Everything Ulster - Election 2005

Lady Sylvia Hermon has become the first UUP MP elected in this election. She won over 50% of the vote in a seat in which some thought she was under threat from the DUP. This despite a lower turnout than last time by some 5%.

Her share of the vote is down just 5% with the DUP standing. The Alliance's David Alderdice also polled 7.6% to take third place and Julian Robertson polled 2.5% for the Conservatives.

Full results from the BBC.

Pat Doherty has claimed West Tyrone for Sinn Fein.

The DUP came in 3rd behind Kieran Deeney, the independent candidate, as the Ulster Unionist vote seems to have collapsed.

Full results from the BBC.

This is my last post tonight as I'm going out - I'll do a post-mortem tomorrow.

Michelle Gildernew is back in for Fermanagh South Tyrone with 18,638 votes. At the same time, the DUP's Arlene Foster (14,056 votes) beat Ulster Unionist Tom Elliot (8,869 votes) quite convincingly.

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Another relatively safe DUP seat was won by Nigel Dodds. His turnout was up 4.5% to 13,935 while Gerry Kelly was 2nd with 28.6%. The Ulster Unionist vote seems to have collapsed below an already low total to 7.1% (down 4.9%).

Full results at the BBC.

Gregory Campbell won East Londonderry with 15,225 votes. Billy Leonard, Sinn Fein's "prize peeler" only polled 5,709 behind the Ulster Unionist candidate on 7,498.

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SAMMY Wilson has taken East Antrim from Ulster Unionist Roy Beggs by over 7,000 votes. No big shock as his was one of their top targets.

Some good news in that Sean Neeson's Alliance vote has crept up by 2.8% to 4,869 (15.3%).

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Peter Robinson got in in East Belfast, again no shock. Both the DUP and UUP share of the vote rose 5% and the Alliance's fell by 5%. The Conservatives' Alan Greer polled only 434 votes.

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Paisley has got in in North Antrim. No shock there. What is surprising is that Sinn Fein have moved up into second ahead of the UUP!

It just shows that fundamentalist nutcases will always beat out all reason in Northern Ireland politics.

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Alasdair McDonnell has come through the middle of the two Unionist candidates to top the poll in South Belfast with 10,339 votes (32.3%). Spratt came second on 9,104 (28%) and McGimpsey 3rd on 7263 (23%).

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WEST Belfast was the first constituency to elect an MP in the 2005 election from Northern Ireland. Gerry Adams was elected with 24,000 votes and 70% of the vote (3,000 votes down on 2001 but a 4% increase).

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WOKE this morning to news that Tony Blair's Labour party had won the election (no surprise there) but with a much reduced majority (no big shock there either).

He got a ticking off for the way he handled the Iraq war and his majority (with only 9 mainland seats left to declare) the BBC think it'll be around the 66 mark predicted by the exit polls yesterday - so my bet for a 61-80 majority is still on!! Happy days.

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