McGuinness to defend SF Commons seat

Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness is to defend his House of Commons seat.

Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness is to defend his House of Commons seat.

The Mid Ulster MP was unanimously reselected at a party convention for the next election.

There had been speculation that Mr McGuinness might switch constituencies and contest former SDLP leader John Hume's seat in Foyle. However, that was consistently denied by Sinn Féin.

The Sinn Féin chief negotiator has held the Mid Ulster seat since capturing it from the Democratic Unionists' Rev William McCrea in 1997.

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In 2001, Mr McGuinness had a 9,953 majority over the DUP's Ian McCrea.

Sinn Féin further extended its lead over the DUP in the constituency to 10,954, retaining its three Assembly seats.

PA