Results Part 1 Northern Ireland Elections

We don't know what it is yet but we're here to find out.

We're with you right through the day here on BBC1 bringing you each

and every result as it happens in what's shaping up

to ba a remarkable Assembly election battle.

The outcome will determine the path of our politics

Will it be deal or deadlock; devolution or direct rule?

Results are already starting to come in.

The story we'll be bringing you today is not only about how

the parties may or may not be able to work together on the other

side of the election, it's also about the impact

of the reduction in the system of Assembly seats from 108 to 90.

It means a day of drama for all of us, as some big names

face the prospect of falling foul of that significant change.

Before we head off out and about to hear from our team

of reporters and correspondents across all the count centres,

let's bring you the very latest news with Donna Traynor.

The official turnout figure for the Assembly election is 64.78%.

That's up about 10% on the election last May.

The first declarations are expected this afternoon,

although the final make-up of the new Assembly

is unlikely to be clear until tomorrow afternoon.

I am joined from the Belfast count centre at Titanic by our political

A significant increase in turnout. Take us through the figures. Well,

it feels as if we have turned the clock back here in Northern Ireland

in terms of interest in this particular election because as you

say the 64% turnout is a full 10% higher than the Assembly election

ten months ago. There are striking figures across the constituencies,

if we look at them. My shell O'Neill's constituency in Mid Ulster

-- Michelle. 13% increase from the last time around. It was the same

story in West Tyrone, 13%. And there's been similar increases as

well across what we perceive to be Unionist constituencies. Strangford

where there is a great interest with seven MLAs vying for five seats,

there was 11% increase there in Strangford. Arlene Foster's

constituency, 9% point increase there, as well. You can see across

the board, across all the constituencies it looks as if voters

were mobilised to vote this time. What impact that will have in the

final shake down it's too early to say, but it adds that

unpredictability factor that was already there with the fewer number

of seats available. We are at an early stage. What are you hearing

about party representation? Well, if you look across the constituency

turnout, Sinn Fein, for instance, would say they're bullish about

their party's performance. The crucial factor is there are 18 fewer

seats to fill. For the parties it's about damage limitation. They're not

going to be banking gains here, it's about managing losses and Sinn Fein

say they're in a good position right now to ensure they keep their losses

to a minimum. The DUP, we can see they're starting to struggle in a

number of constituencies, which is to be expected, of course, the

larger party is going to lose more in the final shake down. Key for

them is going to stay above 30 seats, 31. If they do that they'll

consider it a pretty successful election. The SDLP vote it seems is

holding out but not so for the Ulster Unionists. It's very early

but the indications are it looks as if the Ulster Unionist vote might be

down. There is a lot at stake, not least for some high profile

candidates. Yes, there is 11 sitting MLAs standing in the election who

are guaranteed to lose seats. There is great drama, we know we will get

that, some names to look out, Nelson McCausland is in for a fight in

North Belfast to retain his seat. Emma Little-Pengelly in South

Belfast is goes to face a battle because we have had the tally

figures through and it looks as if her party colleague Christopher

Stalford has polled ahead of her and that could be crucial. We know for

Sinn Fein in East Antrim, Oliver McMullen. Jonathan Bell of course

the man who was central to the whole RHI crisis, looks as if he hasn't

polled very well in Strangford. He may well also lose his seat. There

is certain for Philip Smith in terms of whether or not he is going to

retain his seat. It looks as if there is going to be pain as we

expected shared among all the parties in this election. But we are

only five hours into the count, so a long way to go. The final make-up

won't be known until tomorrow afternoon.

Thank you. A man wanted over the murder

of the prison officer David Black Damien McLaughlin, who had failed

to answer to his bail in Northern Ireland,

was arrested yesterday I'm joined by our Dublin

correspondent Shane Harrison. Remind us about the background to

this case. In November 2012 David Black, a prison officer was ambushed

on his way to Maghaberry prison. He was the first prison officer to be

murdered in 20 years. A few days later a group calling itself the New

IRA said it was responsible. Damien McLaughlin was charged with aiding

and abetting that murder. He was on remand for a period but was given

bail in May 2014 and was due to stand trial last month but a court

hearing in January heard that he wasn't residing at the address he

was supposed to, under the terms of his bail conditions. Yesterday he

was arrested in County Donegal under the terms of a European arrest

warrant designed to make extradition easier in a joint Garda-PSNI

operation that was intelligence-led. What was said in court about the

circumstances surrounding his arrest? Well, a detective Garda

sergeant gave evidence that they did not know when they were arresting

him whether he was armed or not so he was handcuffed, he was dragged

from the car, he had his jumper pulled over him and he was

cable-tied. The same sergeant said that he was a flight risk and a

terrorist on the run. He was remanded in custody until March 20th

but he can apply for bail on March 13th.

. Significant quantities of human

remains have been discovered at the site of a former

mother-and-baby home in Tuam, County Galway.

Test excavations are being carried out by

a Commission of Investigation. It was set up following allegations

about the deaths of 800 babies It's believed the remains that have

been found range from those of unborn foetuses to infants aged

two to three years. A judge has ruled that the Northern

Ireland Executive has failed in its legal duty to adopt

an Irish language strategy. The group Conradh na Gaeilge had

challenged the Executive saying that a pledge made in the 2006

St Andrew's Agreement and plans laid out last March should have

been adopted by now. This was a significant victory for

supporters of the Irish language. Today the judge ruled that the

Executive was in breach of a requirement imposed a decade ago.

The judge said the Executive had failed to adopt a strategy setting

out how it proposes to enhance and protect the Irish language in

Northern Ireland. He said it cannot have been the intention of

parliament that after nearly ten years from the coming into force of

the act in 2007 that this obligation should remain unfulfilled. He said

the required outcome is an adoption of the plans laid out. The Irish

language group which challenged the Executive Conradh Na Gaeilge said it

is historic. This obligation falls on somebody, it was on the Executive

primarily. Whether we go to direct rule or have a joint kind of

agreement between direct rule and the Assembly but the judge has

demanded of the parties that are responsible here they must bring

forward this Executive. As per their legal obligation. A a barrister

representing the Executive counted there had been inertia on the issue

and rejected any suggestion of a sham process. The judge says the

Executive remains the key body which has been at the centre of delivery

of Government in Northern Ireland and it can in the simply avoid doing

what the law requires. The biggest gas supplier

in Northern Ireland has Customers of SSE Airtricity

will see their bills go up by just over 7.5% from the end

of this month. Our economics and business editor

John Campbell is in the newsroom. This is all about the price of

energy on the global markets. For the past four or five years we have

been living through a period where energy prices have been flat or

falling. That's been reflected in people's bills. But over the last

year or so prices have been rising. I was checking this morning one of

those global indexes for gas prices and it shows they've risen more than

70% in the last year. For that reason SSE said they've had to

react. They're putting prices up by over 7. 5%. That will add about ?36

a year to the typical household energy bill bringing the total bill

to around ?500 a year. They're emphasising that really this was

done because of the rising global prices and it's the first increase

they've had in four years but it is another sign as we look at the

general economy that inflation is returning. The prices of goods and

services are heading up and that's likely to be a trend that will

continue throughout this year. A High Court judge has ruled

that the PSNI lacks the necessary independence to oversee further

investigations into an alleged army killing in West Belfast

nearly 45 years ago. Jean Smyth was shot as she sat in

a car on the Glen Road in June 1972. Lawyers acting for the family

of Jean Smyth had claimed that documents uncovered

at the National Archives in London pointed towards undercover

soldiers from the army's Military Reaction Force

carrying out the shooting. Today a judge ruled that a proposed

investigation by the PSNI's Legacy Investigations Branch

would breach human Absolutely delighted. At least Jean

has some justice now. The family is just delighted. In respect of Jean's

family, we would say now that there are steps that have to be taken by

the PSNI to recluse themselves of any further involvement in the case

and steps need to be taken in terms of who is going - a decision about

who's going to investigate this murder.

Geoff Maskell has a weather forecast for us.

It is a wet day in a run of wet days at the Met Office has issued a

severe weather warning for rain coming into force from six o'clock

and it is not because it is terribly heavy, it will just go on for a long

time. This is the picture this afternoon, grey clouds, a very dull

end to the working week. Temperatures between six and 7

degrees at best but a pretty miserable day. Through this even

England overnight, the rain is driven by low pressure sitting in

the Irish Sea, that will work northwards but the rain stays with

us overnight. Not as cold tonight as last night because of the cloud

cover but the weekend has a soggy start, the rain with us through the

morning. As that tracks north, we should see brighter and drier spells

in the East but we then open the door to the next area on Monday and

on Tuesday another low-pressure front bringing more rain. Sunday is

looking like the best of the next few days, still rain in the forecast

but between those showers, at least there will be brighter weather so a

chance to get outside on Sunday and on Monday, starting reasonably dry,

but not long before the rain threatens from the West. It is a

pretty soggy outlook for the next few days. That's it, back to Mark

Carruthers. Ten months ago, no one

could have predicted this. Last year's election came

after a political agreement But this election comes

after political disagreement, a fracture so big at Stormont,

in fact, that no one is quite sure Our reporters are live at every

count centre across Northern Ireland and as the day unfolds they'll be

bringing us all the developments as they happen and we'll hear

from them in a moment. And pulling together the results,

analysis and interviews with me is Tara Mills,

who's at the biggest count at the Titanic

Exhibition Centre in There was drama in how the election

was called and the campaign and the outcome will be on a knife edge for

many because the deal last time around was to cut the number of MLAs

in every constituency from six to only five.

That means some big names could have a very sudden retirement

We'll be down on the floor of the count centre to grab those

Our commentators will also be on hand with their take

and our resident election cartoonist Brian John Spencer returns with his

We have our panel here, of course, some may be quite glad they're

in the studio rather than waiting to hear their fate

There's so much to discuss, not only the strengths of the parties,

It's all about the numbers game, though, and keeping a close eye

as they come in is our political editor Mark Devenport.

This election is also about turnout and transfers.

As you have no doubt already heard, there's been quite an increase

Nicholas Whyte is our elections expert.

What do you make of this rise? Very interesting, turning out

consistently across the country, most in East Belfast, most in

Ulster. -- least in East Belfast. The one thing that is certain is if

there are more votes, it will take longer to kind. -- kind.

And transfers, they've always been a part of elections to the Assembly

but what about Mike Nesbitt's decision to give his

How many voters followed his lead to give a second

We'll examine each stage of the vote in every constituency.

This is what it is all about, seats in the chamber and here is a

reminder of how things looked at the last election when 108 MLAs were

elected. This is smaller with only 90 seats up for grabs and some

politicians are going to be very disappointed. Who will fill these

empty benches? Any party, if they get more than 30 seats, and will

watch closely as the new chamber takes place. -- takes shape.

So, let's get down to the individual constituencies.

There are 18 of them and Strangford is normally one

We'll be hearing a lot from our political correspondent

Stephen Walker today, I imagine.

There is a lot of big beasts going for those five seats. We have seven

sitting MLAs and just five seats, they cannot all win? No, obviously

seven trying to get in with only five seats and DUP are looking the

happiest because it looks like Michelle McIlveen and Simon Hamilton

will get in and Mike Nesbitt for the Ulster Unionists and Paul Wells of

the Alliance, it is a battle for the fifth seed, between Philip Smith and

Peter Weir, with Peter Weir in the ascendancy and Jonathan Bell has not

done enough, so the DUP look happiest in Strangford and in terms

of North Down, we have had some results. Alan Chambers has been

collected, Stephen Farry and Alex Easton elected. Three from those

five, no great surprises from North Down but the big story will be in

Strangford and we know can go to Keiron Tourish. The big story at the

foil arena is the turnout. Turnout here is 10% and East Londonderry up

by 12% so that is quite significant. How can that play out in the

election? The big news is that the outgoing Deputy First Minister

Martin McGuinness is not standing due to ill-health but he will hope

that his two party colleagues retain those seats for Sinn Fein and the

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood will be fairly confident they can retain

their two seats and the most impressive -- and present unionist

showing has been Gary Middleton for the DUP and he will be hopeful of

keeping his seat. Where does that leave Eamonn McCann? It just goes to

prove that the last seat here in Foyle will be a very big scramble

for the last seat. And people in the Eamonn McCann camp are worried. It

is early days. In East Londonderry, again, all to play for, three DUP

MLA 's have those seats, one each for the SDLP and Sinn Fein and the

outgoing Justice Minister Claire Sugden will hope to get re-elected

and finish the job. We will have to watch those final two seats in those

constituencies. Over two David Maxwell in Titanic. Welcome to the

Titanic Exhibition Centre, only one announcement, cheering in West

Belfast or the election of order he flown. I knew candidate, she

replaced Jennifer McCann. Sinn Fein say that they took more first

preference votes for all four candidates than People Before

Profit's Gerry Campbell, who topped the poll last time, he is confident

and time will tell. Alex Attwood of the SDLP is very vulnerable in that

constituency. Interesting stories, South Belfast is just behind me. We

thought that would be a run-off between the DUP's Christopher

Stalford and Clare Bailey from the Green Party but a lot of people are

saying that Emma Little-Pengelly is vulnerable. And Belfast East, strong

DUP constituency. It is thought that one of those seats will go, senior

sources indicate that it could be Robin Newton. And looking to North

Belfast, everything to play for here. Nichola Mallon and Caral Ni

Chuillin vulnerable but very interestingly, we think that Nelson

McCausland could also be vulnerable. Time will tell, it took 11 stages

for the final result last time so we could be here for a very long time

indeed. Julian Fowler is in Omagh. In the west the turnout was highest

once again, Fermanagh and South go in at 73% and West Tyrone at 70%,

the DUP leader Arlene Foster recently arrived and is hoping to

retain her strong personal vote. She topped the poll in Fermanagh-South

Tyrone last time around and that was enough to get Maurice Morrow across

the line. With two DUP candidates. Both DUP and Sinn Fein say they have

been polling strongly in East constituency, Sinn Fein hoping to

win three seats in each and that could be bad news for the Ulster

Unionists, they are the most nervous party here. They could lose both

seats in Fermanagh South Tyrone held by Rosemary Barton and the seat in

West Tyrone also. An interesting point about the increased turnout,

the quotas are also up, the amount of votes needed for the candidates

to get over the line, by around 2000 in each constituency which means

transfers will come into play. In West Tyrone there are 18 candidates

standing and last year we took until Saturday before we got the first

result so it looks like another long kind is on the cards in Omagh. Thank

you. Welcome to what we refer to as the big table in the studio. And let

me introduce the guests. The first set of guests throughout this

marathon date of broadcasting is Tom Elliott, the former Ulster Unionist

Party leader and MP for Fermanagh-South Tyrone, Jeffrey

Donaldson, DUP MP for Lagan Valley, Stephen grimacing, former director

of Communications for the Executive and in a previous life was Political

Editor here in BBC Northern Ireland. We have had many conversations! And

we also have Catriona Ruane, who did not stand again for election but was

the Sinn Fein MLA for South Down. Welcome. You have been looking at

their tablets and films and checking out the results and talking to

friends and colleagues on the ground. Jeffrey Donaldson, picking

up on what we heard from some of my colleagues, these are straws in the

wind. I make no bones. Maybe Nelson McCausland is not doing as well as

some people thought? Emma Little-Pengelly, perhaps in a bit of

trouble in South Belfast. What is your general reading of where we are

at this stage? Firstly, we must recall the number of seats are

reducing so with the DUP holding three seats in a constituency, it

becomes a mountain to climb to hold three seats and inevitably there are

casualties. South Belfast, we took for the first time two seats last

year so it was always going to be difficult to hold those with the

reduction and overall the voters holding well. I think it is going to

be tight between the DUP and Sinn Fein as to who emerges as the

largest party, no doubt Sinn Fein are polling well in the

constituencies where they are strong and the DUP vote is holding up in

constituencies where we are strong and that is borne out by the early

declarations. Jim Wells, standing in South Down, says that he believes

the DUP will end up under the magic number of 30 and this will not

surprise you, that is the fault of the media? Do you agree? The media

do not vote. We do have a vote. We have been listening carefully to

what people have been saying on the doorsteps and there is no doubt

there is a lot of anger and the one thing I will say very clearly that

has come across to me is the body is voting for the collapse of Stormont,

everybody I spoke to, whatever their political persuasion, they want

Stormont up and running quickly, they realise there are big decisions

coming to be taken, not least in relation to Brexit, the economy and

dealing with the legacy of the troubled past. They want the parties

back, sorting these issues out. Whatever the political integration

of the results, I have no doubt that what people are voting for is for

Stormont to work. Catriona Ruane, at this stage, just a couple of

results. Or he Flynn in West Belfast. -- or a Flynn. And with

three candidates, second, third and fourth. And you have more Gilles in

South Belfast. I don't have the raw numbers. -- Mairtin O'Muilleoir. He

is past the quarter, just over 7000. Perhaps not quite the weight you are

expected to be? This is obviously a good election for Sinn Fein. You can

say that already? I was doing the South Down tally earlier on today

and I can see there has been an increased turnout and I can see from

particular constituencies that we are doing well and the interesting

thing is Lord of the women are doing very well. Topping the poll, as we

know, is not what Sinn Fein is about, it is vote management and

every party is not looking at topping the poll, it is managing the

vote. Mairtin O'Muilleoir must be happy he topped the poll? You manage

that vote very well in West Belfast? The key thing is managing the vote.

Can I just say, as we sit here, all of us, one of our colleagues, PJ

Bradley, is being buried this morning and we all want to give our

condolences to the family. It has been a difficult time for Sinead

Bradley, who has been a candidate and colour, and I want to say that

and I am sure everybody else will join me.

I am sure people would echo those sentiments it is a difficult time

for Sinead Bradley. You will know her well. She must have mixed

emotions today hoping she will be returned into the seat that was her

father's seat in the past. And she's had to lay him to rest this morning.

Yesterday she went to vote in the polling station. But getting back to

the results. I think we will have a good election today. I think it's

because of hard work, it's because of focussing on what needs to be

done. Tom Elliott, I suspect you are going to have to take a slightly

different tack. We were hearing from Enda Mc Clafferty again. It's early

to be definitive about this but it looks like it might be the day your

party leader Mike Nesbitt and Steve akin the other day on BBC Radio

Ulster was predicting would be a red letter day for the Ulster Unionist

party, you would be the main unionist party and would have more

seats than Sinn Fein. Can you say at this stage that isn't going to

happen? Well, obviously the mist is still there, Mark in almost all the

areas we have early results in, as you highlighted. But yes, it's

unlikely we are going to be the largest party. That's quite clear.

But obviously during an election campaign you battle for every vote

you can get. It's unfortunate we had to have this election at this time.

I think it has been a diversion from the situation. I have no idea why

Sinn Fein actually put it to the test at this time simply because at

an early stage in December they didn't appear to want to pressurise

the matter at now. All of a sudden, whether it was from pressure from

their own back bench people or whether they had done private

polling, I have no idea, but they obviously pushed a button to have

the election. OK. We want to hear from our reporters out on the

ground. Two interesting counts happening, Mid Ulster and North

Antrim. Our reporter is at the In Ballymena for us. What can you tell

us? Yes, they're trying to announce the quota here. This is Mid Ulster,

it's a strong republican nationalist area. The vote was a huge jump of

14% this time. Sinn Fein's leader in storm, Michelle O'Neill, is based

here and she arrived here to great applause from supporters. It

stretches from Maghera. In May all four nationalists in this

Three Sinn Fein, one sdlapd, one DUP, and one U. P. Now Sinn Fein say

they're managing their vote very well so they hope to get those three

Sinn Fein candidates back again. Patsy McGloen seems to be in a

strong position. That leaves a problem between the two unionists,

the one DUP and one UUP. We are hearing that the DUP's Keith

Buchanan looks in a strong position so that could leave the UUP Sandra

Overend in a vulnerable position. North Antrim, which is a mirror

image of Mid Ulster, because it is a strong DUP stronghold. Three DUP,

one UUP, one TUV. One Sinn Fein here. 10% rise in the turnout here.

It's a Paisley heartland. Ian Paisley skaup junior has

Last time it elected all five unionists including the TUV leader

Jim Allister. Jim Allister looks pretty strong. He has decided to run

with his colleague this time Timothy Gaston. It may have reduced his vote

this time. One Sinn Fein seat was drafted in after Daithi McKay. He

still has a strong vote here in the North Antrim constituency. Over now

to Lisburn. Two counts taking place here in

Lisburn. One predominantly unionist Lagan valley, the other nationalist

South Down. The indications are it will be the same story in respect of

the losers in each constituency, all the pointers being it will be the

Ulster Unionists who will lose the 6th seat in each of those

constituencies. First to Lagan valley, the DUP are confident of

returning three MLAs with Paul Givan, as last time, likely to top

the poll here. Robbie Butler of the Ulster Unionists looks like he is

polling better than Jenny Palmer, it could be her that loses the 6th seat

with alliance taking the other seat. In South Down, it looks like two

Sinn Fein, two SDLPed and Jim Wells of the DUP, again the Ulster

Unionists tipped to lose a seat there. Harald McKee could be out the

door rather quickly. We are about 30 minutes away from official first

preference vote declarations here but that is the mood music coming

out of Lisburn. Over to my colleague now in Banbridge.

Well, two constituencies counted here, Upper Bann and Newry and

Armagh. The turnout figures are both well up. Upper Bann at 62%. Up 8%

points. Newry and Armagh 69%, up 10%. The quotas will be roughly

around the 9,000 mark. Give or take a couple of hundred votes. Last time

this was two DUP, two UUP and two Sinn Fein. If the DUP can hold both

of their seats and they seem confident they can, then it looks

like one of those Ulster Unionist seats will very much be in jeopardy.

On the nationalist side a lot of interest here on whether or not

Dolores Kelly can take back a seat she lost to Sinn Fein by 168 votes.

There had been vote management issues for Sinn Fein in this

constituency, John O Dowd polling stronger in areas where Sinn Fein

would have preferred to see his running mate coming through. In

Newry and Armagh, it was three Sinn Fein last time. People may think

Sinn Fein holding three, given the reconfiguration of the seats, might

be a big ask. But it seems to be on. They seem to be confident. If that

happens, it looks like Danny Kennedy could be in big trouble here

potentially because looking at the other unionist candidate of the DUP,

he is all thumbs up and big smiles, he seems to think that he over now

to Ita. Turnout in South and East Antrim up

around 10 Persian too. -- The question this time around is can the

DUP hold on to three? The first count is in. David Hild was elected

after the first count last year. The Ulster Unionist Roy Beggs is doing

very well. The alliance Stuart Dickson is hoping that his name is

on his seat again. It could be two DUP and one UUP battling out for two

seats here. Sinn Fein's Oliver McMullin may well be vulnerable.

Over to South Antrim and all six winners in the 2016 elections are

standing again. It could be said can the DUP hold on to three? The first

count is in here again. But no one past the quota. It looks like Paul

Girvam and Trevor Clarke will be battling for those seats. Sinn

Fein's Declan Kearney lacks like he will be the republican

representative in this constituency. The Ulster Unionist receive aKen has

his eye on a seat, as well. And the former justice Minister David Ford

has done very well this time around on first preferences. That's it for

South and East Antrim, back to the studio.

Thank you very much. Let's hear more from my panel here. I want to bring

in Stephen, former political editor for BBC Northern Ireland. A word

about turnout, first of all. I wonder what you make of that. 65%,

it was 55%, ten months ago, last May. That's a 10% point increase,

although in raw percentage terms it's an increase of a whopping 18%,

18% more people came out to vote now than voted last May. It's a very

significant figure. We have some sense of what's happening on the

ground in some constituencies, but what's your reading of what might be

about to unfold today and tomorrow? The question is where do those

people come from and have they been scared out or have they been

aggravated out? If you think of it, the early hints we are getting and

it's early stages is that Sinn Fein's vote has come up, so there is

an aggravation factor Sinn Fein have tapped into. Also we are hearing

that while the Ulster Unionists will struggle here, the Alliance Party

have polled strongly. David Ford there doing very well. He was not in

that position a year ago at the early stages. So, it's a question,

the dynamics of this election, RHI, respect, all that sort of stuff, is

coming out now in the vote, I suspect. That engagement, if you

look at what happened with the viewing figures for the debates,

they were hugely up, there is some sense of engagement. An appetite for

it? An interesting in politics, whether it is because in terms of

the DUP were very much putting out the bogeyman of Gerry Adams, but by

the same token Sinn Fein were saying this is about giving us equality and

respect and we need to move on with that agenda. We have some winners of

course already at this early stage. Elisha McCallion has got in on the

first count. Does that surprise you? Well, Elisha is very popular. A

former mayor. Mayor of Derry. Also I think, I mean, right across the

north of Ireland, indeed across the island of Ireland, huge support and

sympathy for mar begin McGuinness. -- Martin. Emwere just saying he had

given so much, such a states person. I just think a lot of people, you

were saying about aggravation, what I got on the doors and I was at

thousands of them, just the lack of respect for things, it's not even

just the Irish language, the way it was talked about. The lack of

respect for in many cases rights for people. The lack of respect for the

LGBT community, that lack of respect was an issue that came up time and

again on the doors. The other thing I think, there is a reignition of

people interested in politics. I think it's because we have more

diversity in politics. We have women leaders, it's not male, pale and

grey like the past. We have women of all ages. It's really exciting time

in politics. You mentioned that a number of women had been successful.

A number of Sinn Fein women candidates, in particular. We were

talking about Elisha McCallion. I am glad to say she can join us now from

the count in Derry. Can you hear us? Congratulations. No, she can't hear

us. Looks like she's having a conversation with one of our team

there. OK. We will leave that. When we manage to establish contact we

will hear from her. She's obviously almost ready to talk to us but not

quite ready. A quick thought from Tom Elliott

maybe. We often think during election campaigns it is nationalism

versus unionism. When you break it down it can be a battle within

nationalism and within unionism, isn't that right? There are

different elections happening at the one time. There are and it's the

same all over, it's been the same forever and a day in Northern

Ireland, it's not going to change quickly. There is a battle within

unionism and a battle within nationalism but then you have the

broader battle and constitutional issue that we always had,

constitutional battle between unionism and nationalism. But, maybe

slowly we are moving away from that because we have our own Assembly,

because we have our own Executive people are more focussed on

day-to-day issues now. Health, education and it is interesting one

of the biggest aspects that we got around the doors was health. Major

health issues, long waiting lists, but it doesn't seem to have

resonated into the votes. There is a gap there. OK. We will come back to

pick up on that. I think Elisha can now hear us. Congratulations. Thank

you very much, Mark. I am looking at the figures, you topped the poll.

9205 first preferences, how much of that was down to former mayor of

Derry, very well known in your own right and some people are saying the

fact that you are taking over where Martin McGuinness left off? Well, I

think the politics of the day was the winner and very clearly what we

heard on the door of the entire campaign is that people understood

our politics and accepted it and appreciated it. Whilst there may be

an element of individualism, I think on the whole the party and its

stance and stand up against corruption and integrity and indeed

the stand that Martin McGuinness took in January has fed us well.

When you look at the numbers does it look like you will hold your two

seats, the SDLP will hold two, and the DUP will get one, so the loser

would be Eamoning man, is that how you read it. ?

It is hard to say, it is fair to say that it is likely that ourselves and

the SDLP will have two seats and for the final set, but remains to be

seen and I would not want to call Matt. We're fairly confident that

Raymond McCartney and myself will be elected shortly. You broke your arm?

What were you doing? I was running after my children and I have been

running around on the campaign for five days with a broken arm

unbeknownst to myself. Make sure you don't leave that count centre

without Eamonn McCann signing it! We will talk to you later. Thank you

for that. We can crunch the numbers, they are coming in and we need some

number crunching. Analysis from Mark Devenport. This increased turnout,

there is a mixture of factors that might have built into this but

clearly one of those was the Renewable Heat Incentive saga and if

we look at one constituency where there are many personalities

involved and that, it has to be Strangford, where Jonathan Bell, the

former DUP minister who gave that remarkable interview on the BBC, was

standing and the place were Simon Hamilton while standing and the

Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt. Let us look at the figures in

Strangford. It always was a DUP stronghold and they remain at the

top with nearly 40% but we can look at what has happened on the change.

What do you make of that? The DUP vote is down and the Alliance vote

is up, this is what we have seen in all of the declared constituencies,

the DUP have taken a small head over recent issues but not as big as some

thought and a vote for independence -- independence is down. And in

terms of personalities. Simon Hamilton topping the poll,

previously he was not a great vote getter for the DUP but whether they

have changed territorially or something has happened, he was

associated with the recent develops -- developments in relation to RHI.

Not all news is bad news. His increased public profile has helped

and interesting we have three DUP in the top five with only five being

elected and in sixth place, perennial runner-up Joe Boyle, SDLP

runners-up in every Assembly election in Strangford since 98 and

this will be no exception. Is it fair to say that four of these are

certain, Michelle Michael Flynn, Kellie Armstrong and Mike Nesbitt

and the fifth place, can we call that? Nobody can catch Phil -- Peter

Weir? The loss of Philip Smith? He would need to make 1000 votes and I

do not see that happening. West Belfast, we have an early

declaration of Orlaithi Flynn, the new MLA, elected. This has been a

case where Sinn Fein has energised the vote, people dressed up in

crocodile uniforms going to the polls and Arlene Foster has been a

good recruiting sergeant in these areas for Sinn Fein. Sinn Fein

nearly 62% and what has happened... People Before Profit did very well

last time around in this constituency. Any thoughts on that?

Massive increase for Sinn Fein, the vote is up across the board, in all

seven constituencies we have seen, as with the Alliance. People Before

Profit, supporters said they would get a second MLA in West Belfast?

They would need a lot more votes. And the personalities... They have

managed to balance the vote, Sinn Fein. Will they get all four? More

likely than not and the alternative would be if enough transfers go to

Alex Attwood from the smaller parties to pull ahead of the DUP. I

cannot see it, DUP runners up every election except for 2003 with Diane

Dodds. Gerry Carroll hit with the fact he has a running mate and the

People Before Profit vote dropped, can he hold onto the fifth seed?

Solid performance, nearly 6000, it would be surprising if they did not

pick up the extra 700. Alex Attwood, beaten by the DUP, this is a

constituency where in the 1990s the SDLP held the Westminster seat, the

entire seed? It shows how the map has changed and next-door the Ulster

Unionists eliminated, they held that seat until even more recently. Over

to Tara Mills in the Titanic counting centre. Welcome back to the

Exhibition Centre, the Belfast counts are taking place and I have

Mairtin O'Muilleoir, Alice Morris from the Irish news and Professor

John Tong, who has written a book on the DUP. 2000 votes, adding to your

performance from last year? I think this an astounding performance by

the electorate because they are ahead of the politicians and when it

comes to issues of equality in South Belfast, crucially important and

issues of respect for all people, diversity, but also against Brexit,

ordinary people voted against Brexit and I can see the vote that I got as

a republican vote, it was for equality and liberty and the DUP

were about arrogance and this respect and scandals and we have an

opportunity to have a true fresh start and that is a mandate I will

bring with me in the days ahead. The election result is not about those

things, it is about Arlene Foster and comments about crocodiles? The

DUP have helped you? I was at the holy Rosary polling station and a

lady said, I was married here and my brother had to emigrate to London

because he is gay. Some of the Roma have been exploited terribly by

landlords in the holy lands, working in my part, not treated fairly. And

an Irish language school in the heart of South Belfast, a pupil's

mother said that he not be a first-class citizen like everyone

else? Without this rioting at the back of the bus? Let us have

integrity in the institutions and proper equality in institutions. We

have a declaration from Banbridge. This is the deputy returning officer

in Banbridge leisure centre, we will hear something about Upper Bann or

Newry and Armagh. Both of which should be interesting. Conor

Macauley is there. We will hear from him in due course. We will get some

numbers. We will stay with this and hear them. Upper Bann was the last

constituency to make its final declaration in May. Lots of people

saying that Doug Beattie from the Ulster Unionist Party looks

vulnerable there and Newry and Armagh, all six outgoing MLAs...

They are standing again. Let us listen.

Each stage announcement will include the outcome of the stage and the

details of the next stage. The declaration of the result will take

place after five candidates have been deemed carded. There will be

speeches until after the declaration. This is the outcome of

the first stage of the Newry and Armagh constituency. The total

number of ballot papers counted was 55,000 625. There were 707 rejected

papers. The number of ballot papers was 54,000 918. The quota is 9154.

The number of first preference votes given for each candidate was as

follows... Cathal Boylan, Sinn Fein, 9197. Jackie Coade, Alliance Party,

1418. Emmet Crossan, independent social thought, 704. Megan Fearon,

Sinn Fein, 8881. William Urban, DUP, 9760. Danny Kennedy, Ulster Unionist

Party, 7256. Justin McNulty, SDLP, 8983. Conor Murphy, Sinn Fein, 8454.

Rowan Tunnicliffe, Green Party, 265. William Irwin and Cathal Boylan have

reached the quota and are deemed elected, the next stage will involve

the transfer of their surplus votes in accordance with the preferences

shown. If the total surplus of the candidates deemed elected was

transferred to the three candidates with the lowest votes, it will not

change the order of the remaining candidates. The next age is to

therefore be the exclusion of the three candidates with the lowest

votes. Rowan Tunnicliffe... Confirmation that Cathal Boylan Sinn

Fein and William Irwin from the DUP have been elected, deemed elected in

Newry and Armagh. And the last of the bunch, Megan Fearon, Danny

Kennedy, Justin McNulty and Conor Murphy, that'll be interesting

tussle for the three remaining seats. Back to Tara Mills at the

Titanic Exhibition Centre. We can go back to Mairtin O'Muilleoir, were

interrupted briefly. When it comes to the future, what are you going

into? What can you guarantee for the Sinn Fein electorate?

Congratulations to this long, wonderful result, being returned on

the first count. -- to Naomi Long. In East Belfast! Secondly, great to

talk about the future because the talk in government with the former

partners has always been about the past and dragging us back. On the

doorsteps, people talk about the future. People insisted that they

wanted to be represented by people who work for a progressive Belfast

and a united Belfast and that is a mandate we bring with us. You are

congratulating Naomi Long. Alison, while things shaping up? An amazing

collection for Sinn Fein, they have got their vote out, the increased

vote has benefited them. In nationalist strongholds, West

Belfast is looking like four Sinn Fein and People Before Profit. That

is being played out across the North. The story will also be East

Belfast and Naomi Long and the Alliance Party's massive success

because with the DUP, they look to be punished by the unionist

electorate for RHI and other scandals, those votes are not

transferring to other unionist parties, the UUP, we're going

towards moderate parties. That happened in Stratford with Kellie

Armstrong being 500 votes ahead. That'll be very interesting,

especially in East Belfast, that is such a unionist stronghold, with

votes going towards Lyons, that will trouble DUP greatly in that area. We

have seen that this was the election they said nobody wanted, people were

meant to be tired having gone to the polls 7.5 months ago but we wonder

if anybody is listening and you can see the electorate are very engaged

and they have made their voice heard. When we come to analyse this

in the days to come, we will have a feeling of how people feel and what

their opinions where given the recent political scandals with

greater numbers to analyse. Early days in terms of the DUP picture but

you see this move with Alliance coming through, what do you think

will be the postmortem the DUP will have? The Alliance Party are having

a good election, they are putting on votes as a consequence of the

increased turnout, and this is only anecdotally, amongst younger people,

they are least likely to adopt unionist or nationalised labels so

the Alliance Party is a natural. The DUP are taking a hit but it does not

quite seem to be huge at this stage, remember of the high watermark of

the DUP last time in 2016 and 2011, that would never be repeated, even

with RHI. The DUP got 86% of their candidates elected in 2016 and it

would always take a head today and the problem is on the side of the

UUP, the Ulster Unionists, they are not in significantly stronger

position to make the advances they should be making at the expense of

the DUP and that is where the real story and potentially -- story

potentially lies. Ulster Unionists is littered with people who

advocated compromise, Trimble, Mike Nesbitt, it was laudable in some

ways what Mike Nesbitt did, urging cross community transfers. Has that

gone against the UUP? Or generally Mike Nesbitt?

If you look at the level of cross-community transfers from

unionist parties it's low, less than 2% of U. P voters last time went to

the SDLP. So it was in many ways it was a laudable call but it was full

of political risk and I think that's why the DUP will probably, their

vote will probably hold up by default because of the weaknesses of

the Ulster Unionist party. In terms of the big parties then, it's

probably likely it will still be Sinn Fein and the DUP, so what hope

is there that there will be agreement? Well, there is always

hope and I take great hope from the remarkable result I have received in

South Belfast, my colleague Orlaithi Flynn has been returned and I hope

the Tories are listening and the DUP, because this election really is

about implementing previous agreements, previous Solemn

agreements, Maze, Long Kesh and the DUP went back on their word, Irish

language act, the Tories went back on their word and blocking equal

rights for Irish speakers and dealing with the past. So, we

actually have a difficult period ahead but it's about implementing

previous agreements and I am hopeful because the ordinary people have

spoken just as they spoke against Brexit and I hope the Tories turn

away from the lunancy of Brexit. They voted against it again today we

should hope the DUP is listening in terms of disrespect and arrogance

and their wish to drag us back to the past about I hope the Tories are

listening too because they've a part to play in making sure we make

progress. Alison, is it a wasted vote for alliance in a sense that if

they're not within the Executive then what real change can they make

to some of the issues that Martin is talking about? I don't think so, it

gives out a clear message, the DUP are likely to be returned as the

largest party, they're going to have to reflect on the election and the

hit they've taken to the Alliance Party and maybe reflect especially

on some social issues where they've used petition of concern to block

progress on things like same-sex marriage. I don't think that the

Tory Government will be listening, I think Theresa May has other things

on her mind with regards to Brexit. I think they'll be keen for the

parties to get some resolution in the next few weeks, I don't think

there is appetite for direct rule from Westminster. They've enough on

their plate, the last thing weigh want to do is take over control of

Northern Ireland. At the same time, we have seen a reduced number, we

will see a reduced number of DUP MLAs returned, that doesn't mean

there is massive change in the demographic of the coalition

Government. Let's face it, it's going to be a Sinn Fein and DUP

coalition. Before we leave it there, did you vote any unionist down your

ticket? No, I didn't... Have you ever, I wonder about that? I told

Stephen Nolan maybe if I live to be 105. At this stage I was really in

favour of progressive candidates and those against Brexit, those who were

for Irish uniteny and that's back on the agenda as part of my vote in

South Belfast, as well. Thank you. Back to you, Mark.

OK. Let me bring you up to speed with who has been returned at this

stage. We have had a little bit of a rush there. Naomi Long is returned

on the first count in East Belfast with over 7500. Elisha McCallion.

Michelle O'Neill in Mid Ulster topped the poll there. Also home

Keith bu Khan nan of the DUP with 9,000. William Irwin of the DUP

returned on the first count in their constituencies. And Danny Kennedy,

that's - Danny Kennedy is in trouble in Newry and Armagh. Mairtin

O'Muilleoir topped the poll in South Belfast. Orlaithi Flynn in West

Belfast, both Father Sinn Fein. Let's look at North Down. Alain

chambers and Steven Farry, deputy leader of the Alliance Party

returned in North Down on the first count and Steven Farry joins me now

from the count centre. Congratulations. Are you relieved?

Well, thanks, Mark. Certainly I am pleased in a personal capacity and

also pleased for the party in that it does seem we are set to hold all

eight of our current outgoing MLAs. And our votes will be up across

Northern Ireland as a whole. At the same time, I am certainly

apprehensive about the future. We are in extremely uncertain times.

People have come out and are more energised about our politics but

that happens in the context where we don't have a functioning Assembly or

Executive and there are challenges ranging from a budget through to how

we manage the implications on Brexit we have to get to grips with over

the weeks. Any sign of growth for alliance, it's difficult in a

shrinking Assembly but you are confident you will hold eight seats,

do you see anywhere you might seek a 9th or 10th? In the context of a a

shrinking Assembly holding all eight is a gain in terms of the

proportionate seats we have, so Alliance is on the March. On the one

hand you are seeing the centre ground with Alliance at the heart of

that exerting itself, particularly in the greater Belfast area and

across the other constituencies too. At the same time, we still have a

pollerised electorate with the DUP and Sinn Fein set to be returned as

the two largest parties. Outside of the current eight we are seeing

strong performances, for example, in West Belfast, one of our best

results for several years and that's a good sign as a fact of we are

being taken as a much more serious player across Northern Ireland. I

hear also in South Down we are outpolling the Ulster Unionist party

and no one saw that one coming. Congratulations again, thank you. No

doubt we will speak to you again. Let's come back to the panel.

Stephen, just to pick up, contradictory trends he talked about

and Alliance looks as if it will hold firm in the middle ground but

opposite ends of the political spectrum appear to be doing well.

Yes, differentential turnout, west and east of the Bann, which has

always been the case here, it requires more nationalists to get a

seat in the Assembly than it does in the east of the province where

unionists are in the majority. So, it is, I think it's going to take us

quite a while. The broad sweep is there. But it's going to take a

while before we can establish exactly what has happened here. Are

you concerned that Danny Kennedy could be in difficulty in his count?

Clearly Danny has been a long-term representative there and hopefully

will be returned again. It's going to be hard for him, he is in 6th

place fighting for five seats. It is hard to see where he will pick

transfers up from. Given those figures clearly it is difficult. I

am still confident there are a number of transfers still to come

and I think from memory the Alliance Party had a number of transfers to

come there. Look, it is unfortunate, as Stephen indicated, there seems to

be a pollerisation that's certainly increased the vote in Northern

Ireland and many people were predicting last week that the vote

would decrease in Northern Ireland. But against all the odds and the

same as in many other cases this last 12 months, you know, the

predictions have been wrong and the vote has increased and there is that

pollerisation. Thank you. I will come back to the rest of you.

Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein's leader in Stormont, has joined us now from

Ballymena. First of all, congratulations to

you. You topped the poll with 10258 first preferences. No huge surprise.

I think you are the first person to be returned with a vote over 10,000

first preferences, is that right? I am not sure. I have been here all

morning, but obviously I am delighted to receive the vote which

I have. I am also delighted that the people of Mid Ulster put their faith

in Sinn Fein. 26207 people send their best wishes to Martin

McGuinness today in the vote they've returned. We are date our other two

candidates will be returned. We fought a positive campaign. The

public have responded well. Here in Mid Ulster we have seen a 14%

increase which is significant given that the average across the North

has been a 10% increase. I think that sends a strong signal that the

campaign we fought, people were motivated to vote because they

understood the message, they understood the need for this

election. It's a good day for Sinn Fein in Mid Ulster and obviously a

good day across the board, some other counts are coming in. It is

hard to read at this stage, we were just hearing from Stephen Farry and

one of our guests in the studio saying there are contradictory

trends and appears to be pollerisation, Alliance seems to be

doing well in the middle ground. The DUP is also performing well in, so

far as we know at this stage, you clearly have had some successes. So,

one end of the spectrum, the other end and the middle ground all seem

to be claiming some degree of success at this stage. I think it is

a very interesting election. We have always said it would be a watershed

election and it is early days so it's hard to predict the full

outcome at the end of tomorrow. For me it's about now making sure the -

when the votes are counted that my team's organised and will be over

the weekend that we are ready to deal with the issues that need to be

dealt with. There clearly are problems and I think particularly

here in Mid Ulster and I can speak for the electoral who returned us

and we are very grateful, I said it throughout the election campaign,

when Sinn Fein wins, we win for all. We have a job to do to restore

integrity and respect in the institutions, that's what I am up

for and our team will be up for, we have a job ahead in the next three

weeks. Sinn Fein will be at Stormont on Monday, we will be dealing with

all the issues and we need to get down to trying to restore the lack

of public confidence there has been in the institutions and trying to

get to the bottom of all those serious issues, we don't need a new

negotiation, we don't need a new agreement. We need implementation of

what's been outstanding. Just to be clear, what does this mandate, if it

ends up being as strong a mandate as you are suggesting it could be, what

does that mandate give you you the right to demand, what will you do

with it next week and the week after? It's not about demands, it's

about people's rights, it's about the public having faith in the

institutions and those people that govern. It's about making sure that

we deliver for all citizens on the basis of equality and respect.

That's what my mandate will do, that's what the Sinn Fein mandate

will do, we will fight for the rights of all citizens, not just

those people that elect Sinn Fein but those people in society. We need

to have a society based on rights that people feel valued and

respected and that's what we will go into the negotiation to secure for

all those people that have come out in their numbers to vote in this

election. Whenever you and I had a conversation on The View before the

election you were clear about this and you said, I can't be any

clearer, you will not go back into an Executive if Arlene Foster is the

nominee of the DUP. You will not work with her on this side of a

public inquiry into RHI. If you go back with a strong hand the DUP also

has a strong enough hand and it says we are backing Arlene Foster to

continue as our leader, and nominating her we are stuck. We are

on a hook or have you thought of a way now on this side of the election

that you can share with us to get us off that hook? Well, obviously I

have said and it remains my position that we couldn't go into Government

with Arlene foser in the position of first or Deputy First Minister

whilst there is a cloud hanging over her, that remains the position. If

people are serious about making the institutions work, if people are

serious about power sharing, genuine power sharing, if people are serious

about equality and respect, then whilst we might have a difficult

period ahead in the next few weeks nothing that is unachievable if

people come with the right attitude. It does not mean an Executive cannot

be formed. You know Arlene Foster would say there is no cloud over

her, she was a Minister, she did nothing wrong. She acted on the

instructions or advice of her civil servants and the RHI public inquiry

will get to grips with what did and did not happen. Some of the claims

she says don't stack up. It's up to the DUP to decide what they do in

terms of their personnel. It's not up to Sinn Fein. It's not up to you.

I have always said it's not for me to dictate who leads the DUP. I am

only interested in Government and institution that is deliver for all

citizens. We can't be one-sided, we need to make sure we show

leadership. The office of first and Deputy First Minister needs to do

more, they need to step outside their comfort zone and through to

the principles of power sharing and make sure the Executive works on the

basis of equality. That's what our team are interested in. While we

have a difficult period ahead we can achieve a way forward if people come

at it with the right attitude, that's what Sinn Fein will do and

that's what I will lead my negotiating team in to do. We are

look to look at pictures of Gerry Kelly who topped the poll in North

Belfast. I haven't the data for North Belfast at this stage. Maybe

it's just... No, hasn't come in at the moment. He has been successful

as far as your party is concerned. Also Elisha McCallion and Orlaithi

Flynn, Mairtin O'Muilleoir, so a good day at the office from Sinn

Fein's point of view. Yes, it has and it's great to see those

candidates, first-class people who will work for all our citizens. We

have said throughout this campaign a very positive message, we want to

deliver for all citizens on the basis of equality and respect.

That's what all those people have received a mandate for. I am

delighted and proud of our team. I look forward to the rest of the

results coming in it throughout day and tomorrow.

Thank you very much. We can hear from Simon Hamilton, the

DUP, successful DUP candidate in Strangford, topping the poll.

Congratulations. Thank you. Was that a relief? Strangford was trailed as

the real impossible constituency to call because unique, you had seven

outgoing MLAs looking for only five seats. I am pleased with my personal

result but this is a good result for the party in Strangford, our hard

work through the years has been awarded once again by the electorate

and the vote has held up and myself and Michelle McIlveen have very high

first preference totals and I am glad that Peter Weir is polling

exceptionally well and we will wait for the later stages but we are

hopeful of holding onto three seats. Doesn't look like Philip Smith will

lose out at Jonathan Bell is pretty much already out? That is pretty

clear. Philip Smith is trailing by around 1100 votes so we will have to

go through some stages but we will be hopeful that Peter -- Philip will

join us. You have known Jonathan Bell for a very long time,

constituency and party colleague and Executive colour, he has been

suspended from the DUP, and he is still technically a member. Do you

shed any tears at the end of his political career? You will remember

before Christmas he predicted the end of his career and we will see

whether the result today is the end, I am disappointed with what Jonathan

did before Christmas, he took that decision for his own reasons and he

has put himself forward to the electorate in Strangford who have

not endorsed him in the way he thought. I am glad the people in

Strangford held faith with the DUP and have held up the vote and were

on course to hold onto three seats. Where have you been for the past six

weeks? You have been remarkably low-profile for a man who was put

forward at every opportunity by the DUP as a front-line spokesperson. I

have not seen you in weeks, since before Christmas. I don't think you

are vote in the Strangford constituency, I have been here

working hard and that has paid off in the election, working hard to not

just hold onto my own seat but also to help and ensure we get three

seats in this constituency and that is hopefully but we will do. How do

you read the overall picture in all seriousness? The contradictory

nature of the figures at this early stage, what do you think is

happening? More people voted this time than ten months ago. I think it

is very encouraging that there was an increased turnout, Strangford,

along with North Down, traditionally has had a very low turnout and it is

good to see more people participating in the democratic

process and the selection has engaged people and the issues have

been important and I have had a consistent message around the doors,

particularly yesterday, was people coming through the gates and they

want the institutions at Stormont to be up and running, the Executive to

be formed and the Assembly working on their behalf on the issues that

matter to them in health and education and jobs and we have work

to do over the next couple of weeks to ensure that this desire which was

uniform across the board over the election campaign is something that

we can deliver on. We get the Executive running again and the

Assembly working and we have an Executive delivering for people and

we continue the good work that was taking place with the new Executive

until December. Congratulations again, we will maybe talk again.

Simon Hamilton, thank you. We can go back to Tara Mills in Titanic. Naomi

Long is here. An increased turnout has helped you. It seems so. We had

a very good election, particularly in East Belfast, and a credible

election for us. We have polled based on what we have seen with the

best ever election result in East Belfast and beyond that, Stephen

Farry polling very strongly with the vote up in North Down and the same

with Kellie Armstrong, who was second in the poll, beating the

Ulster Unionist leader into third place. This has been a good day for

Alliance, and in constituencies where we traditionally have been

week we have seen the effort we have put into building the vote paying

off. In terms of the vote share. Very positive and I hope this

translates into something positive when it comes to what starts night,

getting devolution be established. So many interesting facets to that.

In terms of the vote, who has come out, why has your vote increased?

People who wanted to punish the DUP, instead of voting for the UUP have

voted for Alliance? We did not set out to be the protest vote, we were

clear that we wanted to offer a positive alternative and that is

what we did. We talked about what we would do differently and how we can

try to re-establish the Assembly on a sustainable footing that can

deliver for people and people responded and connected with that.

Rather than simply voting in protest or out of anger, they wanted to hear

the alternative because was a degree of despair when we ended up at the

election so quickly after the last one and people felt we had given up

and people said that the high turnout could be good news for some

of the established parties. We have found that lots of people turning

out had never voted before or have not voted for a very long time but

they were motivated because they were frustrated over what has

happened over the last eight months and that has benefited Alliance.

What guarantees can you give those people who are putting their faith

in you? What position can you have? This time, not going into

opposition, we will take one of those ministerial seats? We were

very clear. Whether we would be government or opposition and this is

about the quality of government and if there are other parties willing

to work with us and if there is an opportunity to be in government, but

if that government is open and accountable and delivering for the

people and dealing with issues like division in society and other

priorities, that we talked about in this election, we want to be part of

making that work. If other parties do not want to do with those issues,

we will go into opposition and hold them to account. We need to sit down

with other parties at the end of this and start to talk about what

we're going to do next week because we have a challenge. People want

devolution restored. They want to see the Assembly working. With the

obstacles that are in the way around Sinn Fein and the DUP, do you think

direct rule is inevitable? I do not, it would be disastrous for Northern

Ireland, a major step backwards. People were elected today to do the

job, to deliver government, they have the responsibility and other

roadblocks in the way, people need to remove them, to do what they have

been tasked with, to get around the table and get devolution restored

and start delivering for the people who voted. I am grateful to the

people who came out yesterday, particularly last night in some of

the worst weather of this campaign, and they were queueing up outside

polling stations to give us a mandate, a mandate to govern. It is

our responsibility to do that job and that goes double for those with

larger mandates than ours. John Tong, do you think direct rule is

inevitable? More probable than not, I cannot see any deal between the

DUP and Sinn Fein, Michelle O'Neill could not have been clearer, she

will not work with Arlene Foster, whether Sinn Fein is the largest

party, they will not accept Arlene Foster as Deputy First Minister or

as First Minister. There was no wriggle room. The DUP are likely to

put anybody else in? That would be Sinn Fein choosing a leader of the

DUP and it is possible they can temporarily put somebody else

forward but this campaign has been about the DUP arguing that the

sequencing was wrong, let us have the enquiry into RHI and if the

enquiry is damning of Arlene Foster, there is case for her to go. I do

not see any ground for movement on that. What you are looking at

potentially is an Assembly sitting but basically scrutinising the

decisions of James Brokenshire. 90 people will be places but in effect

James Brokenshire has been elected because he will be the person making

key decisions for the next nine months. I am also concerned that the

enquiry, people assume that will clear the air, I would not expect

the parties to cherry pick the findings down the line so we might

have this hiatus after that. Sorry to be gloomy but this is not the

road back to full blown devolution. In 2003 I was here electing to a

government that did not actually exist. Naomi Long has shown that

East Belfast is always seen as this loyalist citadel but that has not

been the case for a very long time. Two Westminster elections with only

a minority of people voting for the DUP and you are seeing today the

Alliance Party performing strongly so the nature of that constituency

is changing but the narrative today will be Alliance doing very well but

the major narrative is the onward march of Sinn Fein. Glutton for

punishment! Always coming back! Back to the studio. As John Tong said, we

may not be electing an Assembly but just negotiators in the talks but

nevertheless it is important to see what the strengths of the parties

will be because that will determine what the bargaining power is. We are

looking at a couple of swing constituencies, first of all, South

Belfast. Many moons ago was an Ulster Unionist stronghold, hard to

imagine that right now! The DUP topping the poll in South Belfast,

closely followed by the SDLP but I very even spread. What has happened

to the share? Just above the quarter. I was fast, there. We shot

past Mairtin O'Muilleoir. One of the reasons he got elected so quickly

was Sinn Fein added 3.5%. We're still waiting for any constituency

where Sinn Fein or Alliance have a drop in their vote share. Mairtin

O'Muilleoir at the top in South Belfast. Lots of talk about Emma

Little-Pengelly. Possibly not making it. She is in fifth place. Why are

people thinking she might not be the fifth MLA? Going back one step,

there might be only one DUP MLA because Clare Bailey of the Green

Party, less than 200 votes behind. She has a lot of potential votes

that will come to her before they go to the DUP. Hoovering up from

Alliance and People Before Profit. Does Emma Little-Pengelly stay

behind Christopher Stalford? One of them is more transfer toxic and

which one is more friendly? The last seat could be between both DUP

councillors. Sinn Fein, SDLP, Alliance Party, pretty much home.

Which DUP candidate comes through? And the Green Party might have a

seat. And in Foyle. Elisha McCallion, elected on the first

card. Impressive given that Martin McGuinness was not in the fray. We

can see that Sinn Fein maintain dominance over the SDLP. The first

time they have beaten the SDLP. Despite the fact that the SDLP have

a party leader and the Minister and this is the change. Enormous rise in

the Sinn Fein vote? Here we go. This is that swing. More than 3% from the

SDLP to Sinn Fein. Pretty drastic and Sinn Fein is out polling the

SDLP in South Down, that was the other remaining stronghold. Elisha

McCallion is already there. Raymond McCartney will come through and both

SDLP candidates but what about the fifth set? It is likely that Gary

Middleton will keep that for the DUP, there are enough unionist votes

in the Ulster Unionists and the Conservatives that I think will

prove sufficient. That means Eamonn McCann, after decades of getting

elected, trying to get elected, this could be a very truncated medical

career? He has had a very early -- long career outside of the Assembly,

it is too early to say goodbye to him! Eamonn McCann is not the driver

and he won't have to wait for all of those lifts and trains and buses to

take him back to Derry! Thank you. I want to speak to Paul Givan of the

DUP, topping the poll in Lagan Valley. And he joins us. From the

count centre. Congratulations, well done. 8035

first preference votes, are you a relieved man this mid-afternoon?

Well, obviously, I am personally delighted with the vote that I

received, to get over 8,000 votes is obviously an endorsement from my own

constituency. I am more interested in obviously the final tally when it

comes to the end of the day as to how many seats the party gets and I

will be watching as the count proceeds. We are clearly getting two

seats comfortably in Lagan Valley, the last seat here will go down to

the wire. It's between us, the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP. There

has been an increased turnout amongst the nationalist voting base

here in the constituency and that's going to make for an interesting and

possibly protracted number of stages here in Lisburn. If you lose one of

your three seats it would be Brenda Hale on the face of it. Pat Catney

is a bit behind but it depends, as it will in many constituencies, it

will come down to the transfers and who could Hoover them up? It will.

It is Brenda, Jenny and Pat I think will be the last three candidates

vying for that last seat. There is a Sinn Fein vote there, obviously to

transfer to Pat Catney and that's going to increase his first

preference tally. So, this one we will have to wait and see. They're

redistributing my surplus, there is a TUV vote, we expect to benefit

through those stages and other independents, I would anticipate

some parties will benefit from. That's obviously the way the PR

system works, it's too close to call here in Lagan Valley. We fought a

tough campaign. We increased our vote in the last election. Other

parties were able to increase the turnout in their areas, as well.

That's obviously now made that last seat something that I think everyone

will be watching closely. Obviously we fought a hard campaign over the

last four weeks. There are a range of issues that were brought up.

Undoubtedly, people consolidated here around the DUP, they recognised

that we were the party that they wanted to vote for. We need to have

a strong party and today it's very clear we will be easily the largest

unionist party in Northern Ireland and obviously the challenge now

rests with us to find a way through the difficulties that exist at

Stormont, people need to respect our mandate and we need to respect the

mandate other parties are going to be receiving in this election.

Ultimately, I do believe that we have to find a solution, that's what

the people expect us to do. Good to talk to you,

congratulations, thank you very much indeed for having a word with us.

Paul Givan has been successful there. Topped the poll with over

8,000 first preference votes. We have refreshed our panel. Good to

see some new faces. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is staying with us, we

have been joined by the Sinn Fein MEP Martin in a Anderson. Professor

Rick Wilford. No stranger to our output and also Newton Emerson.

Martin in a, first of all, you clearly within Sinn Fein have had

some strong performances, you have had a few poll toppers, we were

talking to your party leader here, Michelle O'Neill, and she was saying

she was pleased with how things are going but there is a long way to go.

Without doubt there is a long way to go. When you consider Elisha

McCallion has topped the poll in Derry, first time out, a magnificent

performance. Not just for Elisha but all of the candidates that were

involved across the north, but her and Raymond, our vote is up, 16300

in the Foyle constituency, that's the highest vote I think that Sinn

Fein has ever received since we went out, Mitchell McLawing cane came

close to that at one time or another. Here is good news, in South

Down, 10256 first preferences for Sinead and Chris Hazard 8827. I know

that Catriona Ruane was pleased, she was her election agent. She has been

fantastic, Sinead. We have - there is a trend and a pattern across the

north where young republican women are topping the poll and I think

that's something we have seen as a trend the last time around, as well.

We had a leader in Michelle O'Neill that has led from the front. People

have said about this election and what it was all about. The election

was about equality and respect and integrity at the heart of the

political institutions. And that message resonated across, not just

the city of Derry, but across the north. It is also to be fair, it's

also the case that a lot of unionists have come out. The centre

ground has held up well, the DUP has had good successes so far. We have

spoken to some of the successful candidates. They were presumably

voting for different reasons for a different agenda, for a different

manifesto than Sinn Fein. You can't say the election was just about Sinn

Fein's agenda. Jeffrey has a different agenda. Of course. I think

that's going to be the story of the election. Martin McGuinness left a

sick hospital bed to go up to the Assembly to say to Arlene Foster, to

try to get her to try to instill a bit of humanity into that lady. And

when you consider that Martin McGuinness faced down arrogance and

disrespect, I can tell you across the North that was felt in a lot of

republican nationalist homes. Jeffrey, I will give you an

opportunity to respond. Presumably you would see things very

differently. I do. And I think a lot of people, Martina, out there, will

just think a little about what you have just said about humanity and

Sinn Fein lecturing anyone on humanity when your leader stood and

exonerated and eulogised members of the IRA who did a lot of... And you

were a member of the UDR, you are not the person to be sitting there

lecturing me about the whataboutery about the IRA. With all due respect

to you... I didn't interrupt you. You are not the person to be

lecturing republicans about the role of the UDR and the conflict. Hang

on, let Jeffrey make his point. Respect means you let the other

person speak. It means freedom of speech. I listened to you and didn't

interrupt. Show this unionist a little bit of respect. I know it's

really difficult for Sinn Fein to show any unionist respect. That's

not true. You can't even use the term Northern Ireland, the very

country you want to aspire to govern. You don't respect the

country you are supposed to be governing. This does not augur well

for partnership Government on the other side of the election. Let's be

honest. Sometimes, Mark, you have to cut across the can't of Sinn Fein.

Let's deal with the results. Martina is sitting here and it's almost as

if everybody out there agrees with the Sinn Fein agenda. I have to

challenge that. The DUP vote has held up well, despite the difficult

circumstances that we are in, in the Foyle constituency the DUP vote is

up. We have had some incredible results, in mid always, for example,

our candidate there got over 2,000 more votes in this election. So, you

know, Martina with the greatest of respect, I think Sinn Fein need to

understand that there are still many people out there who do not accept

the kind of agenda that you are talking about, Irish unity, Mairtin

O'Muilleoir talked about, in South Belfast, the DUP beat you, the DUP

is the largest party in South Belfast. People who voted for the

DUP were not voting for Irish unity, they want a stable Northern Ireland,

they want a Northern Ireland that works. They don't want, with

respect, Martina, people setting preconditions, they voted, they

voted for people to go back into Government. They voted for people to

make Northern Ireland work. They want to see that happening. Remember

that in the next three weeks, the DUP stands ready to go into

Government. We will not be setting preconditions. So do we. We stand

ready. We will not be going back to the status quo, that's something to

be very mindful and clear about as we go forward. We need to treat each

other and our constituencies with respect. And that means the DUP

reaching out to the nationalist community, the Irish language

speakers, Irish culture, changing names on boats, lifting Irish

bursaries, the things that the DUP has done to Irish language speakers

and our culture, that needs to stop. On this side of the election, the

campaign is now over. We have fought the campaign. People have voted. We

are now assessing what those votes mean. Somehow or other we have to

put the pieces back together. Of course. And it's a question of

whether the will is there on the part of the DUP and Sinn Fein, if

they are returned as the two big he is parties t looks like they're

going to be, is the will there to put the pieces back together?

Absolutely, the will is there. Based on a political institution that's

based on equality, it's based on respect and based on integrity. I

need to pause there. The political will is definitely there from Sinn

Fein. I will come back, we have breaking news in West Belfast.

Let's hear from David Maxwell. Yes, welcome back to the Titanic

Exhibition Centre. We have just heard in the last few minutes that

Alex Attwood has been eliminated in West Belfast. That's a huge day for

the SDLP, the SDLP represented in West Belfast for decades. That is

now it appears at an end. We haven't seen Alex Attwood here in the hall

today. We are trying to find members of the SDLP to get some reaction

from them on it. But that appears to be it. We have it there. There it is

in black and white, Alex Attwood, he got 4,000 total votes. But now

excluded. We expect in that constituency that Sinn Fein will

return all four of the candidates they put up, they spread their vote

very evenly. Gerry Carroll is confident that he will take a seat

there, as well. A remarkable day and remarkable news here.

Thank you very much. We did predict there would be big name casualties

in there, and there is a big name, Alex Attwood, definitely out, not in

the next Assembly. It looks like there are interesting things

happening in Newry and Armagh. Danny Kennedy is having a tough

fight on his hands to hang on. Yeah, it's a torrid time for him at the

moment. We have had two elected, William Irwin and Cathal Boylan also

elected. A quota of 9154. Conor Murphy and Megan Fearon are close to

the quota. Justin McNulty is just shy of it. They were doing a line-up

and cheer in the media room, he said he wasn't celebrating prematurely

but it looked like it to me. That means is that clearly it looks like

Danny Kennedy is very much in the drop zone at the moment. He is on

7256 first preferences, the foet at that is 9154. He would have to catch

Connor Murphy, but he is around about 1200 votes ahead. It's quite

hard to see where the transfers might be for Danny Kennedy at this

moment in time now, we are dividing up - redistributing the votes of

three candidates who have been excluded, the Green candidate, and

the Alliance candidate, again as I said talking to people they can't

see a way back for Danny Kennedy at this particular time.

Thank you very much. That's interesting, if Danny Kennedy

goes out, he is a former deputy leader of the Ulster Unionists

party, at Stormont. He is a former Minister in the Executive, he would

be another big name casualty. We will hear from Rick and Newton and

also Jeffrey and Martina again shortly and get their thoughts on

what's been happening. Let's look at some results so far from Mark

Simpson. Sglp

What we have done is squeezed the 18 constituencies together. Made them

all the same size. And made up kind of our own virtual map.

We can see from some of the colours spread around most of the

constituencies have at least some of the seats filled.

They're marked on the floor. Red is the DUP. Let's take a closer

look and look at North Down. As you can see, three seats filled there so

far. We can take a closer look and see who the three new MLAs are.

No big surprises there. Let's look elsewhere on our virtual map. Let's

look at Mid Ulster. Of course that's Michelle O'Neill's constituency.

Is she back in? Yes, we heard from her earlier, back along with the

DUP's Keith Buchanan, Sinn Fein and the DUP together. We haven't seen

that often in recent weeks but we saw it in the studio a short time

ago. Let's move on, let's have a quick

look elsewhere. Let's look maybe at Newry and Armagh. There it is.

Finding my bearings! Two seats filled so far. One for the DUP and

one for Sinn Fein. That's really been the pattern so far. The DUP and

Sinn Fein neck-and-neck, more or less, across the 18 constituencies.

But it's early days. As the day unfolds, you heard Jeffrey Donaldson

say that, they're hoping that the DUP are hoping that more of this map

will turn red. That's the situation so far.

The new political map is starting to take shape.

And it is absolutely fascinating, I can confirm that Michaella Boyle and

Eric McElduff have been elected in West Tyrone. Colum Eastwood, the

SDLP leader, joins us from his constituency in Derry. You did not

top the poll but you came in a couple of thousand first preference

votes behind Elisha McCallion, you will hang onto that seat. Any idea

how soon that announcement will be made? We're not sure, we're going

through a number of counts, we have increased our vote in this

constituency and are very happy, two elected, Sinn Fein have had a

fantastic result and across the North. Coming in ahead of us but the

SDLP vote has held up and is going up and were very content. Confident

that Mark H Durkan will be successful? Two Sinn Fein and SDLP

and the fifth seed going to Gary Middleton, that would be the end of

Eamonn McCann? That is most likely but I would not count out Eamonn

McCann, there are a lot of transfers yet but Gary Middleton is the

favourite. As far as the SDLP is concerned, the headline bad news is

Alex Attwood, the very high-profile member of the party, first elected

to the Assembly in 1998, has been eliminated? Were very sorry about

that, Alex was in a very uphill battle and he has given his life to

Ireland and the party and the peace process and was so involved in

bringing about many important changes that we have seen in the

country and we can be very proud of him and we will miss him very much

in the Assembly team. He understood himself he was in a battle with

proceeds going down to only five and the obvious Sinn Fein surge and the

polarised nature of this election but Alex has been a true and good

servant to the people of this country for many years and the SDLP

in terms of the Assembly team will miss him. I wonder what he will do?

It is very tough somebody to find the door closed on a pretty

successful career. He was the minister in the Executive and a

significant backroom tactician. What does the future hold for somebody

like him? It has just happened, he will have time to think about what

he will do next and Alex was a fantastic minister and very

important to us in the Assembly team, I relied very heavily on him

and if you think back to the years of service he gave through very

difficult times in that tough constituency, and he also was at the

forefront of turning around the policing structures in the north to

make it easier for people from my community to join the police or

easier for us to see change in the policing service and he has done so

many things to be proud of in his record of delivery for people across

this country and he should be very proud of himself. If you are looking

for shafts of light, not many for the SDLP at the moment, Joe Boyle in

Strangford is still in the mix for that fifth seat? The best

performance by a national list there. He was almost there last May,

there has never been a nationalist member returned in that

constituency. He might just be able to sneak in? Yes, go has had a poor

-- a fantastic performance, and all of our candidates across the North

have been putting up our votes and I have been in this game too long to

make any predictions, we are in the hunt for a lot of those fifth seats.

The public have voted, but let the counters do their job and we will

not make any predictions! I have got that wrong before. Many of our

people are in the hunt for those seats and it is clear this has been

utterly polarising election and nationalists have been so angry and

they have come out in big numbers and Sinn Fein have the beneficiary.

Thank you for giving us your time. We will talk to you when you are

returned later on in the day. Thank you. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood at

the Foyle College. We can hear from Newton Emerson and Professor Rick

Wilford. -- Foyle count. The mixed message across the board, the Ulster

Unionists for the SDLP are squeezed, the Allianz seem pretty happy, you

would wonder how all of those things are possible at the same time? --

the Alliance Party. The combined nationalist vote over the last cycle

has fallen and this time it has uplifted considerably and Sinn Fein

by the net beneficiary. You might argue this is an indication of the

decision to trigger the election by Martin McGuinness but you could

argue that was because the Sinn Fein leadership were pretty slow

learners, it took them a number of months to gauge the antipathy felt

within heartland areas in terms of their general distaste with the way

in which the last ten months had gone prior to this election. It

looks to me like Sinn Fein proportionately, their vote is

increased in terms of the relative number of seats they will win. The

DUP have gone down a little and the bad news is for the Ulster Unionists

and the SDLP, I am not sure they will reach double figures. That is

bad news for Mike Nesbitt and Danny Kennedy, unsuccessful in Newry and

Armagh, there is no obvious successor to Mike Nesbitt because he

cannot survive that count of hit he might get from the voters. The

Alliance vote has held up because they are much more transfer friendly

compared to other parties. Mike Nesbitt, that strategy of voting for

me has not worked. That has not chimed with the voters. The DUP

played that old trick, if you don't want a Sinn Fein First Minister, you

must back the DUP and it has worked again. They are safe in terms of

getting beyond the 30 mark. I think they will sneak over that line.

Just. Sinn Fein will be very close on their tail and not very far

behind the 28 seats they had in me. It is obvious but in our model of

devolution there is only room for three parties- unionist,

nationalists and other and if devolution is going to come back

under this model, which is dubious in the short term, the long-term

lesson is that going into opposition was toxic for the UUP and the SDLP,

they are about to be crushed out of existence and that three party era

has arrived. West Tyrone, Thomas Buchanan of the DUP topping the poll

with over 9000 first preferences and Michaella Boyle and Barry McElduff