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19/06/2001
SINN FÉIN FATE HANGS BY AN ALLIANCE THREAD
SINN Féin are to meet with the Alliance Party on Tuesday evening to discuss prospects of winning the Belfast lord mayor's post for the first time.
Alliance holds the balance of power in the council between unionists and nationalists, and has suggested it may be willing to support Sinn Féin.
However, the party has said it wants a number of assurances from Sinn Féin before it would agree to support its candidate, Alex Maskey, for lord mayor.
The party is in a unique decision in that it will be judge and jury on Sinn Fein’s mayoral chances. The decision by the newly elected council members to elect the lord mayor takes place on 25 June.
Sinn Féin members Tom Hartley, Christine McAuley and Michael Brown have been selected to meet the Alliance representatives. A spokesman from Sinn Féin said they intend to stress that they are the biggest party in the council with the most first preference votes. On this basis alone the mayoral position, the spokesman added, would truly reflect the mandate of the electorate.
The top job at Belfast City Hall has been withheld from republicans despite a big increase in their share of the vote in the city over a number of years.
Sinn Féin emerged as the biggest on the council on June 12, winning 14 seats in the local government election. The Alliance hold 3 seats, while the UUP hold 11, DUP 10, SDLP 9 and Others 4.
Last year, Sinn Fein’s Alex Maskey missed out on the lord mayor's post when an Alliance councillor voted with the unionists.
A Sinn Féin spokesman said this split in the Alliance party is not anticipated this year. As a result, Sammy Wilson of the anti-Agreement Democratic Unionist Party won the position.
The first SDLP Lord Mayor of the city, Alban Maginness, was elected in 1997.
Alliance holds the balance of power in the council between unionists and nationalists, and has suggested it may be willing to support Sinn Féin.
However, the party has said it wants a number of assurances from Sinn Féin before it would agree to support its candidate, Alex Maskey, for lord mayor.
The party is in a unique decision in that it will be judge and jury on Sinn Fein’s mayoral chances. The decision by the newly elected council members to elect the lord mayor takes place on 25 June.
Sinn Féin members Tom Hartley, Christine McAuley and Michael Brown have been selected to meet the Alliance representatives. A spokesman from Sinn Féin said they intend to stress that they are the biggest party in the council with the most first preference votes. On this basis alone the mayoral position, the spokesman added, would truly reflect the mandate of the electorate.
The top job at Belfast City Hall has been withheld from republicans despite a big increase in their share of the vote in the city over a number of years.
Sinn Féin emerged as the biggest on the council on June 12, winning 14 seats in the local government election. The Alliance hold 3 seats, while the UUP hold 11, DUP 10, SDLP 9 and Others 4.
Last year, Sinn Fein’s Alex Maskey missed out on the lord mayor's post when an Alliance councillor voted with the unionists.
A Sinn Féin spokesman said this split in the Alliance party is not anticipated this year. As a result, Sammy Wilson of the anti-Agreement Democratic Unionist Party won the position.
The first SDLP Lord Mayor of the city, Alban Maginness, was elected in 1997.
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