Michelle Gildernew, Sinn Fein, at the election count at Omagh Leisure Complex.
DEFEATED WESTMINSTER candidate Michelle Gildernew will remain a Sinn Fein activist and has no plans on saying goodbye to politics just yet.
The former Fermanagh South Tyrone MP from 2001 has not ruled out standing for the Assembly elections next year, but has yet to make up her mind.
“I haven’t made up my mind, I haven’t really had a discussion with the party yet either to find out what their plans are for me. I’ve been working for Sinn Fein from pre-1998, I was their party rep in London, I don’t know what they’re thinking of doing with me. I have to be guided by them as well and the role they’re likely to ask me to take on so I have no hard and fast or firm views on the future.
“I’m a never say never type of person, but I’m ruling anything out or I’m not making any hard or fast plans.”
The Brantry woman was proud of the 23,078 votes received, an increase of 8.3%, rather than disappointed at the loss.
“I think there’s an awful lot to be positive about to be honest. Yes the combined forces of unionism this time beat us, but I’m more disappointed for the people who were looking to me for progressive, positive leadership and my work-ethic for the policies I have a proven track record on, for example anti-fracking, anti-austerity, I’m disappointed for those people, because I don’t think Tom will have the same interest in the working class people that I have.”
“I’m maybe surprised I’m not as disappointed as I might have been. I genuinely feel the vote we got was incredible, the support I got from communities right across the board in Fermanagh South Tyrone was amazing, I’m very, very proud and privileged to be given the vote that I was.”
The Sinn Fein candidate dismissed Tom Elliott’s assertions that she ran a ‘negative’ campaign, but did suggest the SDLP vote of 2,732 may have played a part in her defeat.
“Well their vote is bigger than the vote I lost by so yes it did factor, but I think people who voted for the SDLP will be considering whether they really wanted an ex-UDR man to be representing them.”
She also commented upon the role of the St Joseph’s Pro Life Group, who distributed 20,000 leaflets across Fermanagh South Tyrone in the run up to Thursday, calling on members of the public to vote for an anti-abortion candidate.
“I was talking to a clergyman in the constituency and he was very angry that leaflets appeared in his church. He had not been asked permission for anyone to put them there and there was no name or contact number for him to identify where those leaflets came from.”
Looking ahead Mrs Gildernew says time will tell if Mr Elliott is the right choice, with austerity and fracking two issues of concern
“Time will prove whether Tom’s position on the green benches has a positive impact on Fermanagh South Tyrone. It will be his actions and what he does and how he does them, the votes that he takes part in and the implications that they have on the people of Fermanagh South Tyrone and he will be judged by that.”
She added: “This is not about the here and now it’s about the future, I’ve been an activist all my adult life and that’s not going to change and I still want to play a positive, constructive role in developing and building a society, maybe now from a civic point of view as opposed to an elected point of view, but I still think I have a role to play.”
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere