Lisburn and Castlereagh: Major development projects could eventually weaken DUP stronghold

With half of the 40 seats in the hands of the DUP, the party’s Lisburn and Castlereagh powerbase is likely to remain a stronghold for the time being despite an influx of new names of the electoral roll – most notably in the large housing developments springing up between Lisburn and west Belfast.
Lisburn and Castlereagh Council headquarters - Lagan Valley Island Centre in LisburnLisburn and Castlereagh Council headquarters - Lagan Valley Island Centre in Lisburn
Lisburn and Castlereagh Council headquarters - Lagan Valley Island Centre in Lisburn

Both Sinn Fein and the SDLP are hopeful that the new arrivals will help them improve nationalist representation on the council – however, a number of political canvassers have reported large gaps in the electoral register where apathy appears to have prevented many from engaging with the electoral process.

Much on the political landscape has changed since the two councils merged in 2015.

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Former MLA Jonathan Craig is back on the council and seeking re-election having failed to retain his Stormont assembly seat in 2016, while husband and wife Ulster Unionist team John and Jenny Palmer are seeking election – John as a sitting councillor and Jenny hoping to be re-elected to the council having had a brief spell as an MLA in 2016/2017. The pair quit the DUP in May 2015 after Mrs Palmer had a very public falling out with the party.

Councillor Vasundhara Kamble, who resigned from Alliance in January 2017 and joined the DUP later that year, will be seeking re-election on the DUP ticket for the first time. Long serving councillor Geraldine Rice, who quit Alliance alongside Mrs Kamble in January 2017, is standing as an independent.

Another major talking point has been the removal of Mairia Cahill from the list of candidates over a reluctance to declare her home address due to security fears.

Cllr Cahill was co-opted on to the council as an SDLP representative for the Killultagh ward in July 2018. She has moved home several times as a result of threats from republicans – angered at her speaking out about alleged sexual abuse at the hands of an IRA member.

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Her place on the ballot paper has been taken by 22-year-old politics student Ally Haydock. Johnny McCarthy, who caused a shock by winning the only council seat for NI21 in 2014, is seeking re-election in Lisburn North for the SDLP, where Sinn Fein’s Joe Duffy is also in the race.

Mr Duffy has conducted a high-profile campaign in a ward identified by republican commentator Chris Donnelly as a “realistic target,” along with Killultagh and Castlereagh South.

Writing for the Slugger O’Toole website, Mr Donnelly said: “Sinn Fein outpolled the SDLP in 2014 in Lisburn North running a relatively unknown candidate and are hoping that the more prominent and active campaign by Joe Duffy will secure a breakthrough in this constituency.”

Alliance MLA Trevor Lunn has been canvassing along with his party’s council candidates in the constituency.

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He said that the large scale development taking place will eventually have an impact on the make-up of the local council, although some have been slow to register their new address for voting purposes.

“The demographic has changed, particularly in the area around north Lisburn, and there has been more of a mix of people who have come into the area, which is a very good thing in my opinion, and it will eventually start to affect the balance of votes,” Mr Lunn said.

CANDIDATES:

DOWNSHIRE EAST:

James Baird (UUP)

Owen Beckett (SDLP)

Andrew Gowan (DUP)

Janet Gray (DUP)

Uel Mackin (DUP)

Aaron McIntyre (Alliance)

Alex Swann (UUP)

Five to be elected

DOWNSHIRE WEST:

Morgan Crone (SDLP)

Vince Curry (DUP)

Jim Dillon (UUP)

Allan Ewart (DUP)

Owen Gawith (Alliance)

Neil Johnston (Conservative)

Caleb McCready (DUP)

John Palmer (UUP)

Luke Robinson (Green Party)

Five to be elected

LISBURN SOUTH:

Alison Chittick (TUV)

Brendan Corr (SDLP)

Andrew Ewing (DUP)

Alan Givan (DUP)

Amanda Grehan (Alliance)

Helen Love (UKIP)

Tim Mitchell (UUP)

Jonny Orr (Independent)

Jenny Palmer (UUP)

Paul Porter (DUP)

Ricky Taylor (Democrats and Veterans)

Rhoda Walker (DUP)

Six to be elected

LISBURN NORTH:

Scott Carson (DUP)

Jonathan Craig (DUP)

Joe Duffy (Sinn Fein)

Stuart Hughes (UUP)

Gary Hynds (Conservative)

Alan Love (UKIP)

Stephen Martin (Alliance)

Johnny McCarthy (SDLP)

Lindsay Reynolds (DUP)

Nicholas Trimble (UUP)

Six to be elected

KILLULTAGH:

Thomas Beckett (DUP)

Stuart Brown (Independent)

Ally Haydock (SDLP)

David Honeyford (Alliance)

William Leathem (DUP)

Gary McCleave (Sinn Fein)

Ross McLernon (UUP)

Alexander Redpath (UUP)

James Tinsley (DUP)

Five to be elected

CASTLEREAGH EAST:

David Drysdale (DUP)

Andrew Girvin (TUV)

Gregg Martin (Alliance)

Tommy Jeffers (DUP)

John Laverty (DUP)

Hazel Legge (UUP)

Tim Morrow (Alliance)

Sharon Skillen (DUP)

Six to be elected

CASTLEREAGH SOUTH:

Nathan Anderson (DUP)

Ryan Carlin (Sinn Fein)

Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance)

Jason Elliott (DUP)

John Gallen (SDLP)

Nicola Girvin (TUV)

Michelle Guy (Alliance)

Michael Henderson (UUP)

Vasundhara Kamble (DUP)

Simon Lee (Green Party NI)

Rachael McCarthy (SDLP)

Geraldine Rice (Independent)

Seven to be elected