Westminster election round-up

A constituency-by-constituency look at the Westminster election results for each of the 18 seats in the North.

Fermanagh/South Tyrone - UUP GAIN FROM SF

Fears that Michelle Gildernew faced a near impossible challenge against the united forces of unionism and orangeism in this most marginal of seats were borne out on Friday morning when the UUP’s Tom Elliott was declared the winner by just over 500 votes.

UUP leader Mike Nesbitt hailed the result as unionism’s greatest victory in a decade. “This constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, the most westerly constituency in the United Kingdom, is not a green constituency,” he said. “It doesn’t belong to Bobby Sands, it belongs to the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone and that is who I intend to represent.”

Sinn Fan had requested a re-count but it was rejected by deputy returning officer Martin Fox. The outgoing MP, who was supported by senior party figures including Martin McGuinness, vowed: “In our hearts this seat will always be Bobby Sands’”.

Result:

(UUP) Tom Elliott 23,608 (46.4%, +0.9%)
(SF) Michelle Gildernew 23,078 (45.4%, -0.1%)
(SDLP) John Coyle 2,732 (5.4%, -2.3%)
(Green) Tanya Jones 788 (1.5%, +1.5%)
(Alliance) Hannah Su 658 (1.3%, +0.4%)

East Belfast - DUP GAIN FROM Alliance

It was a brave fight by Alliance’s Naomi Long in east Belfast against the pincer movement of the unionist pact, and her share of the vote actually increased compared to 2010 and the combined unionist tally fell to under 50 per cent for tbe first time in tbe constituency’s 130-year history. In an acceptance speech that opponents observed as “ungracious”, Mr Robinson aggressively crowed about his victory and said he was “delighted that tbe last five ‘Long’ years are over”.

Result:

(DUP) Gavin Robinson 19,575 (49.3%, +16.5%)
(Alliance) Naomi Long 16,978 (42.8%, +5.6%)
(Conservative) Neil Wilson 1,121 (2.8%, +2.8%)
(Green) Ross Brown 1,058 (2.7%, +2.7%)
(SF) Niall O Donnghaile 823 (2.1%, -0.3%)
(SDLP) Mary Muldoon 127 (0.3%, -0.7%)

South Belfast - SDLP HOLD

The SDLP party leader Alasdair McDonnell retained his seat by just 900 votes against a split unionist vote. He took only 24 per cent of the overall vote, making it one of the lowest ever vote shares to go on to claim a victory. He was greatly helped by the fact this constituency was inexplicably left out of the UUP-DUP pact, but the inclusion of Sinn Fein’s Mairtin O Muilleoir meant the nationalist vote was also split. O Muilleoir performed better than expected, taking almost 14% of the vote and reaching fourth place.

Result:

(SDLP) Alasdair McDonnell 9,560 (24.5%, -16.5%)
(DUP) Jonathan Bell 8,654 (22.2%, -1.5%)
(Alliance) Paula Bradshaw 6,711 (17.2%, +2.3%)
(SF) Mairtin O Muilleoir 5,402 (13.9%, +13.9%)
(UUP) Rodney McCune 3,549 (9.1%, -8.2%)
(Green) Clare Bailey 2,238 (5.7%, +2.7%)
(UKIP) Bob Stoker 1,900 (4.9%, +4.9%)
(Conservative) Ben Manton 582 (1.5%, +1.5%)
(WP) Lily Kerr 361 (0.9%, +0.9%)

West Belfast - SF HOLD

While victory for Sinn Fein’s Panl Maskey, the successor to Gerry Adams, was never in any doubt, it was the performance of Gerry Carroll that impressed many. The People Before Profit candidate came second with 6,798 votes, knocking the SDLP, wbich held the seat as recently as the 1990s, into third. Sinn Fein and SDLP both saw their share of the vote drop, wbile Mr Carroll received just under 20 per cent. Mr Carroll predicted that socialism was now on the rise. “We won’t stop here. A change is under way in this community. We will keep fighting, keep building, and keep campaigning for a new politics based on our socialist principles,” he said.

Result:

(SF) Paul Maskey 19,163 (54.2%, -16.8%)
(PBP) Gerry Carroll 6,798 (19.2%, +19.2%)
(SDLP) Alex Attwood 3,475 (9.8%, -6.5%)
(DUP) Frank McCoubrey 2,773 (7.8%, +0.3%)
(UUP) Bill Manwaring 1,088 (3.1%, 0.0%)
(UKIP) Brian Higginson 765 (2.2%, +2.2%)
(Alliance) Gerard Catney 636 (1.8%, -0.1%)
(WP) John Lowry 597 (1.7%, +1.7%)
(Conservative) Paul Shea 34 (0.1%, +0.1%)

North Belfast - DUP HOLD

The DUP’s Nigel Dodds won the party’s largest-ever vote in the constituency and then accused Sinn Fein of having waged one of the ‘nastiest’ campaigns in recent memory, claiming that his rivals engaged in sectarian tactics and dirty tricks in an attempt to oust him. Mr Dodds said he thought the unionist pact had been “a very good idea”. In his acceptance speech, Mr Dodds claimed an election leaflet circulated by Sinn Fein was sectarian and also accused the party of being behind a letter sent to unionist voters making what he insisted were false claims about his record as an MP. Mr Kelly dismissed Mr Dodds’ allegations in his own post-election speech.

Result:

(DUP) Nigel Dodds 19,096 (47.0%, +7.0%)
(SF) Gerry Kelly 13,770 (33.9%, -0.1%)
(SDLP) Alban Maginness 3,338 (8.2%, -4.1%)
(Alliance) Jason O’Neill 2,941 (7.2%, +2.4%)
(WP) Gemma Weir 919 (2.3%, +2.3%)
(IND) Fra Hughes 529 (1.3%, +1.3%)

South Antrim - UUP GAIN FROM DUP

The Ulster Unionist’s Danny Kinahan taking the South Antrim seat from DUP stalwart William McCrea was one of the shock results in an otherwise predictable election. The Free Presbyterian minister had held the seat since 2005 after defeating the UUP’s David Burnside in a constituency where the two unionist parties have always done battle. Many believed that McCrea’s high profile would see the DUP through for another term. Kinahan is notable as one of only two unionists to express support for Equal Marriage bill tabled by Sinn Fein recently.

Result:

(UUP) Danny Kinahan 11,942 (32.7%, +2.3%)
(DUP) William McCrea 10,993 (30.1%, -3.8%)
(SF) Declan Kearney 4,699 (12.9%, -1.0%)
(Alliance) Neil Kelly 3,576 (9.8%, +2.1%)
(SDLP) Roisin Lynch 2,990 (8.2%, -0.5%)
(TUV) Richard Cairns 1,908 (5.2%, -0.2%)
(Conservative) Alan Dunlop 415 (1.1%, +1.1%)

East Antrim - DUP HOLD

Sammy Wilson polled double the vote received by his closest rival, the Ulster Unionist Roy Beggs, whose namesake father held the seat for 22 years.

Result:

(DUP) Sammy Wilson 12,103 (36.1%, -9.7%)
(UUP) Roy Beggs 6,308 (18.8%, -4.8%)
(Alliance) Stewart Dickson 5,021 (15.0%, +3.9%)
(UKIP) Noel Jordan 3,660 (10.9%, +10.9%)
(SF) Oliver McMullan 2,314 (6.9%, +0.1%)
(TUV) Ruth Wilson 1,903 (5.7%, -0.3%)
(SDLP) Margaret Anne McKillop 1,639 (4.9%, -1.7%)
(Conservative) Alex Wilson 549 (1.6%, +1.6%)

North Antrim - DUP HOLD

The DUP’s grip on North Antrim shows no sign of loosening after Ian Paisley jnr retained the seat first won by his father 45 years ago. In traditional Paisley-style, the victor and his jubilant supporters sang in celebration after the count was declared.

Result:

(DUP) Ian Paisley 18,107 (43.2%, -3.2%)
(TUV) Timothy Gaston 6,561 (15.7%, -1.1%)
(SF) Daithi McKay 5,143 (12.3%, -0.1%)
(UUP) Robin Swann 5,054 (12.1%, +1.1%)
(SDLP) Declan O’Loan 2,925 (7.0%, -1.8%)
(Alliance) Jayne Dunlop 2,351 (5.6%, +2.4%)
(UKIP) Robert Hill 1,341 (3.2%, +3.2%)
(Conservative) Carol Freeman 368 (0.9%, +0.9%)
(IND) Thomas Palmer 57 (0.1%, +0.1%)

North Down - IND. U HOLD

The DUP’s surprise decision to run against Sylvia Hermon did see her majority drop, but the result was never in doubt. The Ulster Unionist party backed the independent runner and withdrew its candidate, with party leader Mike Nesbitt claiming she remained an “Ulster Unionist in spirit”. Less than 2% of voters in this true-blue constituency are nationalists.

Result:

(IND. U) Sylvia Hermon 17,689 (49.2%, -14.1%)
(DUP) Alex Easton 8,487 (23.6%, +23.6%)
(Alliance) Andrew Muir 3,086 (8.6%, +3.0%)
(Green) Steven Agnew 1,958 (5.4%, +2.3%)
(Conservative) Mark Brotherston 1,593 (4.4%, +4.4%)
(UKIP) Jonny Lavery 1,482 (4.1%, +4.1%)
(TUV) William Cudworth 686 (1.9%, -3.0%)
(SDLP) Tom Woolley 355 (1.0%, -1.0%)
(CSA) Glenn Donnelly 338 (0.9%, +0.9%)
(SF) Therese McCartney 273 (0.8%, 0.0%)

South Down - SDLP HOLD

Predictions that Sinn Fein would cut into the SDLP vote in South Down failed to materialise with Margaret Ritchie holding on for another term. The former SDLP leader topped the poll, while Sinn Fein’s Chris Hazzard polled almost exactly the same number as his predecessor, Caitriona Ruane. Following a controversial campaign that saw him resign as Stormont health minister, the DUP’s Jim Wells came in fourth behind the Ulster Unionists.

Result:

(SDLP) Margaret Ritchie 18,077 (42.3%, -6.1%)
(SF) Chris Hazzard 12,186 (28.5%, -0.2%)
(UUP) Harold McKee 3,964 (9.3%, +2.0%)
(DUP) Jim Wells 3,486 (8.2%, -0.4%)
(UKIP) Henry Reilly 3,044 (7.1%, +7.1%)
(Alliance) Martyn Todd 1,622 (3.8%, +2.5%)
(Conservative) Felicity Buchan 318 (0.7%, +0.7%)

Strangford - DUP HOLD

DUP’s Jim Shannon retained the safest of seats in this staunchly unionist constituency.

Result:

(DUP) Jim Shannon 15,053 (44.4%, -1.5%)
(UUP) Robert Burgess 4,868 (14.3%, -13.5%)
(Alliance) Kellie Armstrong 4,687 (13.8%, +5.1%)
(SDLP) Joe Boyle 2,335 (6.9%, +0.2%)
(UKIP) Joe Jordan 2,237 (6.6%, +6.6%)
(Conservative) Johnny Andrews 2,167 (6.4%, +6.4%)
(TUV) Stephen Cooper 1,701 (5.0%, -0.6%)
(SF) Sheila Bailie 876 (2.6%, -1.0%)

Lagan Valley - DUP HOLD

DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson managed to increase his party’s huge majority in Lagan Valley by more than 2,500 votes in the first result of the count in the North.

Result:

(DUP) Jeffrey Donaldson 19,055 (47.9%, -1.9%)
(UUP) Alexander Redpath 6,055 (15.2%, -5.9%)
(Alliance) Trevor Lunn 5,544 (13.9%, +2.5%)
(SDLP) Pat Catney 2,500 (6.3%, +1.3%)
(UKIP) Alan Love 2,200 (5.5%, +5.5%)
(TUV) Samuel Morrison 1,887 (4.7%, -3.9%)
(SF) Jacqui McGeough 1,144 (2.9%, -1.1%)
(IND) Jonny Orr 756 (1.9%, +1.9%)
(Conservative) Helen Osborne 654 (1.6%, +1.6%)

Upper Bann - DUP HOLD

DUP man David Simpson was returned to Westminster by a relatively narrow margin from the UUP and SF in third place. Simpson described it as “a fantastic victory”, but he also lashed out at “despicable attacks” on his family of adopted children from unionist quarters and said the campaign had “stooped to the gutter”.

Result:

(DUP) David Simpson 15,430 (32.7%, -1.2%)
(UUP) Jo-Anne Dobson 13,166 (27.9%, +2.2%)
(SF) Catherine Seeley 11,593 (24.6%, -0.2%)
(SDLP) Dolores Kelly 4,238 (9.0%, -3.8%)
(Alliance) Peter Lavery 1,780 (3.8%, +0.8%)
(CSA) Martin Kelly 460 (1.0%, +1.0%)
(WP) Damien Harte 351 (0.7%, +0.7%)
(Conservative) Amandeep Bhogal 201 (0.4%, +0.4%)

Newry and Armagh - SF HOLD

Sinn Fein held on to this constituency with a comfortable majority, as Mlckey Brady saw off the challenge of All-Ireland winning footballer Justln McNulty with more than 8,000 votes to spare. However, the most interesting development of the count came from Danny Kennedy, who almost doubled the Ulster Unionist vote.

Result:

(SF) Mickey Brady 20,488 (41.1%, -0.9%)
(UUP) Danny Kennedy 16,312 (32.7%, +13.6%)
(SDLP) Justin McNulty 12,026 (24.1%, +0.7%)
(Alliance) Kate Nicholl 841 (1.7%, +0.5%)
(Conservative) Robert Rigby 210 (0.4%, +0.4%)

Foyle - SDLP HOLD

The SDLP’s best performance of the election was in Foyle where Mark Durkan increased his party’s vote, although the turnout was down by morethan 4 per cent on 2010. Durkan said Sinn Fein made a “mistake” by claiming that Derry was now a “Sinn Fein city”. Sinn Fein’s Gearoid o hEara congratulated his opponent on his vIctory and said he was pleased that the party vote had held up in Derry. This was the only constituency where the nationalist vote share was up overall.

Result:

(SDLP) Mark Durkan 17,725 (47.9%, +3.2%)
(SF) Gearoid O Heara 11,679 (31.6%, -0.4%)
(DUP) Gary Middleton 4,573 (12.4%, +0.5%)
(UUP) Julia Kee 1,226 (3.3%, +0.1%)
(Alliance) David Hawthorne 835 (2.3%, +1.7%)
(UKIP) Kyle Thompson 832 (2.2%, +2.2%)
(Conservative) Hamish Badenoch 132 (0.4%, +0.4%)

East Derry - DUP HOLD

There was never a doubt tbat tje DUP’s Gregory CampbeJl would retain his East Derry seat. However, tje nature of his victory was impressive. The result placed him almost 8,000 votes abead of the nearest candidate, Sinn Fein’s Caoimhe Archibald. It also left the DUP hardliner in fighting mood as he told supporters his party was “on the way up”.

Result:

(DUP) Gregory Campbell 14,663 (42.2%, +7.6%)
(SF) Caoimhe Archibald 6,859 (19.8%, +0.5%)
(UUP) William McCandless 5,333 (15.4%, -2.4%)
(SDLP) Gerry Mullan 4,268 (12.3%, -3.2%)
(Alliance) Yvonne Boyle 2,642 (7.6%, +2.1%)
(CSA) Neil Paine 527 (1.5%, +1.5%)
(Conservative) Elizabeth St Clair-Legge 422 (1.2%, +1.2%)

Mid Ulster - SF HOLD

Veteran Sinn Fein campaigner Francie Molloy strolled to victory in Mid Ulster. Although his party’s latest share of the vote was down three per cent on the byelection count in 2013, Mr Molloy came home with almost half of the ballots cast.

Result:

(SF) Francie Molloy 19,935 (48.7%, -3.3%)
(UUP) Sandra Overend 6,318 (15.4%, +4.4%)
(DUP) Ian McCrea 5,465 (13.4%, -1.0%)
(SDLP) Malachy Quinn 5,055 (12.4%, -1.9%)
(TUV) Gareth Ferguson 1,892 (4.6%, -2.7%)
(UKIP) Alan Day 863 (2.1%, +2.1%)
(Alliance) Eric Bullick 778 (1.9%, +0.9%)
(WP) Hugh Scullion 496 (1.2%, +1.2%)
(Conservative) Lucille Nicholson 120 (0.3%, +0.3%)

West Tyrone - SF HOLD

Shouts of “easy, easy” greeted Pat Doherty as he coasted to victory. But he remained tight-lipped when asked whether he planned to further extend his 14 years as MP for the constituency of West Tyrone. Standing at a podium in the foyer of Omagh Leisure Centre, Mr Doherty said: “Happiness is winning and re-winning in West Tyrone. West Tyrone is a republican constituency and we are proud that it’s a republican constituency.”

Result:

(SF) Pat Doherty 16,807 (43.5%, -4.9%)
(DUP) Tom Buchanan 6,747 (17.5%, -2.3%)
(SDLP) Daniel McCrossan 6,444 (16.7%, +2.7%)
(UUP) Ross Hussey 6,144 (15.9%, +1.7%)
(Alliance) Stephen Donnelly 869 (2.2%, -0.1%)
(Green) Ciaran McClean 780 (2.0%, +2.0%)
(CSA) Barry Brown 528 (1.4%, +1.4%)
(Conservative) Claire-Louise Leyland 169 (0.4%, +0.4%)
(IND) Susan-Anne White 166 (0.4%, +0.4%)

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