NORTHERN OVERVIEW:ALLIANCE DEPUTY leader Naomi Long caused the shock of the Westminster election in Northern Ireland by taking Peter Robinson's seat in East Belfast, and raising questions about his position as DUP leader and First Minister.
Questions were also raised about Sir Reg Empey’s leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party, and his decision to support an alliance with the British Conservatives, after he failed to take the seat of the DUP’s Rev William McCrea in South Antrim.
There was a count and three recounts in Fermanagh-South Tyrone before Sinn Féin Minister Michelle Gildernew was officially declared winner over unionist unity candidate Rodney Connor. After the first count he was eight votes ahead. In the first recount, Ms Gildernew overtook him with a 10-vote lead; in the second recount the Minister was two votes ahead. Finally, she won by four votes.
Mr Connor has indicated he may legally challenge the result.
In the 2005 Westminster election, the DUP won nine seats, Sinn Féin five, the SDLP three and the Ulster Unionist Party took one seat – although Lady (Sylvia) Hermon recently resigned from the UUP because of the link-up with the Tories.
Overall party results were: DUP – eight seats; independent unionist – one; Sinn Féin – five; SDLP – three; Alliance – one.
Belfast Lord Mayor Ms Long was declared elected for East Belfast just before 1am yesterday, taking 12,839 votes, against 11,306 for Mr Robinson. Former Irish rugby international Trevor Ringland was third, polling 7,305.
Mr Robinson graciously acknowledged his defeat and “congratulated Naomi for a successful campaign”, and said he was “honoured” to have served the constituency.
The results also left the leadership of the UUP under threat after the gamble of East Belfast MLA Sir Reg Empey moving to South Antrim failed, with outgoing MP, the Rev William McCrea, winning – albeit with a reduced majority.
The fact that Lady Hermon won North Down in a “landslide” has put further pressure on his leadership. She resigned from the UUP because Sir Reg signed up to the link-up with the Tories through the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force (UCUNF).
The SDLP performed well, holding its three seats under new leader Margaret Ritchie with the assistance of some unionist tactical voting – more than 8,000 votes ahead of Caitríona Ruane of Sinn Féin in South Down.
The SDLP’s outgoing MP Dr Alasdair McDonnell comfortably won South Belfast over the DUP’s Jimmy Spratt and UCUNF’s Paula Bradshaw. Former SDLP leader Mark Durkan won Foyle with a majority of almost 5,000 from Sinn Féin’s Martina Anderson. Gregory Campbell won for the DUP in neighbouring East Derry.
The first MP officially returned was Sinn Féin’s Pat Doherty in West Tyrone, with his election announced at 12.37am.
Next elected was the DUP’s Ian Paisley jnr in North Antrim, who won easily over Jim Allister of the Traditional Unionist Voice. Mr Paisley’s father and former DUP leader Dr Ian Paisley and his wife Baroness Eileen Paisley joined their son at the count centre. Dr Paisley said Mr Allister and the TUV were now “written off”.
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams won easily in West Belfast with 22,840 votes, although his vote was down from the 24,348 he won in 2005. Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness won equally comfortably in Mid-Ulster, as did Sinn Féin Minister Conor Murphy in Newry and Armagh.
DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds held North Belfast, but Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly closed the gap to just over 2,000 votes from 5,000 votes in 2005. In Lagan Valley, the DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson won comfortably. David Simpson of the DUP held his seat in Upper Bann. DUP Finance Minister Sammy Wilson won East Antrim by almost 7,000 votes from UCUNF candidate Rodney McCune.
Jim Shannon of the DUP won over UCUNF’s Mike Nesbitt in Strangford.
