Election 2022: Tensions in South Down lay bare DUP growth pains

Socially conservative DUP stalwart Jim Wells, one of the longest serving MLAs, has thrown his support behind TUV councillor and former MLA Harold McKee. Both have now deserted their mother parties – as they see it – in part over their refusal to bend on social issues, in Mr McKee’s case, exiting the UUP in response to Doug Beattie’s leadership direction.

The battle between Mr Wells and central DUP control has periodically erupted in recent years. Mr Wells recommended himself last year to fight this election, but was rejected by HQ, so went on to baptise Edwin Poots as his successor.

Mr Poots felt he had little chance to secure his Lagan Valley seat again, with Sir Jeffrey Donaldson now contesting it. So he put himself forward for South Down, he claimed on the recommendation of Mr Donaldson, but was also rejected by HQ.

Instead it selected Diane Forsthye, who resigned from the party in 2020 over concerns about bullying and sexism, but Mr Wells criticised her views on social issues and claimed she had been imposed by HQ.

“As I leave the Assembly it is my earnest desire that South Down should continue to have a unionist MLA whose politics are grounded in conviction and principle,” he said, adding that Mr McKee is “the stand-out candidate”.

Mr Wells’ most loyal supporters may well be in a quandary now as to whether to transfer their loyalty to the TUV or continue to support the DUP, but Sir Jeffrey’s plea to stay loyal to the largest unionist party and prevent a Sinn Fein first minister may prove a significant factor.

Ms Forsythe is a chartered accountant who lives in Ballymartin with her three young children. “As a working mother I know how important it is to help working families and to deliver on issues like the provision of 30 hours free childcare and a cap on school uniform costs,” she said. She is working to secure better fishing quotas for the area, she said, and is a “strong pro-life voice”.

UUP candidate, councillor Jill Macauley, is a mother of four who helps run the family dairy farm and tourism business outside Rathfriland. She is lobbying for local businesses in the face of “so much uncertainty” and rising costs.

“We don’t need uncertainty, instability, and barriers for our businesses and consumers, brought about by the constant divisive politics we are sadly having to endure.” she said. She also said the NI Protocol is “a bad deal” for NI.

Mr McKee, a farmer and quarry manager from Kilkeel, is married with three children. He says unionists are “deeply concerned about the partitioning of the UK and are appalled that this happened as a result of border checks introduced by a unionist agriculture minister [Edwin Poots]”.

Access to GPs and NHS waiting lists are also key issues for him. He believes the “neglect” of local controlled schools will get worse because the Stormont Integrated Education Bill will divert funding away from them, and that the zero net carbon goal of the Stormont climate change bill will devastate farming livestock numbers.

Alliance’s Patrick Brown, who topped the Rowallane poll in the 2019 council election, is prioritising the environment and welfare reform, while Sinn Fein councillor Cathy Mason is campaigning on the rising cost of living and mental health services. SDLP councillor Karen McKevitt said the cost of living is “dominating” local concerns.

South Down is a former UUP Westminster seat which was narrowly won by the SDLP in 1987, the party going on to make it their own. However a strong ‘greening’ saw SF win it by 4.8% in 2017, but only narrowly retain it from an SDLP fightback in 2019.

• Full list of candidates:

Brown, Patrick (All)

Clarke, Patrick (Ind)

Ennis, Sinéad (SF)

Forsythe, Diane (DUP)

Lynch, Noleen (Green)

Macauley, Jill (UUP)

Mason, Cathy (SF)

McCrory, Paul (PBP)

McGlone, Rosemary (Aontú)

McGrath, Colin (SDLP)

McKee, Harold (TUV)

McKevitt, Karen (SDLP)

• Outgoing MLAs

Sinéad Ennis (SF)

Emme Rogan (SF)

Sinéad Bradley (SDLP)

Jim Wells (DUP/Ind)

Colin McGrath (SDLP)

• December 2019 General Election results

Chris Hazzard Sinn Féin 16,137 32.4% ―ELECTED MP

Michael Savage SDLP 14,517 29.2%

Glyn Hanna DUP 7,619 15.3%

Patrick Brown Alliance 6,916 13.9%

Jill Macauley UUP 3,307 6.6%

Paul Brady Aontú 1,266 2.5%

• March 2017 Stormont Election results

Sinéad Ennis Sinn Féin 10,256 0.8% ELECTED

Chris Hazzard Sinn Féin 8,827 17.9% ELECTED

Sinéad Bradley SDLP 7,323 14.8% ELECTED

Jim Wells DUP 7,786 15.8% ELECTED

Colin McGrath SDLP 5,110 10.3% ELECTED

Patrick Brown Alliance 4,535 9.2%

Harold McKee UUP 4,172 8.4%

Lyle Rea TUV 630 1.3%

Hannah George Green 483 1.0%

Patrick Clarke Independent 192 0.4%

Gary Hynds Conservative 85 0.2%