Ritchie in toughest battle yet

Ritchie in toughest battle yet

7 June 2017

VOTERS go to the polls tomorrow to elect new MPs for the South Down and Strangford constituencies.

The battle for the South Down seat is a straight two-way fight between the SDLP’s Margaret Ritchie and Sinn Fein’s Chris Hazzard, while the DUP’s Jim Shannon is the runaway favourite to retain the Strangford seat where he currently has a 10,000 plus majority.

All eyes will be on the battle between Nationalism and Republicanism in South Down with the outcome to be revealed during the early hours of Friday morning during what promises to be a nervous election count in Lisburn.

Mr Hazzard is aiming to make history by winning the seat, while Miss Ritchie is hoping the SDLP’s dominance of Westminster elections in South Down over the past 30 years continues.

Ahead of tomorrow’s poll the big question is can Sinn Fein continue its recent election success or will a significant number of unionist voters opt to back Miss Ritchie to deny Republicans the Westminster seat?

Only five candidates are 

contesting the South Down election with the DUP’s Diane Forsythe and Ulster Unionist Harold McKee battling for the hearts and minds of unionists as they seek to maximise the pro-union vote. Andrew McMurray is hoping to build on Alliance’s continued growth across South Down.

Mrs Forsythe, who is contesting her first election, said a vote for the DUP is not just a vote for the Union, but for strong representation at Westminster, while Mr McKee, who lost his Assembly seat several months ago, maintains the Westminster election is not a re-run of last year’s referendum on EU membership, insisting the focus must be on getting the best deal possible for Northern Ireland as part of the Brexit negotiations.

Mr McMurray is encouraging first time voters to come out in numbers tomorrow and believes that now, more than ever, South Down needs a “progressive, liberal voice in Westminster.”

The main battle is between Miss Ritchie and Mr Hazzard with the contest between the pair the tightest election race in three decades.

Miss Ritchie insists she is the best person to represent South Down at Westminster and retain the seat she has held since 2010, while Mr Hazzard believes there is an appetite for change in the constituency.

Miss Ritchie said the general election is about representation at Westminster and at home and to be an “abstentionist MP” would be failing the people of South Down. She insists that like her predecessor Eddie McGrady, she has strived to be an MP for everyone.

The SDLP candidate said South Down needs “real representation” voting on the floor of the House of Commons, debating in the chambers and driving forward the interests of South Down in the committee rooms at Westminster.

Mr Hazzard said the people of South Down need a “strong voice asking the difficult questions” and putting their needs at the top of the agenda, insisting there is an appetite for real political change in the constituency.

He said alongside the appetite for change is a growing desire for “vibrant, relevant and dynamic political leadership” and believes that having a strong Sinn Féin team is the recipe for success.

In Strangford, while Mr Shannon is the red hot favourite to retain his seat, much focus will be on whether Alliance’s Kellie Armstrong can finish second ahead of former Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt.

The battle for the Strangford seat is one of the most low key in living memory with Mr Shannon expected to comfortably retain his 10,000 plus majority in the constituency.

Elsewhere, Ards and North Down councillor Joe Boyle is flying the flag for the SDLP, just over two months after he came agonisingly close to securing the fifth Assembly seat up for grabs.

Sinn Fein has selected Carole Murphy, with the party keen to increase its electoral performance in the constituency, while the Northern Ireland Conservatives candidate is Claire Hiscott, from the Bristol West constituency in England. The Green Party’s candidate is Comber woman Ricky Bamford.