Northern Ireland

Michelle Gildernew to stand for Fermanagh/South Tyrone seat

Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew. Picture by Justin Kernoghan
Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew. Picture by Justin Kernoghan Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew. Picture by Justin Kernoghan

MICHELLE Gildernew has been selected as the fourth assembly candidate for Sinn Féin in the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency.

The former MP for the area had lost out to Phil Flanagan when the party held a rerun of its selection contest to choose three candidates.

But on Friday night Ms Gildernew was re-selected after Sinn Féin chose to hold another vote to choose a fourth candidate to contest the assembly elections later this year.

The full Sinn Féin line-up in Fermanagh and South Tyrone is now Ms Gildernew, Mr Flanagan, Sean Lynch and John Feely.

In a statement released late on Friday night, Ms Gildernew said: “I am honoured to have been selected by South Tyrone.

"I have a track record of work and delivery for the people of this constituency over two decades.

"This constituency is very dear to me and I look forward to joining the strong  team of candidates from Fermanagh in maximising the Sinn Féin vote.

“We now have a team which will give the best representation possible to people right across this very large constituency.

“I am very proud to be selected to play my part in working to achieve the best possible result for Sinn Féin.

“I aim to build on the excellent work to date by my party colleagues in the Executive and in the Assembly in delivering a better quality of life for people West of the Bann.”