Irish Republican News · November 28, 2003

Quotes from the count centres

The electorate have given a clear message to the Ulster Unionist Party. The last five and a half years have not delivered what they had hoped for. It has been a series of failed negotiations.

Lagan Valley UUP MP and new MLA Jeffrey Donaldson, after his party was overtaken on first preferences by the DUP and Sinn Fein

 

I have every intention to continue as leader. I know that there is an important job to be done and I have demonstrated clearly over the last eight years that there is more than a little stickability here.

David Trimble rejecting calls for his resignation

 

I'm amazed at the response we're getting. We appear to be getting a lot of first preferences in what were previously SDLP homes.

Caitrione Ruane on her capture of an extra seat in South Down

 

We have to work with the hand that democracy deals us.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan after his party lost 25% of its seats

 

I don't think so. We get transfers across the board.

Jane Morrice denying that the Women's Coalition vote had collapsed, before losing her seat.

 

If people had voted for those working hard on social issues, I would have been elected

Billy Hutchinson of the Progressive Unionist Party, one of the big name casualties

The British Government should put a deadline of a maximum of three months on the life of the assembly which is more than sufficient time to see if the political parties can come to a cross-community consensus to make a Stormont Assembly and administration stable and workable for the next four years.

Anti-Agreement UUP MP David Burnside

 

It's been a very good day for Ulster

Ian Paisley

 

There may be people in the DUP now who are saying they will not talk to Sinn Fein but they will. The Ulster Unionists once said no and ended up talking.

Sinn Fein's Mitchel McLaughlin, suggesting that Ian Paisley was losing control and dominance of his party.

 

Today is the political equivalent of lying on the trolley in the corridor of the emergency room. We all think we are mortally wounded and nobody is coming to help us.

Newry and Armagh SDLP candidate John Fee watching the votes being counted in Banbridge, where he lost his seat to Sinn Fein

 

Decent people are getting the shove.

The SDLP's former Deputy Leader Seamus Mallon

 

We have in this part of Ireland, as a result of British rule, a political slum

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams

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