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Arlene Foster has ruled out standing as a candidate if a UK general election is called.<\/p>\nArlene Foster has ruled out standing as a candidate if a UK general election is called.<\/p>\n
The DUP leader is currently a Stormont MLA.<\/p>\n
Her parliamentary constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone has seen a battle between unionism and nationalism in recent general elections.<\/p>\n
Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s Michelle Gildernew had held the seat since 2001, but lost out in 2015 to UUP candidate Tom Elliott after the DUP stood aside in an agreed unionist pact.<\/p>\n
Ms Gildernew won the seat back in 2017.<\/p>\n
Mrs Foster said today that she would not be a candidate if a general election was called.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy focus is very much on the return of devolution and the return of Stormont, that\u2019s what I am focused on,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat and the fact that I want to see a deal to leave the European Union, I think those two big issues will be taking up a lot of my time over the coming weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs Foster said that she believes a Brexit deal is what should be focused on, rather than a general election.<\/p>\n
But she added: \u201cIf an election is called, we\u2019ll be ready to fight the election and we will go forward on our record of delivery.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Gildernew claimed Mrs Foster and her party were \u201crunning scared\u201d of a general election.<\/p>\n
\u201cArlene Foster claims she wants to concentrate on restoring the power-sharing institutions at Stormont.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe cannot be serious, given the fact she\u2019s had two and a half years to work on restoring the political institutions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe DUP are currently not engaged meaningfully in any talks process \u2013 and have previously walked away from a deal.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir toxic pact with the Tories has brought chaos and dysfunction to politics here in the north and politics in Britain, while actively working against the interests of citizens.<\/p>\n
\u201cArlene Foster and the DUP are running scared from the electorate.\u201d<\/p>\n