Battle on for Westminster

Battle on for Westminster

11 December 2019

VOTERS go to the polls tomorrow to elect new MPs for the South Down and Strangford constituencies in the first Christmas election since 1923.

The festive battle for the South Down seat is a straight two-way fight between Sinn Fein’s Chris Hazzard and the SDLP’s Michael Savage, while the DUP’s Jim Shannon is once again the runaway favourite to retain the Strangford seat which he currently holds with a mammoth 18,000 majority.

Just over 3,000 new voters have been added to the South Down electoral register ahead of tomorrow’s poll with turnout and weather among the key issues exercising the minds of the various parties.

All eyes will be on the battle between Nationalism and Republicanism where Sinn Fein made history in 2017, wrestling the seat away from the SDLP which had held it for the previous 30 years.

Mr Hazzard saw off sitting MP Margaret Ritchie to win the seat with a 2,446 majority and he will be keen to not only retain the seat, but increase his majority.

Mr Hazzard faces a new challenge from the SDLP in the shape of Newry councillor Michael Savage.

Aontú, which is contesting its first parliamentary election, has chosen Paul Brady, a former teacher at Convent of Mercy Primary School in Downpatrick, as its candidate, his nomination coming after the party fielded three candidates in this year’s Newry, Mourne and Down Council election.

While Aontú failed to secure any seats, it secured a total of 1,055 votes in the Downpatrick, Slieve Croob and Rowallane areas. Tomorrow’s election is the first time voters across the constituency will have an opportunity to support Aontú.

The battle for the hearts and minds of unionist voters will be fought between the DUP’s Glyn Hanna and Ulster Unionist Jill Macauley. The parties polled 8,867 and 2,002 votes respectively in 2017 in what was a particularly disappointing result for the UUP.

Mr Hanna is replacing his daughter Diane Forsythe, who stood two years ago and significantly increased the party’s vote.

Mrs Macauley —  a former Newry, Mourne and Down councillor — has her work cut out and will be looking anxiously over her shoulder at Alliance’s Patrick Brown, who is quietly confident that he can finish fourth behind Sinn Fein, the SDLP and DUP.

Alliance enjoyed a terrific local government election in South Down in May and while it only secured two seats, its candidates amassed a total of 5,162 votes, with Brown almost tripling the party’s vote in Rowallane. 

Mr Hazzard, who said Sinn Fein had a “proven record of delivery”, insists that tomorrow’s election is an opportunity to reject the “reckless Tory/DUP Brexit” and drive forward momentum for Irish unity. 

He said that in electing a strong voice for the constituency, people opted for someone who was rooted in the local community, but relevant on the national stage and a party that delivered on decentralising government jobs from Belfast to Downpatrick, building the new Downe Hospital, making funding available for new schools, ensured payments for hillside farmers continued and increased investment in the constituency’s roads infrastructure.

Mr Savage described tomorrow’s parliamentary poll as a defining election and said that local people “deserve more than an empty seat in parliament” while Brexit threatens jobs, businesses and communities.

He described Brexit as a “national emergency” which threatens people, jobs and businesses across Ireland at a time of immense crisis. The SDLP candidate said it’s just not good enough that the current MP “has decided to abstain on this island’s future”.

Mr Hanna says there are many issues which DUP voters are concerned about, including abortion and gay marriage, conceding that Brexit is “undoubtedly going to be a key issue for many”, in particular, those who work in the fishing industry.

“My priority will also be keeping the Union safe; maintaining it is absolutely vital,” he said. “The

people in South Down have consistently placed their trust in the DUP. I topped the poll in the Mournes DEA in the last council election, doubling my vote. The unionist people who want to remain British need to vote for the DUP.”

Mrs Macauley said her party believes in a Union which is “respectful, inclusive and welcoming to all”, warning that the Brexit deal on the table will “tear it apart”. She said her party is also implacably opposed to the DUP-agreed regulatory border in the Irish Sea.

Insisting that she wants to be a strong voice for those who believe in the Union, the UUP candidate said that her party opposes the proposed Historical Investigations Unit which, she claims, will focus on former police and soldiers during the troubles, not the terrorists. She has also highlighted the need to “clean up and fundamentally reform the scandal-hit Stormont”.

Mr Brown believes that more than ever, a progressive, liberal voice is needed in Westminster representing South Down. He said while the DUP failed to represent the majority of people in Northern Ireland and Sinn Fein didn’t take their Westminster seats, “every Alliance MP elected will deliver for everyone in our society”.

Mr Brown said his priorities included stopping Brexit, protecting the environment and working tirelessly for constituents. He believes that a vote for Alliance is a vote against Brexit and one that will put pressure on the UK Government to take immediate action to restore the Stormont institutions.

Mr Brady insists that Aontú has a “positive vision for the future” and said key election issues include a benefits system based on people’s needs, protecting the environment, improving the district’s infrastructure and health care and supporting local communities and businesses.

He said people are angry and frustrated at the leadership of nationalist Ireland with parties ignoring their membership and supporters of their polices “a million miles from their grassroots.”

Mr Brady said Aontú will fight for the right of life of every single individual and “seek the unity of the Irish people, prosperity and real economic justice for those blocked from the opportunities that all should have.”