Alliance's Sorcha Eastwood wins Lagan Valley as Jonathan Buckley blames unionist division for the defeat
The Alliance Party’s Sorcha Eastwood has defeated the DUP in Lagan Valley to become the first non-unionist MP for the area.
The DUP's Jonathan Buckley blamed boundary changes and a divided unionism for the defeat.
Sorcha Eastwood said it was a huge achievement for the party and it had taken a vote “from right across the community”.
Jonathan Buckley said: “We have defeated ourselves tonight”. He said unionism must deal with its internal divisions.
“Unionism is continually wanting to throw stones at each other rather than looking at the broader vision” he said.
“We will regroup, we will regather and we will retake this seat”, he said.
The seat was previously held by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, initially for the UUP before his defection to the DUP.
The Alliance majority was 2,959 votes.
Sorcha Eastwood said: “It’s a fantastic night for us, but it’s also a fantastic night for the people of Lagan Valley.”
“I’m a Lagan Valley girl born and bred, and this has been in our heart for a long time and I’m just delighted."
She said it was a “huge” moment for the party, for her and her community.
“We’ve always taken a vote from right across the community, that’s what we’ve done tonight, and we’ve done it really well,” she said, thanking the Alliance team in the constituency.
She said she was “extremely disappointed” that Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry looks likely to lose his North Down seat.
In other early results in Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein’s Cathal Mallaghan retained its Mid Ulster seat while the DUP’s Carla Lockhart held Upper Bann.