Northern Ireland

Sinn Féin surpasses expectations in assembly poll as DUP vote slumps

Michelle O'Neill topped the poll in Mid-Ulster. Picture by Mal McCann
Michelle O'Neill topped the poll in Mid-Ulster. Picture by Mal McCann Michelle O'Neill topped the poll in Mid-Ulster. Picture by Mal McCann

SINN Féin was last night on target to become the largest party in the next assembly with a performance at the polls that surpassed expectations.

The party secured more than 250,000 first preference votes, a 29 per cent share that put it more than seven percentage points ahead of the DUP.

Sinn Féin is hoping to make gains in East Derry and Upper Bann when counting resumes today, increasing the prospect of taking its Stormont tally to 28.

Deputy leader Michelle O'Neill, who topped the poll convincingly in Mid-Ulster, stressed that Sinn Féin wanted to "together work in partnership with others".

The DUP's popular vote fell by 6.7 per cent to 21.3 per cent – its worst showing in a Stormont election for more than 20 years.

The key casualty of the DUP slump was former Education Minister Peter Weir in Strangford, while former junior minister Gary Middleton is facing a strong challenge from Ulster Unionist Ryan McCready in Foyle.

In contrast, Alliance enjoyed a surge in support, its first preference vote growing by 4.5 per cent to13.5 per cent.

Naomi Long's party is hoping to almost double its tally of seats from eight, aiming to make gains in North Down, North Belfast and South Belfast, where Green leader Clare Bailey's prospects of retaining her seat look remote.

It proved a disastrous election for the SDLP, which failed to even meet modest polling predictions and was the only one of Stormont's big five whose vote share was in single figures.

The party lost former deputy leader Dolores Kelly in Upper Bann, while Karen McKevitt failed to get elected in South Down, leaving the party with just one MLA in what was once an SDLP stronghold.

"It is going to be tough for us, because so many people have wanted to send a message to the DUP that nationalists shouldn't be locked out of the top position," leader Colum Eastwood said.

The Foyle MP's assertion about votes being lent to Sinn Féin was seized on by the freshly elected Newry and Armagh MLA Conor Murphy.

"I heard that script in the 1990s about votes being lent," the Sinn Féin finance minister said.

"The reality is that people go out and make a choice at the ballot."

The greatest surge proportionally came from the TUV, which saw its vote increase from 2017's 2.6 per cent to 7.6 per cent.

However with most counts suspended last night ahead of resuming at 9am today, only leader Jim Allister had been declared for the TUV and the party is struggling to gain a second seat, pinning its hopes on Trevor Clarke in West Tyrone.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was doing his best to put a positive spin on his party's performance.

He said he was delighted with how the party fared in Lagan Valley, where he topped the poll.

"I think it is going to be very tight at the end as to who will emerge as the largest party," he said.

"One of the key messages for me is that unionism simply can't afford the divisions that exist."

Naomi Long dedicated her win in East Belfast to to her late father-in-law, who passed away late last month.

"It's been quite an emotional election campaign for me," the Alliance leader said.

"I am just absolutely thrilled that I've polled so well and I really look forward to later on today and seeing all my colleagues bringing it home."

The Ulster Unionists had a mixed result, its first preference vote slipping by 1.7 percentage points to 11.2 per cent. Celebrations over Robin Swann topping the poll in North Antrim were severely tempered by the prospect of leader Doug Beattie being eliminated in Upper Bann.

Independent Alex Easton, who resigned from the DUP last year, topped the poll in North Down and pledged not to rejoin his former colleagues in the assembly, despite widespread speculation.