SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has fought off Sinn Féin challenger Sandra Duffy to hold onto his Foyle seat.
But his majority compared to 2019 when the boundaries were slightly different has been cut – as he predicted.
Sinn Féin will take great comfort in Sandra Duffy polling 11,481 and see it as something to build on for the future.
Colum Eastwood received 15,647 of the vote – a majority of 4,166.
Sinn Fein is now the largest party at Westminster with seven MPs even though they don’t take their seats because of its abstentionist policy.
The DUP’s Ian Paisley has dramatically lost his North Antrim seat to TUV leader Jim Allister.
The party also lost Lagan Valley – once held by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson – with Sorcha Eastwood duly elected for the Alliance Party.
While DUP leader Gavin Robinson retained his East Belfast seat, former UUP Health Minister Robin Swann took South Antrim from Paul Girvan.
Independent Alex Easton took North Down from the Alliance’s Stephen Farry.
Meanwhile East Derry has been narrowly held by the DUP’s Gregory Campbell with just a few hundred votes separating him and Sinn Fein candidate Kathleen McGurk.
The SDLP’s Cara Hunter says she is “delighted” with how things have played out for her in East Derry.
“I’m delighted with my outcome this morning with over 5,000 votes from my constituents,” she said.
“The SDLP is a party committed to a brighter, shared future.
“This a vote increase since the 2022 election and I’m delighted to continue to deliver for my constituents in my role as an SDLP MLA.”
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