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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Francie Molloy holds Mid Ulster seat for Sinn Féin | Francie Molloy holds Mid Ulster seat for Sinn Féin |
| (7 months later) | |
| Sinn Féin has retained the Westminster seat of Mid Ulster vacated by the departure of Martin McGuinness on a majority cut sharply from the general election. | Sinn Féin has retained the Westminster seat of Mid Ulster vacated by the departure of Martin McGuinness on a majority cut sharply from the general election. |
| The veteran republican Francie Molloy was elected as boycott MP after polling 17,462 votes (46.93%), although the Sinn Féin majority was down by almost 10,000 votes. | The veteran republican Francie Molloy was elected as boycott MP after polling 17,462 votes (46.93%), although the Sinn Féin majority was down by almost 10,000 votes. |
| His closest rival, the United Unionist Coalition candidate Nigel Lutton, received 12,781 votes on a lower than expected 55% turnout at the polls on Thursday. | His closest rival, the United Unionist Coalition candidate Nigel Lutton, received 12,781 votes on a lower than expected 55% turnout at the polls on Thursday. |
| The contest was dominated by issues from the Troubles: a neighbouring MP alleged Molloy had been part of an IRA unit which killed Lutton's policeman father in 1979, and there wererevelations that Lutton's uncle was a convicted killer in a loyalist terrorist group. Throughout the campaign, Molloy strenuously denied any involvement in the murder of Lutton's father. | The contest was dominated by issues from the Troubles: a neighbouring MP alleged Molloy had been part of an IRA unit which killed Lutton's policeman father in 1979, and there wererevelations that Lutton's uncle was a convicted killer in a loyalist terrorist group. Throughout the campaign, Molloy strenuously denied any involvement in the murder of Lutton's father. |
| At the count in Cookstown, Molloy said: "We were contesting against the deputy first minister, so that was a very hard act to follow and hopefully we will fill those shoes." | At the count in Cookstown, Molloy said: "We were contesting against the deputy first minister, so that was a very hard act to follow and hopefully we will fill those shoes." |
| He will take his seat in the assembly but boycott Westminster because Sinn Féin refuses to recognise its right to legislate for any part of Ireland. | He will take his seat in the assembly but boycott Westminster because Sinn Féin refuses to recognise its right to legislate for any part of Ireland. |
| McGuinness, who stepped down from the Westminster seat in line with Sinn Féin's policy of no double-jobbing among its abstentionist MPs and assembly members, blamed the media for his party's drop in the vote in a constituency it has dominated since 1997. | McGuinness, who stepped down from the Westminster seat in line with Sinn Féin's policy of no double-jobbing among its abstentionist MPs and assembly members, blamed the media for his party's drop in the vote in a constituency it has dominated since 1997. |
| "The media said Francie Molloy is home in a boat, Nigel Lutton has no prospect whatsoever and I think a certain amount of complacency sets in," he said. "For us it was a tremendous result of 17,000 votes. A great result for Francie Molly and a great result for Sinn Féin." | "The media said Francie Molloy is home in a boat, Nigel Lutton has no prospect whatsoever and I think a certain amount of complacency sets in," he said. "For us it was a tremendous result of 17,000 votes. A great result for Francie Molly and a great result for Sinn Féin." |
| Lutton, who works as a funeral director, described himself as "the undertaker that resurrected unionism". He said that by standing as a UUC candidate he had set a precedent for unionism in every constituency across Northern Ireland. | Lutton, who works as a funeral director, described himself as "the undertaker that resurrected unionism". He said that by standing as a UUC candidate he had set a precedent for unionism in every constituency across Northern Ireland. |
| Both the SDLP and Alliance party candidates increased their votes in a lower turnout but were never close to challenging in the mainly rural constituency. | Both the SDLP and Alliance party candidates increased their votes in a lower turnout but were never close to challenging in the mainly rural constituency. |
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