Unionist chief quits as Sinn Fein vote soars
Parties have three weeks to form new administration
ULSTER Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt resigned last night, as Sinn Fein moved within touching distance of polling the most first preference votes in the Northern Ireland Assembly election.
Mr Nesbitt said the electorate had rejected his message and he had to take responsibility for what happened.
Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionists are on course to reinforce their grip on power at Stormont, with the Republican party closing the gap on their Unionist rivals
The Democratic Unionists maintained the top spot, despite their vote share falling as the Sinn Fein share surged. The DUP notched 225,413 first preferences, down 1.11 percentage points on last year, to Sinn Fein’s 224,245 – an increase of 3.89 percentage points.
But with the UUP failing to make any ground on the Democratic Unionists, and losing a number of high-profile seats, the former TV anchor fell on his sword.
The election, the second in 10 months, was called after the collapse of a coalition led by Arlene Foster’s DUP and Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness.
Mr McGuinness resigned over Mrs Foster’s refusal to step aside as first minister pending an inquiry into the renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme, which could cost the Northern Ireland tax payer £490 million.
Former DUP minister Jonathan Bell, who was suspended from the party for allegedly speaking to the press without permission over the RHI scandal, has also lost his seat.
The turnout for the election was the highest since the vote which followed the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
There was shock when four former ministers – two from the DUP, one from the SDLP and one from the Ulster Unionist party – lost their seats.
The SDLP suffered a body blow in Foyle – the traditional heartland of the party and former seat of its founder John Hume. Sinn Fein came home first and second in the count, leaving the SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and Mark H Durkan trailing in their wake.
Under Northern Ireland’s power-sharing agreement, the government must be run by Irish nationalists and Unionists together. The DUP and Sinn Fein will now have three weeks to resolve their multiple differences and form a new administration. The reimposition of direct rule from London is on the cards if the post-election talks fail.
If the three-week post-election deadline passes, Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire is legally obliged to call yet another election. But, in those circumstances, the Government may pass emergency legislation to suspend devolution for the first time in 10 years ahead of more lengthy negotiations.
The final results will be know today but Republicans are nevertheless buoyed by the result.
Sinn Fein’s Stormont leader, Michelle O’Neill, said: “I think it’s a great day for democracy. The vote has increased. I think that is because people knew that action needed to be taken, they have had their say, we now need to get down to the business of fixing what’s wrong and delivering for all citizens.”
DUP East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson said his party had held up well in the wake of the RHI debacle. He added:“Despite the torrents of abuse and smears and innuendo that was levelled against her, the people are sticking with her.”
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said Sinn Fein were the “net beneficiaries” of a huge nationalist turnout intent on punishing Mrs Foster. He said: “Those of us in the middle have been clearly squeezed.” BIANCA Jagger poses outside the Christian Dior show as part of the Paris Fashion Week, the fourth and final stop on the European tour.
The 71-year-old former wife of Rolling Stone lead singer Mick Jagger was one of many celebrities at the winter collection launch at the Musee Rodin in the French capital.
Also watching the models was singer Rihanna who matched them by wearing a beret, which was all the rage in the Dior collection. Also at the event was singer Solange Knowles. Picture: Getty for Dior.