SWOTing the The DUP

Crowd sourced analysis of the Democratic Unionist Parties by the readers of Slugger O'Toole »
Mick Fealty

Strength: Trusted negotiators
Strength: Power of incumbency
Political appeal
Weakness: Modernisation begun, but not finished
Threat: Did not prepare voters for compromise
Opportunity: Realignment scope for stability and dealing positively with nationalism
Weakness: Over reliant on Robinson
Threat: Blocking SF has bolstered opponents
Threat from UUs will increase as Tory pact solidifies
Strength: Party possess most of the talent in Unionism
Threat: Will get blame for inertia for last three years
Weakness: Little chance of a pact in short term
Weakness: Confusion over whether to move left or right

People
Strength: Strongest leader in unionism
Strength: One or two able ministers
Strength: Dodds and Robinson know they need each other
Strength: Recent success brought wider base of representatives
Threat: Sharp reversal could see desertions
Strength: Greater depth of talent than Sinn Fein
Strength: Wide pool of talented speakers
Weakness: 50% of public reps are Free Ps
Strength: Well organised and disciplined membership
Strength: Well financed
Widespread grass roots activist base
Weakness: Segment of unionist electorate will never accept power sharing
Strength / Threat: Tactically brilliant, strategically flawed
Weakness: Incapable of reaching out in a pluralist age - inability to adapt
Weakness: Sees things in black and white
Weakness: Strong on defence, with a weak vision
Strength: Clarity - strongly pro religion, anti IRA 
Threat: Changes in personnel? Transition from Paisley to Arlene
Ideology
Strength: Focus on retaining power
Threat: At odds with the secularisation of unionist population
Weakness: Built for opposition, not government
Opportunity: Much of up and coming talent went to QUB with Republicans
Opportunity: MPs could be moved 'home' to plug gaps
Weakness: Their own religion and morality
Weakness: Little Ulster focus at cost of East West relations
Sociology
Threat: Suffered disproportionately from Expense's scandal
Threat: Long term  decline in unionist vote
Weakness: trying to be all things to all men
Weakness: Anti Catholicism and baggage
Weakness: Solo runs promote rumours of splits
Dealing with political rivals
Weakness: Double jobbing legislation will hurt
Weakness: Overly reactive to Allister
Opportunity: Tories may need them in hung parliament.....and allow those on the right to leave.

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  • SWOTIng the DUP

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    Crowd sourced analysis of the Democratic Unionist Parties by the readers of Slugger O'Toole