Hendron's loss a surprise as first-timer Dodds takes seat

Belfast West:   The capture of the final seat by the DUP's Mrs Diane Dodds and the loss of Dr Joe Hendron provided the upsets…

Belfast West:  The capture of the final seat by the DUP's Mrs Diane Dodds and the loss of Dr Joe Hendron provided the upsets not just in this constituency but in all Belfast.

It was clear from the outset that the SDLP was in some trouble, but contrary to expectation it was Dr Hendron's rather than Mr Alex Attwood's seat which was under threat.

The constituency includes the Shankill area although the vote there had not been disciplined enough to secure the election of a unionist in 1998. This time Mrs Dodds, a first time candidate, took a clear lead over Mr Chris McGimpsey of the Ulster Unionists, winning 2,544 votes to the UUP's 1,170.

The Sinn Féin vote management strategy seemed at one point to have netted the party five out of the six seats. But transfers trickled to the DUP candidate, including a small but significant number from the eliminated Dr Hendron. The votes could have come from some unionists voting tactically and came to Dr Hendron from Mr McGimpsey after he was eliminated.

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Ms Sue Ramsey, an outgoing Assembly member who polled 2,988 first preferences, was unable to overtake Mrs Dodds and she was eliminated leaving the DUP candidate in a position to be declared elected without reaching the quota.

As with elsewhere, the smaller parties and the independents were hammered in West Belfast with no other candidates reaching the 1,000 mark and Alliance winning just 75 first preferences.