Westminster Election Results 2010
All Sinn Féin seats in the House of Commons are Abstentionist
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Peter Robinson defeated by Alliance Party's Naomi Long
The result of the election in east Belfast has delivered a major shock with the defeat of DUP leader and First Minister Peter Robinson by Naomi Long of the Alliance Party.
Ms Long won the seat by about 1,500 votes after doubling her vote and winning the support of a large number of loyalists, former DUP supporters as well as moderate unionists.
The result was an evident reprisal by voters against Robinson over the intense scandals over his wife's extra-marital affair and the corruption allegations repeatedly levelled against both Mr and Mrs Robinson.
The result is certainly the greatest shock of the Westminster election so far and came as the third of the constituencies in the North to declare. Adding salt to the DUP leader, the party is said to have performed very strongly.
"Of course people wil draw their won conclusions," Mr Robinson said of the result.
He said he had preferred not to stand in this election, and that "in politics you have to be careful what you wish for".
"I have a job to do and a jobo to complete with my mandate in the assembly, he said, adding that was "vital for Northern Ireland that we continue to move forward" and not return to the "bad old days".
In an apparant reference to the negotiations which are expected to follow a hung parliament at Westminster, he concluded by saying: "I will always do my best to get the best deal for Northern Ireland".
Ms Long said her vote was "a vote for something positive" in Northern Ireland. She said her small moderate unionist Alliance Party had "come of age" with its first seat at Westminster.
DOHERTY RETURNED
In the first result declared tonight in the North, Sinn Fein's Pat Doherty was re-elected as MP for west Tyrone, doubling his majority over the DUP's Tom Buchanan on an increased personal vote.
Doherty secured over 18,000 votes, an increase of a thousand votes. He said the result was "another magnificent victory for Sinn Fein in West Tyrone". Turnout in the constituency fell sharply, from 73% to just over 60%.
IAN K. PAISLEY MP
In North Antrim, Ian Paisley Jr secured an emphatic victory for the DUP and gave credit for his success to "one of the greatest Ulstermen ever", his father, Ian Paisley Sr.
Speaking with his familiar strident voice, Ian Paisley Sr said the ultra-hardline Traditional Unionist Voice had been "crowing" about what they woud achieve, particularly in the Paisley heartland, where party leader Jim Allister had stood. "They are not crowing now," he said.
Allister was defeated by a two-to-one margin. Speaking to the BBC, he said if the unionist community had supported "terrorists in government" then that would be "a matter of great regret which they will come to regret".
The Paisley victory was greeted with hymn-singing by DUP supporters. Turnout was 58%, down 7%.
SIMPSON HOLDS
In Upper Bann, Sinn Fein's John O'Dowd is understood to have polled strongly. Although he fell short of winning the seat from the DUP's David Simpson, he said "in the future, commentators won't be able to say, nationalists dont have a chance" in the constituency.
STILL MOT EMPEY?
In South Antrim, Willie McCrea was said to be "relaxed" about retaining his seat in the face of an apparently failing challenge by Ulster Unionist leader Reg Empey. It was reported by count watchers that the Alliance Party vote in the constituency had failed to swing behind Empey, as had been hoped by the Ulster Unionists.
In North Down, independent candidate Sylvia Hermon is accepted to have retained the seat on a larger majority. Hermon, who quit the Ulster Unionists following its alliance with the British Conservatives, apparently benefited from a wave of sympathy for her position in the traditionally maverick constituency.
In south Belfast, the SDLP's Alasdair McDonnell is broadly accepted to have held the seat, while Fermanagh/South Tyrone is said to be too close to call.
SUSPECT VEHICLE
The centre in Derry was evacuated tonight and counting suspended after a suspicious car was found abandoned close to the count centre.
The area surrounding the Templemore Sports Complex has been closed and British army technical unit are at the scene. Counting for the Foyle constituency in Derry is likely to resume later this morning, according to the local returning officer.
A controlled explosion was carried out on the vehicle at 12.30am tonight. The incident followed a number of attacks and hoaxes in recent days blamed on 'dissident' republican armed organisations.
SF set to be largest party; UCUNF shut out
Sinn Fein could take over the DUP to become the largest party in the Six Counties on vote share, according to early estimates from the Westminster election counts in the North this morning.
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams easily retained his seat in west Belfast with some 22,000 votes, his vote unaffected by the controversy over the child abuse allegations against his brother Liam.
Mr Adams thanked the people of West Belfast who voted for him and said it was a "humbling experience to be elected by your peers". The result was a "mandate for the future" and Sinn Fein's handling of the political process.
His share of the vote was up marginally to 71%, the largest margin of victory in the North. Mr Adams said the result was "a considerable victory for our party".
He pointed in particular to a small number of votes being cast for Sinn Fein in loyalist heartlands of his west Belfast constituency as a hopeful sign of change.
Mr credited the victory on his party's efforts in the constituency on social issues, on the issues of equality and unity, as well as its continuing "work with unionism".
Mr Adams also expressed commiseration to DUP leader Robinison on his shock defeat in east Belfast, who he said had endured "a torrid time".
In south Belfast, with Sinn Fein support, the SDLP's Alasdair McDonnell held his seat reasonably comfortably by almost six thousand votes, his vote equalling the combined votes of his two main unionist rivals.
In his victory speech, Mr McDonnell declared there would be "no return to cul de sac politics".
NO EMPEY
In south Antrim, Reg Empey has failed to unseat DUP hardliner Willie McCrea by about a thousand votes. The result is a significant setback for the Ulster Unionists, which is now left with no representation at Westminster.
The party's disastrous attempt to link with the Conservative Party in Britain and compete the election under the doomed 'UCUNF' banner is being blamed for their failure.
In South Down, both unionist parties have said their voters had tactically backed the SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie over Sinn Fein's Caitriona Ruane. The DUP said Ritchie had secured 60 percent of the vote to give her a relatively comfortable victory.
Elsewhere, counting has resumed in Derry, and there is still no indication of the nature of the result from Fermanagh/South Tyrone, the most closely watched constituency.
WESTMINSTER HANGING
In Britain, with less than seventy seats declared, the Conservative Party is thought to be edging closer a possible overall majority, but is still thought likely to fall short.
The Tories have been enjoying a substantial, if variable swing from Labour but appears to have lost key seats to the Liberal Democrats in other marginal constituencies.
A deflated Labour Party leader Gordon Brown made what sounded to some commentators as a valedictory speech following his victory in Kirkcaldy. Nevertheless, he said he was still ready to "provide the leadership" to take Britain out of the recession, an evident overture to the Liberal Democrats.
The price of any coalition with Britain's third party is certain to be electoral reform and may be followed, some have suggested, by an immediate second Westminster election.
In any event, any future election now seems certain not to be held under the notorious 'first-past-the-post' system currently in use which strongly favours Britain's largest parties.
Recount drama in Fermanagh/South Tyrone
After two recounts at the Enniskillen count centre, Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew is ahead by just two votes over unionist unity candidate Rodney Connor.
Rodney Connor is on 21,298 while Michelle Gildernew has 21,300 votes. The seat could be a critical swing seat in terms of British politics, as Connor has vowed to take the Tory whip at Westminster.
After the initial count, Connor was up by eight votes, overturned when Gildernew's total increased by 18 votes in the recount, only for her to lose eight in the second recount.
Election workers and party candidates and supporters are now facing into a second recount, which the returning officer has said will take place in the morning.
Sinn Fein is reported to be seeking legal advice over the situation.
Elsewhere, Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly has fallen just short in a bid to unseat the DUP's Nigel Dodds and appears well placed to win the seat next time out.
Mr Dodds won 14,812 votes to Mr Kelly's 12,588. The nationalist population in the constituency is now up to 46%, with the vote of the SDLP's Alban Maginnis getting increasingly captured by Sinn Fein.
As expected, Conor Murphy retained his Newry and Armagh seat. He received a 42 percent share of the vote there, and was over eight thousand votes ahead of his nearest challenger, Dominic Bradley of the SDLP.
Mr Murphy said he was delighted with his party's performance, despite the fact that the turnout was lower.
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness retained his Mid-Ulster seat with a majority of over 15,000 seats.
Speaking afterwards, Mr McGuinness said that over the last 13 years, the constituency had been "transformed". He said he was "honoured" to be the represetnative "of what is a very proud constituency".
"This has been a stunning victory in a reduced turnout," he said.
The Deputy First Minister defended his party's abstentionist policy at Westminster, insisting he remained at the heart of governance despite not taking his seat in the House of Commons.
"I've been in Downing Street more often than many Labour MPs over the course of the last 15 years," he said.
The difficulties between unionism and republicanism had mostly been laid to rest by the poor support for the anti-Good Friday Agreement Traditional Unionist Voice, he claimed.
"I intend, if Peter Robinson is going to continue as First Minister, to work in a positive and constructive way with him," he said.
Mr McGuinness also condemned an incident at the counting centre in Derry, where a controlled explosion had to be carried out on a device left in a suspect vehicle.
He said the people of Foyle had rejected armed actions and called on the so-called 'dissidents' thought to be responsible to "stop their stupidity".
They were causing misery for themselves and their own families, he said. "They should just go away and give us all peace."
Former SDLP leader Mark Durkan survived a strong attempt by Sinn Fein to take the Foyle seat with a winning margin of almost 5,000 over high profile candidate Martina Anderson. Socialist Eamonn McCann polled a creditable 8% in the constituency.
In other news, Ulster Unionist Party assembly member David McNarry has appealed for unionist unity to rescue his party following its failure to win a single seat in the Westminster election. Party leader Reg Empey is under severe pressure after he failed to win a seat in south Antrim.
There was also strong murmurs of discontent in the DUP after scandal-hit party leader, Peter Robinson, dramatically lost his seat to Naomi Long of the small Alliance Party in east Belfast.
The party comfortably held all its other seats, including Sammy Wilson in east Antrim, Jeffrey Donaldson in Lagan Valley and, within the past five minutes, Gregory Campbell in east Derry.
In Britain, although seats are being declared, a result of the cliff-hanger election is also unlikely to emerge for several hours.
Without majority, Cameron makes bid for power
The Tories are to attempt to form a government after the Westminster election returned a hung parliament for the first time since 1974.
Despite gaining 94 seats and becoming Britain's largest party, the Conservatives have fallen short of winning the 326 seat majority required to form a government.
The latest results, with 637 of the 650 constituencies declared, show the Conservatives have won 301 seats (+94), Labour are on 255 (-88), the Liberal Democrats are on 54 (-5) and other parties have won a total of 27 (-1).
Although the Tories could in theory attempt to cobble together a coalition without them, the Liberal Democrats are seen to be holding the balance of power between the Labour and the Tories.
The results in each of the remaining constituencies could prove crucial in negotiating a coalition government.
One constituency yet to be decided is Fermanagh/South Tyrone, where a recount is underway.
Tory leader David Cameron issued a statement this morning saying he would later set out "how he will seek to form a government that is strong and stable with broad support that acts in the national interest".
He is to issue a further statement this afternoon shortly, effectively claiming the right to be Prime Minister.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, who this morning said the Conservatives, as the largest party, had the "first right" to seek to form a government.
"I have said that whichever party gets the most votes and the most seats has the first right to seek to govern, either on its own or by reaching out to other parties and I stick to that view," Mr Clegg said. "I think it is now for the Conservative Party to prove that it is capable of seeking to govern in the national interest."
Mr Clegg did not rule out talks with Labour if negotiations with Mr Cameron did not result in a deal.
In a statement outside 10 Downing Street this afternoon, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was willing to open talks with Mr Clegg and other party leaders on forming a government. However, he said he respected Mr Clegg's position that he should first talk to Mr Cameron.
In a comment that will be seen as an overture to the Lib Dems, who have called for a referendum on proportional representation, Mr Brown called for "far reaching" reform of the British electoral system.
"There needs to be immediate legislation on this to begin to restore public trust in politics," Mr Brown said. "A fairer voting system is central."
Despite facing the prospect of Labour losing more than 90 MPs, Mr Brown said he wanted to play a part in the Britain "having a strong, stable and principled government".
COUNT FOR COURT
Meanwhile, a third recount is underway in the Fermanagh South Tyrone constituency.
A second recount in the early hours of this morning put Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew just two votes ahead of the unionist unity candidate Rodney Connor.
Shortly before 3am, election officials said 21,296 votes had been counted for Mr Connor and 21,288 for Ms Gildernew and, given the difference of just eight votes, a recount was immediately called. The result of that recount put Mr Connor, with 21,295, ten votes behind Ms Gildernew with 21,305.
The results of a second recount were announced at around 4.30am, putting Ms Gildernew ahead by two votes at 21,300 to Mr Connor's 21,298.
Mr Connor, a former chief executive of Fermanagh District Council, stood as an independent after the DUP and Ulster Conservatives and Unionists (UCU) agreed to run a joint unionist candidate.
A number of senior Sinn Fein figures are at the count centre in Omagh, including party president Gerry Adams. The DUP's Arlene Foster and other senior unionists are also in attendance.
Ms Gildernew, who is the North's Minister for Agriculture, said this afternoon the issue is "probably going to end up in court".
Speaking to Irish radio, Ms Gildernew said she didn't mind how small her majority is "as long as it's a majority".
People from "all shades of political opinion" had come out and voted for her, she said. "We have managed to unify the people of Fermanagh south Tyrone in a way that has not been done before".
"It really is a fantastic achievement that we've polled so many votes and we're looking forward to a result later on today," she said.
Sinn Fein hold Fermanagh/South Tyrone
Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew has remarkably retained her Fermanagh-South Tyrone seat by four votes after a third recount.
Independent Rodney Connor requested a fourth recount which was refused.
A third recount started at 11am where the race between Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew and the Independent unionist Rodney Connor was too close to call.
Sinn Fein's success in defeating Connor, a candidate agreed by both the main unionist parties as well as a well-known SDLP candidate, is a significant triumph.
The seat was famously won by hunger-striker Bobby Sands and the election took place on the day following the anniversary of his death on hunger strike in 1981.
Shortly before 3am, election officials said 21,296 votes had been counted for Mr Connor and 21,288 for Ms Gildernew and, given the difference of just eight votes, a recount was immediately called. The result of that recount put Mr Connor, with 21,295, 10 votes behind Ms Gildernew with 21,305.
The results of a second recount were announced at about 4.30am, putting Ms Gildernew ahead by two votes at 21,300 to Mr Connor's 21,298.
The third recount showed that of a total poll of 46,083, Ms Gildernew had won 21,304 votes to Mr Connor's 21,300. Ms Gildernew was duly declared elected.
Mr Connor, a former chief executive of Fermanagh District Council, stood as an independent after the DUP and Ulster Conservatives and Unionists (UCU) agreed to run a joint unionist candidate.
A number of senior Sinn Fein figures were at the count centre in Omagh, including party president Gerry Adams. The DUP's Arlene Foster and other senior unionists were also in attendance.
Since won by Sands, the seat has changed hands between nationalism and unionism a number of times. Michelle Gildernew first won it in 2001, by just 53 votes. That resulted in legal challenges where there were complaints about polling stations staying open too late.
It remains unclear if this year the result will still face a legal challenge.
Sinn Fein in pole positon
A dramatic election in the North has strongly boosted both Sinn Fein and the SDLP but appears set to 'decapitate' the leadership of unionism.
DUP leader Peter Robinson's political career hangs in the balance and Reg Empey is said to be ready to quit as Ulster Unionist leader after a dramatic night and day of counting.
The most sensational results were Naomi Long's shock win against Peter Robinson in east Belfast and Michelle Gildernew's last gasp recount victory by four votes in Fermanagh/South Tyrone.
Unionists in East Belfast had been expected to protest at the 'Swish Family Robinson' lifestyle and the 'lust and greed' scandal over Mr Robinson's wife Iris, which dominated the media earlier this year. However, it had been widely believed that their votes would disperse to three rivals. Instead, Long was singled out, apparently rewarded by the overwhelmingly Protestant electorate for her hard work and honest approach to her political work.
Ms Long, the Belfast Lord Mayor and an Assembly member for East Belfast, quadrupled her vote since 2005. She wiped out Mr Robinson's 6,000 majority, polling 12,839 votes and winning the seat with a majority of 1,533.
Ms Long said people had voted for peace and progress. "I think that those are positive messages coming not only from people who voted for me, but also those who voted for the former incumbent in that seat they want to move forward."
Mr Robinson congratulated the Alliance Party, and said he remained committed to his job as First Minister and as an Assembly member until next year's election.
"I have a job to complete with my mandate at the Assembly, and I will continue to carry out that important work," he said.
Hardline unionists jeered Mr Robinson left the count.
The following day, after a long night of counting and confusion, a victorious Michelle Gildernew held up four fingers to indicate the number of votes securing her eventual success in Fermanagh-South Tyrone. Four was also the number of counts required to separate her from her unionist opponent.
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams,and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness shared the jubilation in the unexpected victory which will have strongly vindicated the party's electoral strategy in the North.
The result, declared shortly before 3pm after the third recount, was 21,304 votes for Ms Gildernew and 21,300 for Mr Connor.
"The forces of unionism had collected together against us and we had a mountain to climb this time," Ms Gildernew said. She thanked traditional SDLP voters who switched their allegiance but said "Catholic, Protestant and dissenter" had voted for her. She said she was "especially proud and grateful" that "Protestant people . . . came out and voted for me".
The SDLP failed to make an impact, with former UTV journalist Fearghal McKinney polling 3,574 votes in the constituency, where the party had secured 7,230 votes in 2005.
Sinn Fein had urged the SDLP to agree a nationalist unity candidate, after Alex Maskey withdrew from South Belfast. It criticised the SDLP for encouraging Mr McKinney, a political novice, to run as a reviled 'splitter' candidate in arguably the most challenging electoral arena in Ireland.
SF TOPS THE POLL
Despite anecodotal accounts early on Thursday, the turnout of voters across the North was down substantially, with more than one voter in ten staying away. The number of spoiled votes also doubled in some areas in an apparent protest at the political system.
But across the North, Sinn Fein managed its resources well and succeeded in extending its vote share to become the largest party in the North.
The party has 25.5 percent share of the vote in the Six Counties, versus 25 percent for the DUP. If the result were duplicated in an Assembly election, due next year, Sinn Fein would have the right to elect the First Minister - a result which would be hugely controversial to unionist hardliners.
Remarkably, all of the party's MPs increased their vote share.
In North Belfast, Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly put down a marker to Nigel Dodds for the next election in the constituency, by increasing his vote share by 7% and placing himself within a hop and a skip of the seat next time out.
There was also progress for the party in South Antrim, East Antrim and Upper Bann. In South Down, the SDLP's Margaret Ritchie benefited from tactical voting to keep out a determined challenge from Caitriona Ruane.
Unsurprisingly, the DUP made no mention of its demotion to second-place status behind Sinn Fein.
In his victory speech in North Antrim, Ian Paisley Jr apologised for "arrogance" on his and his supporters' part, insisting this was only the natural self-confidence of having the help of "such a great God". This was not a reference to his father, although he also heaped praise on Paisley Sr, from whom he received the mantle - and the Westminster seat.
Jim Allister was defiant and vowed his 'Traditional Unionist Voice' would "fight on" - despite receiving less than four percent of votes cast across the North. "I would rather lose and hold on to my principles," he lectured the DUP, "than sacrifice my principles for the trappings of office."
The DUP laughed off Allister's defiance. But the Paisleyite celebrations were marred by the shock news from East Belfast, just then filtering through.
And, with Sinn Fein set to outpoll the DUP next year, there will be more hard thinking for unionism ahead of next year's Assembly elections. Already there have been declarations that the DUP should consider take the distressed Ulster Unionists under their wing to try to maintain unionist dominance in the Assembly.
But Sinn Fein's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness held out an olive branch, and said he would continue to work with First Minister Peter Robinson despite his loss in the election.
Mr Robinson's loss was a "shock to us all", but the people had spoken, he said. The people had also charged Mr Robinson to continue in the Executive, and he said he would remain in government alongside him.
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