The DUP’s increased vote in this month’s election reflects a mood of disenchantment among voters and not a resurgence of ‘tribal loyalties’, a University of Ulster lecturer has claimed.

Chris Gilligan, Sociology lecturer at the University of Ulster, suggested that the election results show a growing disengagement with politics and a widening gap between politicians and the electorate which will create problems for all the political parties in years to come.

“The fact that Sinn Fein did not make the significant gains that were expected indicates that the party is running out of steam,” Dr Gilligan said. “It is not really the case that Sinn Fein has come up against the limits of the bedrock of SDLP support. Rather, Sinn Fein has become so established that it is increasingly difficult for it to gather up votes from disgruntled and disaffected nationalists, and in some cases voters are even turning away from the party.”

Dr Gilligan also said that anyone who claimed that a vote for the DUP was a vote for the extreme failed to acknowledge that, to a large extent, there is little difference between the UUP and the DUP.

“The DUP vote is an expression of discontent, alienation and a feeling of marginalisation among Unionists in Northern Ireland,” Dr Gilligan continued. “It is not a sign of growing sectarian hostility to Catholics. People voted for the DUP not because their policies differ radically from the UUP's, but because the DUP have articulated a sense of discontent and dissatisfaction.”

Chris Gilligan is a lecturer in Sociology at the Magee campus of the University of Ulster.

(MB)