Northern Ireland

SDLP’s Claire Hanna elected in South Belfast and Mid Down

Ms Hanna holds on to her seat with a comfortable majority.

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The SDLP's Claire Hanna has retained her seat with a majority of over 12,000. (Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye/Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye )
By Mark Robinson

Claire Hanna has been re-elected to represent South Belfast and Mid Down at Westminster, holding out against a challenge from Alliance’s Kate Nicholl.

She said she was “happy and relieved” to have won back her seat.

The SDLP incumbent topped the poll comfortably, receiving 21,345 votes and a majority of over 12,000.

Ms Hanna won the seat from the DUP in 2019 with 57.2% of the vote and a majority of over 15,000.

Her nearest rival, Kate Nicholl of Alliance, finished in second place with 8,839 votes. A strong performance from the former Lord Mayor of Belfast saw the party leapfrog the DUP into second place.

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The DUP’s Tracy Kelly came in third with 6,859 votes, followed by the UUP’s Michael Henderson with 2,635 votes and the TUV’s Dan Boucher with 2,218 votes.

The Green Party’s Áine Groogan followed with 1,577 votes

Turnout for the seat was 58.5%.