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| Sinn Féin makes major gains in Northern Ireland elections | Sinn Féin makes major gains in Northern Ireland elections |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Sinn Féin, the Irish republican party, has made major gains over the Democratic Unionist party in a snap election, leaving the two blocs poised to begin new power-sharing negotiations in Northern Ireland’s devolved assembly. | |
| The make-up of the elected chamber has been significantly altered as Sinn Féin made major gains over the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in a snap vote called after the collapse of the last government. | The make-up of the elected chamber has been significantly altered as Sinn Féin made major gains over the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in a snap vote called after the collapse of the last government. |
| Having entered the election 10 seats ahead of Sinn Féin, the DUP’s advantage was slashed to a solitary seat as the republican party’s support surged. | Having entered the election 10 seats ahead of Sinn Féin, the DUP’s advantage was slashed to a solitary seat as the republican party’s support surged. |
| The Ulster Unionist leader, Mike Nesbitt, announced his resignation after a poor showing, while the DUP leader and former first minister, Arlene Foster, will face intense scrutiny after her party fell below the threshold to trigger a Stormont veto mechanism. | The Ulster Unionist leader, Mike Nesbitt, announced his resignation after a poor showing, while the DUP leader and former first minister, Arlene Foster, will face intense scrutiny after her party fell below the threshold to trigger a Stormont veto mechanism. |
| The last power-sharing government collapsed when Foster, refused to step aside during a public inquiry into the scandal. After a tense day of counting in Omagh, Co Tyrone, Foster was returned to Stormont on Friday night. | The last power-sharing government collapsed when Foster, refused to step aside during a public inquiry into the scandal. After a tense day of counting in Omagh, Co Tyrone, Foster was returned to Stormont on Friday night. |
| The nationalist SDLP also fared better than many expected, replacing the UUP as the third largest party in the aAssembly. The election attracted a high turnout of almost 65%. | The nationalist SDLP also fared better than many expected, replacing the UUP as the third largest party in the aAssembly. The election attracted a high turnout of almost 65%. |
| Sinn Féin’s northern leader, Michelle O’Neill, said: “I think it’s a brilliant day for equality, I think it’s a great day for democracy. | Sinn Féin’s northern leader, Michelle O’Neill, said: “I think it’s a brilliant day for equality, 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.” | “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.” |
| The results mean that the DUP and Sinn Féin will once again lead the negotiations aimed at creating a new power-sharing government in Belfast when they take place on Monday. However, the prospect of the parties reaching agreement in the three-week timeframe imposed by the Northern Ireland secretary, James Brokenshire, appears remote. | The results mean that the DUP and Sinn Féin will once again lead the negotiations aimed at creating a new power-sharing government in Belfast when they take place on Monday. However, the prospect of the parties reaching agreement in the three-week timeframe imposed by the Northern Ireland secretary, James Brokenshire, appears remote. |
| If that deadline passes, the government would be obliged to call yet another snap election, but it may instead opt to put Stormont in cold storage and reintroduce direct rule. | If that deadline passes, the government would be obliged to call yet another snap election, but it may instead opt to put Stormont in cold storage and reintroduce direct rule. |
| The DUP emerged with 28 seats, Sinn Féin had 27, SDLP 12, the UUP 10, the Alliance party eight, the Greens two, People Before Profit one, the Traditional Unionist Voice one and one independent unionist. | The DUP emerged with 28 seats, Sinn Féin had 27, SDLP 12, the UUP 10, the Alliance party eight, the Greens two, People Before Profit one, the Traditional Unionist Voice one and one independent unionist. |
| That leaves 40 unionists and 39 nationalist/republicans, with the remainder of the 90 MLAs affiliated to neither tradition. | That leaves 40 unionists and 39 nationalist/republicans, with the remainder of the 90 MLAs affiliated to neither tradition. |
| Nesbitt has said he will remain as UUP leader until a successor is found. | Nesbitt has said he will remain as UUP leader until a successor is found. |
| He said it had been an “absolute honour” to lead the party. “In pure terms, the buck stops here,” he said. | He said it had been an “absolute honour” to lead the party. “In pure terms, the buck stops here,” he said. |
| He said his real regret was that Northern Ireland society appeared to have emerged from the election more polarised. Nesbitt said the electorate had rejected his hope for a post-sectarian vote. | He said his real regret was that Northern Ireland society appeared to have emerged from the election more polarised. Nesbitt said the electorate had rejected his hope for a post-sectarian vote. |
| “We will get there,” he said. “Some day Northern Ireland will vote as a normal democracy. We will vote in a post-sectarian election, but it’s now clear it will not happen during the duration of my political career.” | “We will get there,” he said. “Some day Northern Ireland will vote as a normal democracy. We will vote in a post-sectarian election, but it’s now clear it will not happen during the duration of my political career.” |
| At least Nesbitt won his assembly seat; other high-profile MLAs were not so fortunate. | At least Nesbitt won his assembly seat; other high-profile MLAs were not so fortunate. |
| The loss of former minister Danny Kennedy’s seat in the Newry and Armagh border constituency symbolised the demise of the Ulster Unionists. Despite public anger at the DUP, who were accused of mishandling and defending a botched green energy scheme, which has the potential to cost the taxpayer half a billion pounds, the larger unionist party easily beat off the challenge from the UUP. | The loss of former minister Danny Kennedy’s seat in the Newry and Armagh border constituency symbolised the demise of the Ulster Unionists. Despite public anger at the DUP, who were accused of mishandling and defending a botched green energy scheme, which has the potential to cost the taxpayer half a billion pounds, the larger unionist party easily beat off the challenge from the UUP. |
| Arriving at the Titanic Exhibition Centre where all four Belfast constituencies were being counted, the Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, paid tribute to retired deputy first minister Martin McGuinness, who left the post due to ill health. | Arriving at the Titanic Exhibition Centre where all four Belfast constituencies were being counted, the Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, paid tribute to retired deputy first minister Martin McGuinness, who left the post due to ill health. |
| After referring to the party’s increased share of the vote as a “big thank you to Martin McGuinness and his family”, Adams said there would be “no return to the status quo” after the election. | After referring to the party’s increased share of the vote as a “big thank you to Martin McGuinness and his family”, Adams said there would be “no return to the status quo” after the election. |
| Adams appeared to adopt a hardline stance over Foster, insisting that the DUP should nominate someone else as either the first or deputy first minister. | Adams appeared to adopt a hardline stance over Foster, insisting that the DUP should nominate someone else as either the first or deputy first minister. |
| But the DUP MP for East Antrim, Sammy Wilson, said it was up to “the DUP and the DUP alone” to pick its choice as first minister should the party remain the main force in the new Stormont parliament. | But the DUP MP for East Antrim, Sammy Wilson, said it was up to “the DUP and the DUP alone” to pick its choice as first minister should the party remain the main force in the new Stormont parliament. |
| O’Neill, who replaced McGuinness, topped the poll in her Mid Ulster constituency with 10,258 first preference votes. After her election, O’Neill said the will was still there to rebuild a power-sharing coalition with unionists. | O’Neill, who replaced McGuinness, topped the poll in her Mid Ulster constituency with 10,258 first preference votes. After her election, O’Neill said the will was still there to rebuild a power-sharing coalition with unionists. |