DUP leader Arlene Foster celebrates her election this evening
DUP leader Arlene Foster says she hopes that the Stormont Assembly “will get back up and running again as soon as possible”.
Mrs Foster was speaking after being elected in Fermanagh and South Tyrone with 8745 votes. The result saw the SDLP’s Richie McPhillips eliminated at Stage 2 at the count centre in Omagh with 6276 votes.
Arlene Foster had earlier topped the poll, however her vote share fell by 400 on last year and she was the only candidate who didn’t see their vote increase. The DUP leader had kept to herself in a private room for most of the day refusing to speak to the media until her election was confirmed. The delay in the result was due to a recount ordered by Mr McPhillips who was around 47 votes behind Sinn Fein’s Sean Lynch at one stage this afternoon.
Sinn Fein’s Michelle Gildernew finished the second count with 8228 votes. She was followed by party colleague and political newcomer Jemma Dolan on 8023.
Barton, who has more than doubled her vote on last year, currently sits at 6863.
Speaking to the media after being elected, Mrs Foster said it was “a great honour” to be the first elected in the constituency, adding that it “very clear” that this election had not been about the RHI scandal.
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