Upper Bann: Carla Lockhart victory prompts Doug Beattie ‘apology’

Carla Lockhart’s resounding victory in Upper Bann has left UUP rival Doug Beattie licking his wounds and apologising for what he called his “personal failure”.
The DUP's Carla Lockhart is returned as MP for Upper Bann and is pictured with her baby boy Charlie. 

Photo: Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.The DUP's Carla Lockhart is returned as MP for Upper Bann and is pictured with her baby boy Charlie. 

Photo: Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.
The DUP's Carla Lockhart is returned as MP for Upper Bann and is pictured with her baby boy Charlie. Photo: Jonathan Porter / Press Eye.

First time MP Mrs Lockhart will take her seat in Westminster with an 8,000+ majority after polling 20,501 votes in this overwhelmingly unionist constituency.

In what was once a safe Ulster Unionist seat held by David Trimble, the UUP candidate suffered the indignation of coming fourth from five candidates – behind both Sinn Fein and Alliance.

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Although Mrs Lockhart has a strong track record in Upper Bann and is a former mayor, the margin of the victory still shocked many observers.

Mr Beattie, who did not take his place on the podium for the winner’s address, later said he was “not one to hide from failure” and asked his supporters to accept his personal apology for coming up short.

Mrs Lockhart said she would represent all constituents to the best of her ability, and said she was motivated by a desire to create a better future for her young son Charlie and “for all our children and grandchildren going forward”.

She added: “I ran a positive campaign while others sought to dig from the sidelines, I campaigned on a record of delivery for Upper Bann. I stand on my record of delivery and the people of Upper Bann embraced that.”

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In a Twitter message on Friday, Mr Beattie said: I’m not one to hide from failure and it was a personal failure in Upper Bann. To those who supported me or voted for me please accept my apology.”

Mr Beattie added: “I believe in open, respectful, tolerant and inclusive unionism. I hope others will join me in that view one day but today is not that day.”

The DUP had been expected to retain the seat following on from the majority of almost 8,000 votes secured by David Simpson in June 2017.

Contesting the Upper Bann Westminster seat for the fourth time, Sinn Fein’s John O’Dowd came second polling 12,291 votes.

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Eoin Tennyson of Alliance was the youngest candidate in Northern Ireland.

The 21-year-old managed to lift his party’s share of the vote from 4.5% (2,319) in 2017 to 6,433 (13%) to secure third place this time around.

Dolores Kelly of the SDLP polled 4,623 votes.

The total electorate for Upper Bann is 82,887. Turnout: 60.74%