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Sinn F\u00e9in has indicated it is \u201copen to an arrangement\u201d between pro-remain parties to oust DUP MPs.<\/p>\nSinn F\u00e9in has indicated it is \u201copen to an arrangement\u201d between pro-remain parties to oust DUP MPs.<\/p>\n
Assembly member Conor Murphy made the comment as John Finucane was selected to contest North Belfast in the event of a general election.<\/p>\n
The Newry and Armagh representative said they expect an election to be called before Christmas, and said his party is \u201copen\u201d to an arrangement between pro-remain parties in Northern Ireland to unseat DUP MPs.<\/p>\n
Mr Finucane told the selection meeting at Belfast Castle on Sunday that it had the potential to be a \u201chistoric election\u201d for Sinn F\u00e9in, and described North Belfast as a \u201ckey battlefield\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Murphy urged co-operation between parties to send a pro-remain message to Westminster.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is only one candidate can win this seat from Nigel Dodds, and that is John Finucane,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is only 2,000 votes in the difference in the last election \u2013 there are 5,000-plus pro-remain voters who voted for other parties in the most recent elections and not for Sinn F\u00e9in.<\/p>\n
\u201cA portion of those would secure the election of John Finucane, but more importantly send a very clear signal to the DUP and the leader of the DUP at Westminster (Nigel Dodds).<\/p>\n
\u201cI would appeal to all of those outside Sinn F\u00e9in, those pro-Remain progressive voters, that they put aside their own party political loyalties and vote for the only candidate that can take this seat away from the DUP, and send a very strong pro-Remain, progressive message to the British Government.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we would want to see an arrangement between all the parties, we are very much open to that type of arrangement between parties, to ensure that strong pro-remain voices, progressive voices, are elected to represent people.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is an opportunity to ensure all four MPs for Belfast do not belong to the DUP, aren\u2019t promoting a hard Brexit and austerity policies in London on behalf of the people of Belfast.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the 2016 EU referendum, Northern Ireland as a whole voted remain by 56% to 44%.<\/p>\n
In the constituency of North Belfast there was a narrow majority for Remain of 20,128 to 19,844 who voted Leave.<\/p>\n
Mr Finucane said North Belfast represents an \u201copportunity to strike an almighty blow against Brexit by unseating an arch DUP Tory Brexiteer\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe numbers are there to make this happen, we can win this seat.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the last election, there were just over 2,000 votes separating me and Nigel Dodds,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe DUP received 21,240 votes, the total vote for pro-Remain candidates was 24,336 \u2013 the numbers are there for a pro-Remain anti-Brexit candidate to win in North Belfast.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis election has the potential to be a historic one for us and North Belfast is a key battlefield.\u201d<\/p>\n