Sinn Féin vice president Mr Pat Doherty is to defend his Westminster seat in the next British General Election, the party confirmed today.
The West Tyrone MP was selected last night at a convention in Carrickmore. Mr Doherty is defending the 5,040 majority over the Ulster Unionists that he secured when we won the seat in 2001 from Mr William Thompson.
Former SDLP agriculture minister Bríd Rodgers finished last in the three-way contest four years ago with 13,942 votes - just 832 votes behind Mr Thompson. In his acceptance speech Mr Doherty said he was honoured to have been chosen to fight the seat again.
The West Tyrone MP said: "Our objective in these forthcoming elections is to consolidate the four Westminster seats that we secured in 2001 and to win additional Westminster seats.
"In terms of the local elections our aim is to win a substantial number of additional council seats including here in West Tyrone."
Sinn Féin has two Assembly members in the constituency, with its three candidates in November 2003's Stormont elections amassing 16,111 votes.
PA