Just 155 votes behind

Just 155 votes behind

11 May 2016

THE defiant message from newly elected Sinn Fein MLAs Chris Hazzard and Caitriona Ruane is that Republicans are “ready and waiting” for the SDLP at the next election having narrowed the gap to less than 200 votes.

The MLAs said there is now “virtually nothing in it” between the two parties and conceded while it was a big ask for Sinn Fein to secure three seats in South Down this time around, the party’s vote management had once again worked extremely well.

The gap between Sinn Fein and the SDLP at the last Assembly election five years ago was 2,000 votes. Now it’s just 155 with Mr Hazzard describing the distance separating republicans and nationalists as a “hair’s breadth.”

He continued: “South Down is no longer an SDLP stronghold. The gap between ourselves and the SDLP is effectively gone. We polled almost 12,800 first preference votes and have been consistently gaining ground on the SDLP and were very confident of a good result given Sinn Fein’s delivery at Stormont.

“South Down is a big rural area and the Sinn Fein message clearly resonates with a lot of people out there. We put up three candidates and Michael (Gray-Sloan) was eliminated just I was elected. However, he polled tremendously well.”

Mr Hazzard said voters view Sinn Fein as party which has and will continue to deliver change across the constituency and explained his priorities when the new administration is up and running are health, education and the economy.

“The Downe Hospital is a priority and it has a vitally important role to play in health service delivery. Vital services have been reduced and we want to see these reinstated. We all want to see a health service that meets the needs of our citizens, so we need to sit down and put our heads together and work to deliver this.”

Mr Hazzard, who said the “serious budgeting issues” facing the education sector must also be a priority for the new Assembly alongside the economy and roads infrastructure issues, said he is keen to get back to work at the heart of the power sharing administration.

Ms Ruane said while Sinn Fein’s vote has gone up marginally, the SDLP’s has reduced by four per cent. She is also pleased two out of the six South Down MLAs are women. 

Preparing to serve her fourth term, Ms Ruane said her party is committed to power sharing at Stormont, making it clear this is the way it has to be for the foreseeable future. She said if other parties want to go into opposition “it is a matter for them,” but as far as Sinn Fein is concerned, the party made it clear before the election that it was going into government and that is what it fully intends to do.

“Sinn Fein was clear about tackling inequality wherever it was. We need power to change things and power isn’t a bad thing. It’s the abuse of it which is the problem,” she declared.

”Over the past five years I was on the Assembly Commission, the chief whip of the party and was also on the Policing Board. I was elected to chair the all-party women’s caucus and the person who nominated me was Paula Bradley from the DUP. I am glad she has been re-elected.”

Ms Ruane said she works with everyone and expressed sadness that Independent Unionist 

John McCallister had lost his seat, describing him as a “gentleman, a great colleague and someone you could work with.”

She added: “The more experienced politicians understand you have to work with everyone and I believe 

this constituency is the poorer for John’s absence. I also commiserate with Sean Rogers, but congratulate Jim (Wells) and Harold (McKee) on their election.”