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Coalition parties fight for
survival in Midlands North West
02.05.14
by Jessie Magee
OPINION polls are known to swing wildly in the run
up to any vote, so the most recent survey by the
Sunday Independent/Millward Brown could bear no
relation to the final outcome of the European
elections on May 23. It remains to be seen which way
voters will be swayed by unforeseen events,
particularly this week’s arrest of Sinn Féin leader
Gerry Adams for questioning about the 1972 murder of
Jean McConville.
That said, the Sindo poll seems to confirm that the
public backlash against the coalition parties is
taking its toll on the Government’s EU contenders.
In the sprawling constituency of Midlands North
West, the four sitting MEPs are in a battle to the
death, after not one of them made it into the top
two first preference candidates. |
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Photogenic: Cllr Matt Carthy |
Election fight: Jim Higgins MEP |
Photogenic Sinn Féin
Councillor Matt Carthy was the punters’ favourite on
17 per cent, although this prediction came of course
before the ignominious arrest of his party leader on
Wednesday. Surprisingly close on his heels was
Fianna Fáil Senator Thomas Byrne with 16 per cent of
first preference votes, way ahead of his veteran
party colleague, sitting MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher
on nine per cent. Gallagher’s fears about having a
running mate at the outset of his campaign now seem
justified.
In joint third place on 12 per cent were
Independents Luke 'Ming' Flanagan and sitting MEP
Marian Harkin, showing that not being affiliated to
any party seems to be a good thing in this election.
Fine Gael stalwarts and sitting MEPs Jim Higgins and
Mairead McGuinness were neck and neck on 11 per
cent, confirming that these two are in a serious
competition for votes behind the smiling public face
of their joint canvassing campaigns.
Labour was always destined for a drubbing, and the
party’s only candidate in the constituency, Lorraine
Higgins, scored a lowly four per cent. This was even
before her party colleague Phil Prendergast MEP’s
ill-timed call for Eamon Gilmore’s resignation,
which is not likely to win more votes for any Labour
hopefuls.
Independents Mark Fitzsimons and Ronan Mullen were
tied on three per cent, followed by Green candidate
Mark Dearey on two percent. Last in the line was Ben
Gilroy of Direct Democracy Ireland with one per
cent, suggesting that this political unknown is
doomed to remain so. |
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