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07/05/2010
Ritchie Win Underlines Leadership
A Sinn Fein Stormont Minister has been displaced by an Assembly Executive colleague.
The SDLP's new leader Margaret Ritchie has held on to the South Down Westminster seat held by her party's outgoing MP, Eddie McGrady, (both pictured here).
The NI Minister for Social Development polled 20,648 votes, well ahead of NI Education Minister Caitriona Ruane of Sinn Fein, with 12,236.
Jim Wells of the DUP received 3,645 votes, John McCallister, Ulster Conservatives and Unionists - New Force, 3,093, Ivor McConnell, TUV, 1,506, Cadogan Enright, Greens, 901, and David Griffin, Alliance Party, 560.
Ms Ritchie was only elected as the leader of the SDLP in February of this year and is the sole member of the party in the Northern Ireland Executive.
"I am proud of the people of South Down, because the people of South Down are the salt of the earth and they have shown that they want real representation for all of the community in South Down," she said.
The party leader was at 'dangers-drawn' with the Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams, over the SDLP's rejection of a poll agreement to allow a single candidate in Fermanagh South Tyrone, after SF withdrew from the South Belfast constituency.
Margaret Ritchie underlined the SF policy of abstention from Westminster as her main reason for rejection.
(BMcC/GK)
The SDLP's new leader Margaret Ritchie has held on to the South Down Westminster seat held by her party's outgoing MP, Eddie McGrady, (both pictured here).
The NI Minister for Social Development polled 20,648 votes, well ahead of NI Education Minister Caitriona Ruane of Sinn Fein, with 12,236.
Jim Wells of the DUP received 3,645 votes, John McCallister, Ulster Conservatives and Unionists - New Force, 3,093, Ivor McConnell, TUV, 1,506, Cadogan Enright, Greens, 901, and David Griffin, Alliance Party, 560.
Ms Ritchie was only elected as the leader of the SDLP in February of this year and is the sole member of the party in the Northern Ireland Executive.
"I am proud of the people of South Down, because the people of South Down are the salt of the earth and they have shown that they want real representation for all of the community in South Down," she said.
The party leader was at 'dangers-drawn' with the Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams, over the SDLP's rejection of a poll agreement to allow a single candidate in Fermanagh South Tyrone, after SF withdrew from the South Belfast constituency.
Margaret Ritchie underlined the SF policy of abstention from Westminster as her main reason for rejection.
(BMcC/GK)
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