Politics

North Antrim result: Constituency’s first woman MLA elected at DUP’s expense

Patricia O’Lynn also first Alliance member to win a seat in Paisley’s former homeland

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long (left) with the party’s new MLA for North Antrim Patricia O’Lynn Photograph: Jonathan McCambridge/PA
Alliance Party leader Naomi Long (left) with the party’s new MLA for North Antrim Patricia O’Lynn Photograph: Jonathan McCambridge/PA
Seanín Graham Northern Correspondent
Sat May 07 2022 - 16:41

The first woman MLA in North Antrim’s history was elected today – at the expense of a DUP stalwart that left the party reeling.

In what was a double first, Patricia O’Lynn also became the first Alliance Party member to win a seat in the constituency which was the homeland of DUP founder and leader Ian Paisley.

A huge roar erupted among the throng of Alliance supporters when the Larne woman was elected on the sixth count following a surge in transfers, with the DUP’s Mervyn Storey losing the seat he had held since 2003.

Speaking at the podium at the Jordanstown count centre, Ms O’Lynn said: “A new day is on the horizon in North Antrim. The age of entitlement is over.”

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The Ulster Unionist Party’s (UUP) Robin Swann topped the poll with 9,530 votes ahead of Sinn Fein’s Philip McGuigan on 9,348, which saw them both elected at the first stage.

It was the first time the UUP has topped the poll since 1966 and Mr Swann, who served as the Stormont health minister throughout the pandemic, said his vote is “a reflection of the work in the health service during a very difficult two years”.

DUP incumbent Paul Frew, a fierce critic of Covid lockdown restrictions, was returned on the sixth count.

Despite speculation that he could top the polls, TUV leader Jim Allister drew 8,282 first-preference votes and was elected on the fifth count.

At the podium Mr Allister offered his commiserations to Mervyn Storey, adding: “It is a matter of great sadness to me that his seat has been taken by the crypto-nationalist Alliance Party.”

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long visited the count centre to congratulate Ms O’Lynn, who she described as a “breath of fresh air” in the constituency.

“I remember her standing up and saying – stale, male, pale; that’s what this constituency has had since 1998. She is the first woman elected and she’s certainly not pale or stale. I’ll think she’ll shake the Assembly up and I look forward to it.”

Five seats filled: Patricia O'Lynn (Alliance), Paul Frew (DUP), Robin Swann (UUP), Philip McGuigan (Sinn Féin), Jim Allister (TUV).