Gains for SF, DUP; Gerry McGeough arrested

Results are being announced in the North of Ireland’s Assembly election with the DUP and Sinn Féin polling very well.

>>>>> Flash: Gains for SF, DUP; Gerry McGeough arrested

Results are being announced in the North of Ireland’s Assembly election with the DUP and Sinn Féin polling very well.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, who topped the poll in West Belfast, said the DUP should abide by the results.

However, DUP leader Ian Paisley, who was elected in the first count in North Antrim along with Sinn Féin’s 25-year-old candidate Daithi McKay, said there would be no power-sharing unless Sinn Féin “repents” and “turn from their evil ways”.

The party was ebullient after capturing a handful of seats from their Ulster Unionist Party, whose vote all but collapsed. Reg Empey’s leadership of the UUP is in question tonight after his party slipped into fourth place in terms of first preference votes.

Mr Adams seems set to lead his party to capture an extraordinary five seats in his own constituency of west Belfast, where the DUP is facing a rare setback.

Another SF gain is already assured after Mitchel McLaughlin topped the poll in South Antrim, while further gains in Upper Bann and possibly West Tyrone are also likely.

Mr Adams said those who voted did so to see the North’s institutions working and “those against that have their answer, it seems, in fairly overwhelming terms”.

Adams attributed the result to the efforts of his party workers, which he described as “the best election team on these islands”.

Republican traditionalists seemed unlikely to capture a seat, but they have pointed to their performance as a mandate to build for future elections. Their best performances were in Foyle, where Peggy O’Hara secured 4.4% of the vote, a result matched by Davy Hyland in Newry and Armagh.

One of the big stories of the election was the shock arrest outside the count centre in Omagh of indepedent republican candidate Gerry McGeough. McGeough, who polled 2% of the vote in Fermanagh/South Tyrone, was arrested by the PSNI police as he made his was home in connection with an IRA action dating from 1981.

Gerry Adams backed calls for his release, pointing out that McGeough had been living and campaigning openly in the North for some time. Sinn Féin Fermanagh South Tyrone MP Michelle Gildernew branded the arrest as “outrageous” and “an example of the type of political policing that Sinn Féin is determined to end”.

Mark Durkan’s nationalist SDLP saw its vote share slip, but avoided a major setback. Meanwhile. the moderate unionist Alliance party polled strongly, apparently gaining from defections from the DUP. This was evident particularly in east and south Belfast, where their candidate from the local Chinese immigrant community was in the hunt to capture a seat.

Unionist hardliner Robert McCartney’s decision to run in all numerous constituencies may have cost him his seat, polling only 1,806 first preference votes in North Down.

Sinn Féin’s Pat Doherty and Barry McElduff both reached the quota in West Tyrone after the first count as did Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy and Cathal Boylan in the Newry and Armagh constituency.

One of Sinn Féin’s strongest performances was in mid-Ulster, when all three of the party’s candidates were elected on the first count.

Anti-collusion campaigner Raymond McCord Snr polled well in west Belfast but failed to capture a seat. A surprise seems likely in North Down, where the Green party is making a good showing.

In west Tyrone, hospitals campaigner Kieran Deeny was in trouble, with Sinn Féin likely to gain at his expense.

Counting is continuing across the North, and should conclude by tomorrow night.

RESULT SUMMARY


 First preference results:            Final tally prediction:

 

 DUP:   30.1%  (25.7% in 2003)       32-40 seats (30 seats in 2003)
 SF:    26.2%  (23.5% in 2003)       24-30 seats (24 seats in 2003)
 SDLP:  15.2%  (17.0% in 2003)       12-21 seats (18 seats in 2003)
 UUP:   14.9%  (22.7% in 2003)       15-24 seats (27 seats in 2003)
 All.:   5.2%   (3.7% in 2003)         4-7 seats  (6 seats in 2003)
 Ind:    3.2%   (2.8% in 2003)         0-3 seats  (1 seats in 2003)
 Green:  1.7%   (0.3% in 2003)         0-1 seats  (0 seats in 2003)
 UKUP:   1.5%   (0.8% in 2003)         0-1 seats  (1 seats in 2003)
 PUP:    0.6%   (1.2% in 2003)         0-1 seats  (1 seats in 2003)





 ROUND-UP BY CONSTITUENCY


  

 *East Antrim*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-

 

 DUP 	3 (45.5%) 	3 (34.1%) 	(+11.4%)
 UUP 	1+ (21.9%) 	2 (28.7%) 	(-6.8%)
 All. 	1 (15.8%) 	1 (10.9%) 	(+4.9%)
 SDLP 	0+ (5.9%) 	0 (7.9%) 	(-2.0%)
 SF   	0 (3.9%) 	0 (2.5%) 	(+1.4%)
 UKUP 	0 (2.4%) 	0 (1.8%) 	(+0.6%)



 ELECTED:



 Samuel Wilson (DUP) 1st count





 *North Antrim*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-

 

 DUP 	3+ (49.0%) 	3 (45.9%) 	(+3.1%)
 SF  	1 (15.9%) 	1 (14.1%) 	(+1.9%)
 UUP  	1 (14.3%) 	1 (21.6%) 	(-7.4%)
 SDLP 	0+ (12.2%) 	1 (13.6%) 	(-1.4%)
 UKUP 	0 (4.2%) 	0 (0.9%) 	(+3.3%)
 All. 	0 (2.8%) 	0 (1.9%) 	(+0.9%)



 ELECTED:



 Ian Paisley Sr. (DUP) 1st count
 Daithi McKay (SF) 1st count





 *South Antrim *



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-

 

 DUP 	2 (34.5%) 	2 (30.6%) 	(+3.9%)
 UUP 	1+ (20.5%) 	2 (29.8%) 	(-9.3%)
 SF 	    1 (16.5%) 	0 (11.5%) 	(+5.1%)
 All. 	0+ (13.1%) 	1 (9.1%) 	(-4.0%)
 SDLP 	0+ (11.1%) 	1 (14.4%) 	(-3.3%)
 UKUP 	0 (2.3%) 	0 (-) 	(+2.3%)



 ELECTED:



 Mitchel McLaughlin (SF) 1st count
 William McCrea (DUP) 1st count


  


 *East Belfast*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-

 

 DUP 	2+ (37.6%) 	2 (39.2%) 	(-1.5%)
 UUP 	1+ (22.0%) 	2 (33.1%) 	(-11.1%)
 All. 	1 (18.8%) 	1 (9.0%) 	(+9.8%)
 PUP 	0+ (10.3%) 	1 (9.7%) 	(+0.6%)
 SF 	 0 (3.5%) 	0 (3.8%) 	(-0.3%)
 SDLP 	0 (2.8%) 	0 (3.1%) 	(-0.3%)



 ELECTED:



 Peter Robinson (DUP) 1st count
 Naomi Long (All.) 1st count





 *North Belfast*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-

 

 DUP 	2+ (37.4%) 	2 (34.2%) 	(+3.2%)
 SF 	    2 (30.6%) 	2 (27.0%) 	(+3.6%)
 SDLP 	1 (13.7%) 	1 (16.8%) 	(-3.1%)
 UUP 	0+ (8.4%) 	1 (9.4%) 	(-1.0%)
 Ind. 	0 (4.4%) 	0 (2.1%) 	(+2.3%)
 Gre. 	0 (2.0%) 	0 (0.8%) 	(+1.2%)



 ELECTED:



 Nigel Dodds (DUP) 1st count
 Gerry Kelly (SF) 1st count





 *South Belfast*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-

 

 SDLP 	1+ (26.8%) 	2 (22.9%) 	(+3.9%)
 DUP 	1+ (22.4%) 	1 (20.8%) 	(+1.6%)
 UUP 	1+ (18.4%) 	2 (27.0%) 	(-8.7%)
 SF 	    0+ (13.2%) 	1 (12.6%) 	(+0.6%)
 All. 	0+ (12.6%) 	0 (5.9%) 	(+6.7%)
 Gre. 	0 (2.4%) 	0 (1.0%) 	(+1.4%)



 ELECTED:



 Jimmy Spratt (DUP) 1st count
 Alasdair McDonnell (SDLP) 1st count






 *West Belfast*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-

 

 SF 	    4+ (69.9%) 	4 (65.0%) 	(+4.9%)
 SDLP 	0+ (12.2%) 	1 (19.1%) 	(-6.9%)
 DUP 	0+ (10.8%) 	1 (7.7%) 	(+3.1%)
 Ind. 	0 (3.6%) 	0 (0.7%) 	(+2.9%)
 UUP 	0 (1.7%) 	0 (3.6%) 	(-1.9%)

   	  	  	 


 ELECTED:



 Gerry Adams (SF) 1st count





 *East Derry*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-

 

 DUP 	2+ (39.8%) 	2 (32.4%) 	(+7.4%)
 SF      1 (20.0%) 	1 (17.9%) 	(+2.2%)
 UUP 	1+ (18.5%) 	2 (22.7%) 	(-4.2%)
 SDLP 	0+ (12.8%) 	1 (16.3%) 	(-3.5%)
 All. 	0 (4.1%) 	0 (2.2%) 	(+1.9%)
 UKUP 	0 (1.9%) 	0 (2.6%) 	(-0.7%)



 ELECTED:



 Gregory Campbell (DUP) 1st count





 *North Down*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-

 

 DUP 	2+ (34.1%) 	2 (23.5%) 	(+10.6%)
 UUP 	1+ (23.7%) 	2 (32.1%) 	(-8.4%)
 All. 	0+ (10.2%) 	1 (8.6%) 	(+1.6%)
 Gre. 	0+ (9.2%) 	0 (2.3%) 	(+6.9%)
 Ind. 	0+ (8.0%) 	0 (9.6%) 	(-1.6%)
 UKUP 	0+ (5.9%) 	1 (11.6%) 	(-5.7%)



 ELECTED:



 Alex Easton (DUP) 1st count






 *South Down*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-

 

 SDLP 	2+ (31.4%) 	2 (35.1%) 	(-3.7%)
 SF 	2+ (30.6%) 	2 (26.5%) 	(+4.1%)
 DUP 	1 (17.7%) 	1 (15.0%) 	(+2.7%)
 UUP 	0+ (9.6%) 	1 (18.2%) 	(-8.6%)
 Green 	0 (3.5%) 	0 (1.8%) 	(+1.7%)

   	  	  	 


 ELECTED:





 *Fermanagh/South Tyrone*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-

 

 SF 	    2 (36.2%) 	2 (34.5%) 	(+1.8%)
 DUP 	2 (25.5%) 	1 (18.7%) 	(+6.8%)
 UUP 	1 (19.7%) 	2 (28.7%) 	(-9.0%)
 SDLP 	1 (14.0%) 	1 (16.3%) 	(-2.3%)
 Ind. 	0 (2.7%) 	0 (-) 	    (+2.7%)

   	  	  	 


 ELECTED:



 Arlene Foster (DUP) 1st count
 Michelle Gildernew (SF) 1st count





 *Foyle*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-

 

 SDLP 	2+ (37.0%) 	3 (36.1%) 	(+0.9%)
 SF 	    2 (30.8%) 	2 (32.4%) 	(-1.6%)
 DUP 	1 (17.0%) 	1 (15.0%) 	(+2.0%)
 UUP 	0 (4.3%) 	0 (8.1%) 	(-3.8%)
 SEA 	0+ (5.0%) 	0 (5.5%) 	(-0.5%)
 Ind. 	0+ (4.5%) 	0 (2.3%) 	(+2.2%)



 ELECTED:



 William Hay (DUP) 1st count
 Mark Durkan (SDLP) 1st count





 *Lagan Valley*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-
 DUP 	2+ (48.1%) 	1 (20.5%) 	(+27.5%)
 UUP 	1+ (18.6%) 	3 (46.2%) 	(-27.6%)
 SF 	0+ (12.2%) 	0 (7.9%) 	(+4.3%)
 All. 	0+ (9.0%) 	1 (10.7%) 	(-1.7%)
 SDLP 	0+ (6.8%) 	1 (7.6%) 	(-0.8%)
 Gre. 	0 (2.2%) 	0 (-) 	(+2.2%)



 ELECTED:



 Jeffrey Donaldson (DUP) 1st count





 *Mid Ulster*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-

 

 SF 	    3 (47.6%) 	3 (45.5%) 	(+2.1%)
 DUP 	1 (19.5%) 	1 (20.8%) 	(-1.3%)
 SDLP 	1 (17.5%) 	1 (18.3%) 	(-0.8%)
 UUP 	1 (10.8%) 	1 (14.4%) 	(-3.6%)
 UKUP 	0 (2.7%) 	0 (-) 	    (+2.7%)

   	  	  	 


 ELECTED:



 Martin McGuinness (SF) 1st count
 Ian McCrea (DUP) 1st count
 Francie Molloy (SF) 1st count
 Michelle O’Neill (SF) 1st count


  
	

 *Newry and Armagh*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-



 SF  	3 (42.1%) 	3 (39.8%) 	(+2.3%)
 SDLP 	1 (19.8%) 	1 (24.6%) 	(-4.8%)
 UUP 	1 (13.1%) 	1 (15.5%) 	(-2.4%)
 DUP 	1 (12.9%) 	1 (18.1%) 	(-5.2%)
 Ind 	0 (10.3%) 	0 (1.3%) 	(+9.0%)

   	  	  	 


 ELECTED:



 Conor Murphy (SF) 1st count
 Cathal Boylan (SF) 1st count






 *Strangford*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-



 DUP 	3+ (50.2%) 	3 (47.9%) 	(+2.3)
 UUP 	1 (18.1%) 	2 (28.9%) 	(-10.9%)
 All. 	0+ (11.3%) 	1 (7.4%) 	(+3.9%)
 SDLP 	0+ (8.5%) 	0 (7.8%) 	(+0.7%)
 SF  	0 (3.0%) 	0 (3.0%) 	(+0.1%)
 Gre. 	0 (2.4%) 	0 (1.2%) 	(+1.2%)



 ELECTED:



 Iris Robinson (DUP) 1st count





 *West Tyrone*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-



 SF 	    2+ (44.5%) 	2 (38.6%) 	(+5.9%)
 DUP 	1 (21.4%) 	1 (17.5%) 	(3.9%)
 SDLP 	1 (14.5%) 	1 (14.6%) 	(-0.1%)
 Ind. 	0+ (10.2%) 	1 (14.8%) 	(-4.6%)
 UUP 	0+ (8.9%) 	1 (13.6%) 	(-4.7%)

   	  	  	 


 ELECTED:



 Pat Doherty (SF) 1st count
 Barry McElduff (SF) 1st count





 *Upper Bann*



 Party   2007 Result	2003 Result	+/-



 DUP 	2+ (31.4%) 	2 (28.5%) 	(+2.9%)
 SF   	1+ (25.3%) 	1 (21.8%) 	(+3.5%)
 UUP 	1+ (21.3%) 	2 (29.4%) 	(-8.1%)
 SDLP 	0+ (12.7%) 	1 (15.7%) 	(-3.0%)
 Gre. 	0 (2.7%) 	0 (-) 	    (+2.7%)
 All. 	0 (1.9%) 	0 (1.4%) 	(+0.5%)



 ELECTED:



 John O'Dowd (SF) 1st count
 David Simpson (DUP) 1st count

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