Northern Ireland

Sinn Féin confident but too tight to call in Fermanagh South Tyrone

It’s too close to call once again in the most marginal constituency in the UK, Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

Composite photo of Sinn Fein’s candidate for Fermanagh and South Tyrone Pat Cullen (left) and Diana Armstrong, UUP parliamentary candidate for Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Sinn Fein’s candidate for Fermanagh and South Tyrone Pat Cullen (left) and Diana Armstrong of the UUP (Liam McBurney/PA)
By Conor Coyle

As expected Fermanagh and South Tyrone looks to be too close to call in the early hours of Friday morning, although Sinn Féin appear to be confident of holding on to the seat with Pat Cullen.

The former Royal College of Nursing chief was announced as the Sinn Féin candidate to run the tight-fought constituency when Michelle Gildernew moved to contest a seat in the European elections.

Ms Cullen will be fighting a close contest against UUP councillor Diana Armstrong.

The removal of Killyman from the constituency as part of boundary changes may well have hurt the UUP candidate, who is the daughter of former MP for the constituency Harry West.

A tally of votes of one ballot box in Dungannon has Pat Cullen and Diana Armstrong “neck and neck”.

Turnout however is predicted to be “a historic low”.