Kelly Appeals To Nationalists To Keep Dodds Out

Sinn Féin's candidate for North Belfast in the May 6 Westminster election race has called on nationalist voters of all colours to vote for him in a bid to oust the sitting DUP Member of Parliament.
North Belfast MLA and Minister in the Stormont Executive Gerry Kelly said the time had come for change.
"Yes we can do it, this is the time to do it," the Junior Minister claimed.
"I think this is the first time in our history we can have a nationalist republican representing this area. That is huge.

"The DUP are against equality, they have used their elected positions to fight against equality, particularly against leisure facilities and again housing for nationalists even though 80 per cent of nationalists are on the waiting list.
"There are two nationalists running, myself and Alban Maginness.
"I would remind the SDLP voters, this is first past the post, and that the only chance of unseating the DUP is myself.
"Your vote is crucial, it's not proportional representation where you use your votes once or twice or use preferences. So let's make history, let's do it."

In the 2007 assembly election six politicians were elected to North Belfast. Nigel Dodds (DUP) topped the poll with over 23 per cent of the vote, Gerry Kelly came in second place with 18 per cent, party collegue Carál Ní Chuilín with 12 per cent, Fred Cobain with eight per cent, Nelson McCausland with eight per cent and Alban Maginness with seven per cent.

"In the last elections both myself and Carál Ní Chuilín beat Alban in first preference votes, so he's in third place, so there is no logic to his arguments."

According to the Electoral Office statistics, as of April 1 2010 there are nearly 66,000 voters in North Belfast, making it the biggest parliamentary constituency in the whole of the city.
This week North Belfast MLA Alban Maginness dismissed an electoral pact with republicans.
Gerry Kelly said SDLP North Belfast voters should realise the only chance of unseating Nigel Dodds, elected MP in 2001, was voting Sinn Féin.
"In the last elections both myself and Carál Ní Chuilín beat Alban in first preference votes, so he's in third place, so there is no logic to his arguments," Gerry Kelly said.

"I suppose I am appealing to the SDLP voter beyond Alban in this very specific election and to people who may not vote for me in normal circumstances, to vote for me because we could make an awful difference."

Tackling the issue of abstentionism the republican said the party's MPs had a strong reputation despite not taking their seats in the House of Commons.
"I am simply not going to take the oath to the queen. I think the SDLP are wrong for doing that, we are Irish, we are nationalists and our aim is a united Ireland.

"In terms of resources for the area, in terms of using the clout of being an MP, we have five MPs, they are all well known, and very effective, and all work on the ground from Gerry Adams to Michelle Gidlernew, Caitríona Ruane, Conor Murphy and Pat Doherty, and that's what I'll be doing if elected."