DUP's Simpson to stand again in key unionist battleground

Outgoing DUP MP David Simpson will once again be standing as the party's candidate in hotly contested constituency of Upper Bann in the forthcoming general election.
DUP Upper Bann Westminster candidate David SimpsonDUP Upper Bann Westminster candidate David Simpson
DUP Upper Bann Westminster candidate David Simpson

Announcing his candidacy, Mr Simpson claimed the DUP was only unionist party in Upper Bann who can defeat Sinn Fein in the constituency.

Mr Simpson – who has held the Westminster seat since taking it from then UUP leader David Trimble in 2005 – managed a solid defence in the 2015 election, polling some 15,430 votes compared to Sinn Fein’s 11,593.

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However, the Ulster Unionist Party came in a close second, closing the gap to just 2264 votes.

Upper Bann remains a key battleground for unionism.

At the last Westminster election, Mr Simpson had warned that a split in the vote between the DUP and UUP could allow Sinn Fein to slip in and win the seat.

That would have been a major upset, but it did not come to pass, and Sinn Fein’s share of the vote actually dropped by 0.2%.

While the UUP has yet to announce its candidate for Upper Bann, there has been speculation that party veteran Danny Kennedy is to be selected.

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The News Letter spoke to Mr Kennedy and asked him if he could shed any light on the rumours.

However, the former MLA would not be drawn on the matter, stating: “I don’t wish to make any comment at this time.”

There have also been suggestions that former UUP leader Mike Nesbitt will run in South Belfast.

The party has declined to comment on these rumours.