Sinn Fein on course for a historic win

Sinn Fein is on course for a historic victory in the Northern Ireland Assembly election, after receiving the most first-preference votes.

With counting for the 90 Stormont seats continuing late last night, the republican party had won 16 seats, well ahead of the Alliance on seven, the DUP on six, the Ulster Unionists on three and the SDLP on one.

Sinn Fein looks set to emerge with the most seats after it received 250,388 first preferences, compared with 184,002 for the DUP and 116,681 for the Alliance Party.

The party’s vice-president Michelle O’Neill was elected on the first count in Mid Ulster, with Alliance leader Naomi Long topping the poll in East Belfast.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was elected on the first count in Lagan Valley.

Ms O’Neill, who received 10,845 first-preference votes, was surrounded by party colleagues and supporters as the result was announced in the Magherafelt count centre.

Speaking to reporters shortly before her election was announced, Ms O’Neill said she was “very grateful” to be with the people of Mid-Ulster.

She said that Sinn Fein wanted to “together work in partnership with others”.

“That is the only way we will achieve much, much more for people here, whether in terms of the cost-of-living crisis or trying to fix our health service.”

Ms Long, speaking in Belfast, said: “It’s been a good day so far for Alliance and obviously it’s been a good day for me personally in East Belfast, and also for Peter McReynolds, and we expect that we will hold the two seats there.”

The first MLA elected to the Stormont Assembly declared an Alliance Party surge.

Kellie Armstrong was elected for the Strangford constituency on the first stage of the count with 7,015 votes.

Congratulated by Alliance leader Naomi Long, Ms Armstrong said: “I’m absolutely delighted. I’ve held back using the word surge until now, but I think I’m feeling it now.”

Speaking to the press shortly before being elected in Newry and Armagh, outgoing finance minister Conor Murphy rubbished the SDLP suggestion voters had lent support to Sinn Fein.

The DUP and Sinn Fein are vying for top spot at Stormont, which comes with the entitlement to nominate the next first minister.

The Northern Ireland Protocol has cast a long shadow over the election campaign, following the resignation of first minister Paul Givan in February in an effort to force the UK Government to act over the post-Brexit trading arrangements.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson warned earlier that his party would not re-enter the Executive without government action over the protocol.

WINNER: Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill, centre, was elected on the first count.