Statement on Northern Ireland elections

In a watershed election outcome in Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein’s support has significantly increased, taking 27 seats and breaking the unionist majority for the first time.

Left Unity Principal Speaker Joseph Healy said:

“With all of the results declared in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections, it looks as if political tectonic plates have shifted. Almost ignored by the mainstream UK media, Northern Ireland has voted hugely against Brexit and in favour of a united Ireland. With huge turnouts in the nationalist areas in particular, Sinn Fein has seen its best ever result in the Assembly elections and for the first time since the Good Friday Agreement the Unionists have lost their majority in the Assembly with a significant rejection of the divisive politics of the DUP.

This result also ends the DUP veto on gay marriage and means that LGBT people in Northern Ireland will have the same rights as LGBT people in the Irish Republic and England & Wales. As an Irish gay man I welcome this development.

Left Unity welcomes this result as a significant breakthrough in progressive politics in Northern Ireland and welcomes the gains made by Sinn Fein as a left party working with others across Europe. We also see this as a rejection of the division of Ireland and of the divisive politics of Brexit for the whole island of Ireland. This will result in a more progressive Assembly in Northern Ireland and significantly strengthens the campaign for a united Ireland.”