Strangford Constituency

[mutley]

Electorate: 66,648
Turnout: 36,340
Total Valid Poll: 36,019
Quota: 5,147


Iris Robinson MP (DUP) 5917 Votes (16.4%)
Jim Shannon (DUP) 4788 Votes (13.3%)
Kieran McCarthy (Alliance) 4085 Votes (11.3%)
Simon Hamilton (DUP) 3889 Votes (10.8%)
David McNarry (UUP) 3709 Votes (10.3%)
Michelle McIlveen (DUP) 3468 Votes (9.6%)

The now infamous Iris Robinson, has since left the DUP after a Spotlight investigation revealed that not only had she been having an affair with a teenager, she had suceeded in persuading two property developers to bankroll her toyboy in setting up a Cafe, and allegedly taking a £5,000 kickback for herself.
The PSNI have investigated but the Public Prosectution service have decided not to prosecute Mrs Robinson

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12717730

The Westminster Elections of 2010, demonstrated that Iris's rumble in the jungle, did not impact on the DUP's support.

Watch out for the SDLP in this Constituency, they could make it a first for a Nationalist Seat here, helped along by recent Boundary changes. That is unless the DUP and UUP can get the Unionist voters out, to prevent such an atrocity

Celebrity parachutist Mike Nesbitt (of UTV fame), might see they UUP take back a seat from the DUP

[ang]

Map of Constituency:-

Attachment 94



This constituency takes in most of Ards District Council, parts of Castlereagh District Council and the Saintfield area of Down District Council. The member of parliament has been Iris Robinson since the 2001 election; John Taylor (UUP deputy leader) had represented it since it was formed in 1983, but chose to stand down at the election (and got a life peerage, becoming Lord Kilclooney). The DUP hold four of the Assembly seats here with the UUP and Alliance one each (in 2007 the DUP gained a seat from the UUP; in 2003 they had gained the seat won by the UKUP in 1998). The constituency's western (Castlereagh) part was substantially rearranged in 1995; its eastern part was shunted southward, losing Donaghadee to North Down but gaining from South Down.




2007 Losers:-

Joe Boyle (SDLP) 3068 (8.5%)
Angus Carson (UUP) 2128 (5.9%)
Dermot Kennedy (SF) 1089 (3.0%)
*George Ennis (UKUP) 872 (2.4%)
Stephanie Sim (Green) 868 (2.4%)
Michael Henderson (UUP) 675 (1.9%)
Martin Gregg (Independent) 650 (1.8%)
Robert Little (Conservative) 508 (1.4%)
Cedric Wilson (Independent Unionist) 305 (0.8%)

[ang]

Confirmed candidates for Assembley 2011 Elections:-

Cecil Andrews: UKIP

Jonathan Bell: DUP

Joe Boyle: SDLP

Mickey Coogan: Sinn Fein

Simon Hamilton: DUP

Kieran McCarthy: Alliance Party

Michelle McIlveen: DUP

David McNarry: UUP

Mike Nesbitt: UUP

Billy Walker: DUP

Terry Williams: TUV

[mutley]

Confirmed candidates for Assembley 2011 Elections:-

Jonathan Bell DUP
Michelle McIlveen DUP
Simon Hamilton DUP
William Walker DUP

Add

UKIP Cecil Andrews
SDLP Joe Boyle
UUP David McNarry
UUP Mike Nesbitt

[5intheface]

Elected First Count

Michelle McIlveen
Jonathan Bell (DUP)
and
Kieran McCarthy (All)

Mike Nesbitt looks to have the advantage over his UU running mate David McNarry.

[5intheface]

First Count

Michelle McIlveen DUP 4,573 15.4%
Kieran McCarthy All 4,284 14.4%
Jonathan Bell DUP 4,265 14.4%
Simon Hamilton DUP 3,456 11.6%
Mike Nesbitt UUP 3,273 11.0%
David McNarry UUP 2,773 9.3%
Joe Boyle SDLP 2,525 8.5%
Billy Walker DUP 2,175 7.3%
Mickey Coogan SF 902 3.0%
Terry Williams TUV 841 2.8%
Cecil Andrews Others 601 2.0%

Quota - 4239