch to the impact of many others. But once again McDonnell choose the easier route instead.
To battle with Sinn Fein, he cannot afford to do so and unfortunately his speech confirms that this is the only way he knows how, limiting McDonnell's over all appeal and exposing his weaknesses. Attacking what is in place does not fix the problems, it simply shows the one dimensional approach that the SDLP need to avoid again.
Then we have the 'others' left behind such as McDevitt, branded 'The Mouth from the South' , has the attributes of a leader with many transferable skills from his PR background. He was the obvious candidate to reinvigorate the party or the one who would have the skill and persona to do so. McGlone may also feel hard done by. McDonnells 'right of passage' as an old hat in the party simply highlights the attitude that many feel the SDLP have, the right to be in power and I am afraid that right was won and lost and no doubt will come again, but not in the form of McDonnell.
From an outside perspective I have spoken to many SDLP MLA's and was personally informed whilst De Faoite was campaigning, that 'Ritchie would be on her way out, the party are very annoyed with her and at the way things are going.' This seems to be a common theme. My advice to the SDLP would be to re-brand the party, use the Sinn Fein media/exposure/PR template and connect with the electorate. The democratic link is weak between the SDLP and the electorate due to the fact that they have one minister. Someone needs to tell the SDLP that there is nothing wrong with adapting and selecting the attributes that your biggest opponent possesses in order to be on an equal standing. Political Parties, multi national companies, football teams and individuals all base themselves on something they want to be. Re inventing the wheel is not an option for the SDLP.
This would however, go against the current leaders party line as imitation is the best form of flattery and McDonnell's inability to see this for fear of falling foul to some voters, will no doubt hinder his overall campaign.
http://sluggerotoole.com/2011/11/05/and-the-new-sdlp-lesser-is-alisdair-mcdonnell/
Listening to McDevitt's speech sounds like the speech of a winner. He addresses unity, strength and opportunity as well as a finishing quotation, however cheesy it may sound, he holds a crowd better than that of McDonnell ever will.
No comments:
Post a Comment