Northern Ireland

Gregory Campbell retains East Derry seat by 179 votes over Sinn Féin’s Kathleen McGurk

DUP grandee becomes longest serving MP from north in British House of Commons

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Gregory Campbell of the DUP is re-elected in East Derry at Meadowbank Sports Arena, Magherafelt, during the count for the 2024 General Election. Picture date: Friday July 5, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story POLITICS Election Ulster. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire (Niall Carson/Niall Carson/PA Wire)
By Catherine McGinty

In the final count to be completed in the north’s General Election 2024, the DUP’s Gregory Campbell has scraped through by 179 votes to be re-elected as the MP for East Derry, albeit with a greatly reduced majority.

Mr Campbell, who has represented the constituency since 2001, received 11,506 votes, 4,259 down from 2019.

The DUP grandee beat the Sinn Féin candidate, Kathleen McGurk, who received 11,327 votes.

The number of eligible voters in the East Derry constituency was 75,707 and the total votes polled was 41,430 – a percentage turnout of 54.72%.

Thursday’s re-election means Mr Campbell is now the North’s longest serving MP in the British House of Commons.

Until this week, East Derry would have been considered the second safest DUP seat in the six counties, after the Paisley stronghold of North Antrim – which was also lost to TUV leader, Jim Allister.