Upon her victory yesterday, Sinn Fein's new MP for Fermanagh South Tyrone was urged "to recognise the pains" caused to terror victims after she refused to condemn the Enniskillen and Omagh bombings in her new constituency.

Sinn Fein has repeatedly won the seat in a knife edge competitions against agreed unionist candidates - but on this occasion the party’s Pat Cullen pulled well ahead with a majority of 4,500 over their nearest rival, UUP councillor Diana Armstrong.

The two candidates had clashed on Good Morning Ulster last month, where Ms Armstrong challenged Ms Cullen - the former General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing - to condemn the IRA bombing of Enniskillen, which killed three nurses, and the Omagh Bomb.

Ms Cullen declined, but said she had supported many victims of the Troubles and did not want to see a return to violence.

placeholder image — Sinn Fein's new MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone Pat Cullen (left) and Diana Armstrong, UUP who was the agreed unionist candidate.

In her concession speech, Ms Armstrong thanked DUP, UUP and TUV voters for uniting behind her.

However she said she was "so deeply disappointed" that the constituency will be once again without a voice in Westminster.

Despite their previous clash, Ms Armstrong was gracious in defeat to her rival, but pointedly highlighted the deep distress caused to terror victims when they realised they could be represented by a senior nursing representative who refused to condemn atrocities in the constituency like the Enniskillen and Omagh Bombs.

"Whilst I wish Pat well and congratulate her and wish her well in the weeks and months ahead I would appeal to her to at least try to recognise the pains that have been revisited in recent weeks," Ms Armstrong said.

"Many people I spoke to over recent weeks expressed the despair that in 2024 some people running for senior elected office could still not bring themselves to even acknowledge the wrongs and terrors of terrorist acts.

"Our constituency suffered - and more than many others. So whilst today they have elected a Sinn Fein MP I would appeal to that party not to overlook the views of the wider majority of the constituency that actually voted for representation."

Ms Armstrong, daughter of former UUP leader and ex-Fermanagh MP, Harry West, went on to dedicate her campaign to her late mother, Maureen. She also congratulated Tom Elliott as a newly appointed peer in the House of Lords.

In her victory speech, Ms Cullen tacitly acknowledged the tensions during her campaign, strongly emphasising that for those people that didn't vote for her, "I will work night and day for every single person in Fermanagh South Tyrone".

She praised the election staff for their organisation of the massive count, noting that having led national industrial action by nurses across the UK last year "I know how hard it is to make these things happen".

She lavished praise on Sinn Fein members at all levels for their support, and acknowledged that other candidates run for election because they want to do the best for the people.

"I want to say a particular mention to Diana and we will continue to work together in her role as a councillor and my role as MP; that is what we will do because that is what we set out on this journey to dom,” she added.