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The Alliance Party has produced another sensational election result in Northern Ireland and is well on course to land a European parliamentary seat.<\/p>\nThe Alliance Party has produced another sensational election result in Northern Ireland and is well on course to land a European parliamentary seat.<\/p>\n
Naomi Long, the leader of the cross-community party, attracted almost 106,000 first preference votes, coming in just behind Sinn F\u00e9in and the DUP in the first round of counting.<\/p>\n
Her vote share is double that of the 53,052 gained by the Ulster Unionist Party, which had been defending the seat Mrs Long is now poised to capture.<\/p>\n
Northern Ireland, which voted 56% Remain in the 2016 referendum, is now on course to return two Remain supporting MEPs and one Brexiteer.<\/p>\n
No candidate reached the 143,112 quota after the first round of counting at the Meadowbank Sports Arena in Magherafelt, Co. Derry.<\/p>\n
Former Alliance leader David Ford said the party could now lay claim to be the third biggest in Northern Ireland, having overtaken the Ulster Unionists and SDLP.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we potentially are now in that position,\u201d he told PA.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this stage it looks extremely good for Naomi and there\u2019s every chance she\u2019s in third place with potentially the highest vote the Alliance Party has ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s Martina Anderson repeated her feat of 2014 and topped the poll with 126,951 first preferences.<\/p>\n
DUP MEP Diane Dodds is also on course to retain her seat, registering 124,991 votes.<\/p>\n
Both women were cheered by supporters as they entered the count center this afternoon.<\/p>\n
Mrs Anderson said the result in Northern Ireland had sent a strong message to Europe.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely delighted, our strategy has worked,\u201d she told PA.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to send a message back to the EU by, in the first instance, topping the poll and, more importantly, sending two Remainers back.<\/p>\n
\u201cFifty seven per cent of the people who voted here voted to remain in the EU and they have sent a strong message back to Europe that they want to stay in the EU.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sinn F\u00e9in deputy leader Michelle O\u2019Neill said she was equally delighted for Alliance candidate Ms Long.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe said clearly in this election this is a chance for people to come out and vote again against Brexit, that\u2019s clearly what\u2019s been borne out here in the election result,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe think it\u2019s a good day for Remain \u2013 a good message sent back to Europe that we don\u2019t want to be dragged out of Europe against our wishes.\u201d<\/p>\n
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood, who had been hoping to win back a seat former leader John Hume held for 25 years, notched 78,589 first preferences.<\/p>\n
UUP candidate Danny Kennedy limped in sixth in the first round, behind the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice party Jim Allister, who scored 62,021 votes.<\/p>\n
Green Party leader Clare Bailey got 12,471 first preferences; Conservative Amandeep Bhogal got 662; Ukip\u2019s Robert Hill 5,115; independent Neil McCann got 948; and Jane Morrice, also an independent, got 1,719.<\/p>\n
All five were eliminated after the first stage of counting, with their transfers being distributed to candidates still in the race in the second round.<\/p>\n