Presidential elections demonstrate Sinn Fein still have much to do
The rejection of Sinn Fein by the southern electorate demonstrates that they have much to do if they are to convince anybody that the past is genuinely behind them.
Basil McCrea said: “The presidential elections will have been a disappointment for Sinn Fein. Martin McGuinness was undoubtedly a high profile candidate, who has challenged dissident republicans and forged close working relationships with Unionist leaders, but he failed to convince an electorate, who demonstrably were prepared to vote outside party affiliations.”
“This is a significant strategic failure for Sinn Fein, for if Martin McGuinness cannot make in-roads in the south, who can?”
“Many in Northern Ireland will have welcomed the hard questioning and confrontation by victims that Martin McGuinness was subjected to during the election. Many will have wished they had the opportunity to do the same. Many will want to move forward, but until we find an agreed way of dealing with the past, progress will be painfully slow.”
“Sinn Fein must find a way of addressing the past. While Gerry Adams denies membership of the IRA and Martin McGuinness holds to his claim that he left in 1974, many people will doubt their commitment to truth and reconciliation.”
“Dealing with the past is a difficult task for many people in our society, and not just republicans, but it is in everybody’s interests that we do so.”
QUB and UU must do more to encourage students from GB.
The QUB Senate today (28/10/2011) announced an initiative to encourage students coming from GB. The university will offer grants to those with high grades in specific subjects.
Basil McCrea said: “Although this is a step in the right direction, I am disappointed that more could not be done to encourage students from the rest of the United Kingdom to study in Northern Ireland.”
“Leading academics agree that a diverse student population enhance the learning experience, and gives Northern Ireland the opportunity to create long term relationships with people who will be influential in the future.”
“Significant differences in tuition fees throughout the United Kingdom will create unpredictable student flows, putting huge pressures on the higher education sector. I fear we will have to revisit the issue next year, but in the meantime I hope that our universities will actively sell Northern Ireland as a destination to students living in Great Britain.”
