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04/05/2018
Sinn Féin Win West Tyrone By-Election
Sinn Féin's Órfhlaith Begley has won Barry McElduff's West Tyrone seat at Westminster.
Ms Begley received 16,346 votes, almost double that of the DUP's Tom Buchanan, who came second with 8,390 votes. The by-election – triggered by McElduff's resignation earlier this year – had a total turnout of 55.13%, down from the previous by-elections of 63%.
Speaking from Omagh Leisure Centre last night, Ms Beglay said that the electorate in West Tyrone had ‘seized the opportunity' to vote for equality and fairness.
She continued: "This is an historic result for Sinn Féin. The people of West Tyrone have elected their first female MP but, more than that, they have given a huge endorsement to our vision for a new type of politics and an Ireland that treats every single citizen with equality and respect.
"The electorate seized the opportunity to vote for equality and fairness and to reject borders and division and I want to thank every single person who voted for me and Sinn Féin.
"I pledge to be an MP for all citizens and to champion the issues that will improve the lives of the people in West Tyrone – attracting jobs, the completion of the A5, the rollout of broadband and defending our communities against the impact of austerity cuts and Brexit.
"I also want to thank all of our activists who travelled from all parts of the island in what was a truly national effort to secure this result.
"The people of West Tyrone have overwhelmingly endorsed Sinn Féin's position that the political institutions must be restored on the basis of rights, respect and equality.
"They have once again turned their back on Westminster because they see that the centre of political gravity is now on the island of Ireland.
"They see that Ireland is changing and there now exists an opportunity to create a new Ireland, one of opportunity, of prosperity and a place in which everyone calls home. I look forward to working as part of an all-Ireland team to make this new Ireland a reality."
Welcoming the result, Sinn Féin President Mary-Lou McDonald said: "In the last election, Sinn Féin took a massive percentage share, winning 50 percent of the total vote in West Tyrone.
"All the predictions were that it would be impossible to come close to that result but tonight, Órfhlaith Begley has done just that in her first election and created history by becoming the first female MP for West Tyrone.
"That is a stunning victory for Órfhlaith and for Sinn Féin."
The result, Mary-Lou McDonald added, should be seen as a mandate to end the DUP's blockage on a return to the power-sharing institutions.
She commented: "This election was the first time the people have been to the polls since the DUP walked away from the draft agreement and collapsed the talks process.
"Tonight the people have given their verdict on that and it is a huge endorsement for genuine power-sharing based on rights, equality and respect for all.
"The DUP should now end their blockage on a return to power-sharing and if they refuse, there is an onus on the two governments to urgently convene the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference to resolve the equality and rights issues at the heart of the crisis."
(MH/LM)
Ms Begley received 16,346 votes, almost double that of the DUP's Tom Buchanan, who came second with 8,390 votes. The by-election – triggered by McElduff's resignation earlier this year – had a total turnout of 55.13%, down from the previous by-elections of 63%.
Speaking from Omagh Leisure Centre last night, Ms Beglay said that the electorate in West Tyrone had ‘seized the opportunity' to vote for equality and fairness.
She continued: "This is an historic result for Sinn Féin. The people of West Tyrone have elected their first female MP but, more than that, they have given a huge endorsement to our vision for a new type of politics and an Ireland that treats every single citizen with equality and respect.
"The electorate seized the opportunity to vote for equality and fairness and to reject borders and division and I want to thank every single person who voted for me and Sinn Féin.
"I pledge to be an MP for all citizens and to champion the issues that will improve the lives of the people in West Tyrone – attracting jobs, the completion of the A5, the rollout of broadband and defending our communities against the impact of austerity cuts and Brexit.
"I also want to thank all of our activists who travelled from all parts of the island in what was a truly national effort to secure this result.
"The people of West Tyrone have overwhelmingly endorsed Sinn Féin's position that the political institutions must be restored on the basis of rights, respect and equality.
"They have once again turned their back on Westminster because they see that the centre of political gravity is now on the island of Ireland.
"They see that Ireland is changing and there now exists an opportunity to create a new Ireland, one of opportunity, of prosperity and a place in which everyone calls home. I look forward to working as part of an all-Ireland team to make this new Ireland a reality."
Welcoming the result, Sinn Féin President Mary-Lou McDonald said: "In the last election, Sinn Féin took a massive percentage share, winning 50 percent of the total vote in West Tyrone.
"All the predictions were that it would be impossible to come close to that result but tonight, Órfhlaith Begley has done just that in her first election and created history by becoming the first female MP for West Tyrone.
"That is a stunning victory for Órfhlaith and for Sinn Féin."
The result, Mary-Lou McDonald added, should be seen as a mandate to end the DUP's blockage on a return to the power-sharing institutions.
She commented: "This election was the first time the people have been to the polls since the DUP walked away from the draft agreement and collapsed the talks process.
"Tonight the people have given their verdict on that and it is a huge endorsement for genuine power-sharing based on rights, equality and respect for all.
"The DUP should now end their blockage on a return to power-sharing and if they refuse, there is an onus on the two governments to urgently convene the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference to resolve the equality and rights issues at the heart of the crisis."
(MH/LM)
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