Pat Cullen stormed to a convincing win for Sinn Féin in Fermanagh South Tyrone as she defeated the UUP’s candidate Diana Armstrong by more than 4,000 votes as the votes were counted in Magherafelt on Friday morning.
In what was expected to be a close contest, the former chief of the Royal College of Nursing increased the party’s majority in the constituency from 57 votes to 4,671.
Tallies earlier in the night showed what looked to be a contest which was too close to call in the notoriously even area, but in the end Sinn Féin’s gamble of not running previous MP Michelle Gildernew paid off.
Ms Cullen was asked in the immediate aftermath of her victory whether she would take her seat in Westminster, but replied that she has brought MPs to ‘her table’ during her time with the nursing union.
Pat Cullen asked if she will take her seat in Westminster, and whether she will move to the Fermanagh and South Tyrone area during her time as MP@irish_news #GE24 pic.twitter.com/P33158hHxS
— Conor Coyle (@ccoyle212) July 5, 2024
“I’m absolutely buzzing tonight, absolutely delighted but very privileged, very humbled that the people have come out and elected me and put their trust in me,” Ms Cullen said.
“I don’t normally blow my own trumpet and I haven’t done this, but for this past two years I’ve been voted as one of the top 100 women in Westminster, and I never sat in a green bench once to get there.
“What I did was I brought them to my table and made sure that they delivered for the nurses, and that’s what I’ll do for the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone. I will bring them to my table and I’ll make sure I will continue with that influence.
The newly-elected MP, who lives in South Belfast, was asked if she had any plans to move to the constituency now that she was elected.
She said: “I’ve said before I’ve represented nurses right throughout, from Aberdeen right through to Bristol at the other side and I didn’t live in any of those areas, but I made sure that their voice was heard and that’s what I’ll do for the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone.”
Defeated Ms Armstrong took to the stage in Meadowbank to once again call on Ms Cullen to condemn IRA atrocities, and to call out Sinn Féin abstentionism in Westminster.
“I would appeal to her to at least try to recognise the pains that have been revisited in recent weeks,” Ms Armstrong said.
“Many people I spoke to over recent weeks expressed their despair that in 2024 some people running for senior elected office will still not bring themselves to even acknowledge the loss and horrors of terrorist acts.”
Sinn Féin’s vote share increased by more than 5% to 48% compared to the 2019 Westminster election in a result the party could never have predicted in their wildest dreams.
Ms Cullen was joined by Michelle O’Neill and Mary Lou McDonald in Meadowbank in what proved to be a successful night for the party as it held all of its seven Westminster seats.
Spoke to @moneillsf in Magherafelt on SF’s successful night with the distinct hum of Jim Allister’s victory speech in the background @irish_news #GE24 pic.twitter.com/LtfHKL5y9u
— Conor Coyle (@ccoyle212) July 5, 2024
First Minister Michelle O’Neill told The Irish News Ms Cullen was a ‘formidable candidate’ who would work hard for the people of Fermanagh South Tyrone.
The First Minister said: “It’s always been a constituency that’s been so tight, we’ve won it on four, we’ve won it on 57, we’ve lost it on similar margins so actually to come back with a 4,000 majority speaks volumes to the people of Fermanagh South Tyrone.
“Pat Cullen was a formidable candidate and I think the people of Fermanagh South Tyrone knew they had a champion in her.”
Eddie Roofe of the Alliance just edged out the SDLP’s Paul Blake to third place in the constituency, but the night belonged to Cullen and Sinn Féin.
