Alliance set for another seat shake up

The Alliance Party is poised to register another political upset in Northern Ireland by landing a European parliamentary seat.

Party leader Naomi Long notched almost 106,000 first preference votes, coming in just behind Sinn Fein and the DUP in the first round of counting.

The Alliance vote share is double that of the 53,052 gained by the Ulster Unionist Party, which had been defending the third seat.

No candidate reached the 143,112 quota after the first round of counting.

Sinn Fein's Martina Anderson repeated her feat of 2014 and topped the poll with 126,951 first preferences.

DUP MEP Diane Dodds is also on course to retain her seat, registering 124,991 votes.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood notched 78,589 first preferences.

UUP candidate Danny Kennedy limped in sixth in the first round, behind the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice party Jim Allister, who scored 62,021 votes.

He was then elminated in the second round of counting.

Leader Robin Swann admitted it's been a difficult few weeks for his party, following a disappointing council result.

Sinn Féin Vice President Michelle O’Neill has hailed Martina Anderson’s poll-topping European election victory as a ‘vital win for all those who wish to remain in the EU’.

Speaking from the count centre in Magherafelt, Michelle O’Neill also thanked all those who had ‘made history’ by endorsing two pro-Remain MEPs.

“This is a vital result in terms of sending the right message to Brussels and Britain that we voted to remain in 2016 – and we are still determined to remain,” she said.

“I would like to thank all those who came out in this election. You have helped make history and it is clearly no coincidence that the result endorsing pro-Remain parties so closely reflects the EU referendum result in the North. People want to see progressive politics and progressive parties working together.

“The British Government and the DUP need to start listening. They need to start respecting the democratic wishes of the people here to remain in the EU. The people gave their verdict in 2016 and they have reaffirmed it here today – there is no good Brexit for Ireland, North or South.”

Michelle O’Neill also paid tribute to the successful Sinn Féin candidate, Martina Anderson.

She commented: “Martina fought a fantastic, energetic campaign in much the same way that she has been fighting tirelessly against the toxic Brexit agenda and to prevent the people here being dragged out of the EU against their will.

“It is crucial that we are sending her back to Brussels to continue that fight.

“Brexit has not yet happened and it may not happen at all. Equally, a catastrophic No-Deal deal crash is still possible. In any case, there are major negotiations and upheaval ahead – particularly in terms of safeguarding your rights as EU citizens. It’s vital that we have the strongest possible voice in there fighting on your behalf and that is precisely what we have delivered in this election."