Labour v Conservatives and Unionists in N Down?

When I remarked in the comments to this post I felt Lady Sylvia would struggle as an independent candidate simply down to the logistics, if nothing else (e.g. I couldn't really imagine her up a ladder in the Kilcoolie, balancing gluepot and brush in one hand, putting mugshots up with the other), the ubiquitous Mr Anonymous pointed out the lack of a party machine had never stopped the late Jim Kilfedder being voted in time after time in North Down. It didn't; he might have also mentioned in a modern election, the IT literate, proverbial monkey behind a keyboard contributes as much as 10 party apparachniks traipsing round the doors, especially in a constituency like North Down.

But if the sentiments express in this morning's intriguing article in the Newsletter comes to fruition, we might be looking at a whole new ball-game:

THE most senior Labour Party member in Northern Ireland has appealed for North Down MP Lady Hermon to join Labour after it was confirmed that she will not run for the Conservatives and Unionists.

Writing in today's News Letter, Labour Northern Ireland secretary Boyd Black — a key figure behind the little-reported organisation of the Labour Party in Northern Ireland 12 months ago — appeals to the Labour-leaning Lady Hermon to join Gordon Brown's party.

Were the North Down MP to do so, she would be the first British Labour Party MP in Northern Ireland. It would also be an ironic twist, representing a step towards bringing to Northern Ireland the national politics which the Conservative-UUP project is about.

The local Labour Party claims it has gained a considerable number of new members since it overcame national opposition — because of its historic support for the SDLP — to organising in the Province.

Even on a basic level, a couple of dozen local, highly motivated, Labourites could make a big difference to the fight. If the national party (bearing in mind they will need all the seats they can get) were to decide to throw a few resources Lady H's way, then we could be in for a...truly UK contest:

"What if Lady Hermon, as a sitting MP, was to ask the party for their endorsement for her to run as an official Labour candidate?" he said. "How much better for her to express her opposition to the Tories as a fully-fledged Labour candidate, rather than as a non-political independent. This would really kick-start non-sectarian politics in Northern Ireland."

OK, North Down is different, but who knows, it might well do. Potentially very exciting times ahead.