Although a part of the United Kingdom the politics of Northern Ireland although there are seventeen Members of the Westminster Parliament do not represent any of the mainland parties. Not since the 1960's have any representatives of the main UK parties been elected to represent constituents in Northern Ireland.

Factional Politics

Unfortunately the troubles that have affected Northern Ireland since the end of the sixties politics as with the rest of life in Northern Ireland has been affected by sectarianism. The split is along Unionist¹ and Nationalist². Northern Ireland is strangely therefore unique of the three non-English countries of the UK not to have a party seeking independence, just different positions of dependence.

The Unionists

The Ulster Unionist Party seen as the moderate voice of Unionism. The party stems from the Unionist Party which fought the original and subsequent Irish Home Rule Bills of Gladstone in the 19th Century and has for most of Northern Ireland's history has been the main party provding all of the Northern Ireland Parliament's Prime Ministers as well as until 2001 having the largest share of the unionsit vote.

The Democratic Unionist Party is a more fundamental strand of unionism. It is the party set up by Rev. Ian Paisley in the 1960's. The DUP were the main orchestrators of the Ulster Say's No campaign in protest of the Dublin agreement the first agreement of co-operation between London and Dublin. They also remain infatic that they will never consult or discuss with Nationalist terrorists. They have two Minister's in the Assembly but they do not sit in executive meetings with the Minister's of Sein Fein. In 2001 general election for the first time they outpolled the UUP but still had fewer seats in Westminster.

Popular Unionist Party is the one of only two other Unionist party to have returned an MP to Westminster, however the party sprung up around the man James Kilfedder who until his death in 1995 had been MP for North Down since 1979. He was initially an Ulster Unionist but in 1979 stood as an independent and then the party was established. Since his death the party has disbanded and his palce was taken by the other localised Unionist party.

United Kingdom Unionist Party stemmed from the Robert McCartney who stood in the 1987 and 1993 General Election in North Down as a Independent then Real Unionist. He formed the UKUP and run the Westminster by-election in 1995 following the death of the long time MP Jim Kilfedder. For the Assembly elections his party won 4 seats, despite being opposed to the Belfast Agreement, but due to his leadership the other three left to set up the Northern Ireland Unionist Party. He lost his Westminster seat in 2001.

The Northern Ireland Unionist Party was set up when three members of the UKUP had a fall out with their leader Robert McCartney. They stand for the same things as the UKUP but just couldn't stand the leadership.

Progessive Unionist Party

The PUP are one of the parties that represent the Loyalist paramilitaries, in their case the political wing of the Ulster Volunteer Force. They first had a voice on the Northern Irish agenda when theey were one of the top ten parties in the votes to elect members to the talks about the waay forward. They had two MLA's elected to the Northern Irish Assenbly in 1998, David Erskine and Billy Hutchinson.

Ulster Democratic Party represent the other Loyalist paramilatary groups the Ulster Defence Association and the Loyalist Volunteer Force. Like the PUP they had representatives at the peace talks but failed to get any members elected to the assembly. They are still active in council politics in their strongholds.

Northern Ireland Conservative and Unionist Party are the same in essence as the Conservative Party on the mainland however they are not recognised by the UK party as full members. Their biggest acheivement in Northern Ireland was at one time being the largest party in North Down Borough Council. However they failed to be one of the top 10 parties who had representatives at the peace talks.

The Nationalists

Social Democratic and Labour Party was first fored in 1970 following the election the previous year of the first independent Nationalists to the Stormont Parliament. The first leaders were Gerry Fitt and his deputy John Hume these two men were to be the voice and prominent face of nationalist politics in Northern Ireland for the next 30 years. Until the 2001 general election, when Sinn Féin outpolled them, they constantly had the biggest share of the Nationalist/Republican vote.

Sinn Féin the name means 'We oursleves' and they are the oldest established political party in Ireland being formed in 1905. Towards the end of the 19th Century they were the left wingers of the Irish Home Rule Party in Westminster before taking the nickname they had been given as their official party name. The stand for a independent Irish Republic and were prominent in the 1916 Easter uprising which led to the establishment of the Irish Republic. They are the political wing of the Irish Republican Army and still seek to have a fully independent Ireland including the six counties of the North.

Workers Party was formed in 1982 in both Northern Ireland and the Republic it was originally called Sinn Féin - The Workers Party and unlike the other parties represented the working classes. It is the most socialist of all the parties. Although it would like to be seen as an all encompassing party it's support of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s means that Unionists view it as a nationalist party.

The Cross Community Parties

Alliance Party formed in 1970 to give political expression to those who felt that Nationalist and Unionist political parties did not reflect their political views, it was for a long time the only political party to receive significant support and membership from both Catholics and Protestants. As an inclusive party they stand by the primary objective of meeting the needs of all the people of Northern Ireland, irrespective of relegion. Although they have never returned a MP to Westminster they are aligned to the Liberal Democrats, who nominated John Alderdyce for a life Peerage for his work in Northern Ireland. He since became the first speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Northern Ireland Woman's Coalition when the talks about devolution where set up there were very few women involved in the process. The NIWC was set so that the women's voice would initially be heard during the talks process. They often acting as mediators during the run up to the Good Friday Agreement and as a result returned two members to the Assembly as the first elections.

Labour Party, Northern Ireland until 2002 you could not live in Northern Ireland and be a member of the Labour Party so the Labour Party Northern Ireland was set up. Similar to the Conservatives initially it did not have the recognition of the mainland party with which it was so closely assosiated. Unlike the Conservatives however who were just behind them in the poll Labour sent delegates to the talks which resulted in the Good Friday Agreement, but like several of the other smaller parties failed to win seats in the assembly.

The Green Party fortunately are the same as the Green Party across Europe and not a use of the nationalist colour. When they first ventured into Northern Irish politics however they cautiously called themselves the Ecology Party, so as to avoid any confusion.