Hazzard hails importance of campaign as he increases South Down majority

Sinn Fein’s Chris Hazzard said his increased winning margin in South Down was an endorsement of political campaigns being fought “on the ground”, rather than on social media.

In 2019 the SDLP came within 1,600 votes of unseating Mr Hazzard. This time he had a majority of more than 9,000, polling 19,698 votes against 10,418 for Colin McGrath of the SDLP.

The result saw Mr Hazzard, who does not take his seat at Westminster due to his party’s abstentionist policy, returned as MP for the third time.

After the South Down result was announced, he said: “What a smashing endorsement of what we put forward for strong leadership, for positive change and most importantly a different vision for the future.

“For decisions about our lives to be taken at home here in Ireland.”

He added: “I think this also demonstrates that elections are fought on the ground, not on Twitter, and I think this is a great endorsement of a record of delivery.

“This is about working for everybody, this is about creating positive change, about delivering the Narrow Water bridge, about fixing our health service, about fixing our education service.”

Mr Hazzard also said he was delighted the Tories did not get “any sort of endorsement” in the constituency after Conservative candidate Hannah Westropp polled 46 votes.

The result was a disappointment for the nationalist SDLP, which had hoped to make more progress in regaining a seat where it once was the dominant force.

Mr McGrath said he could hold his head up high after the campaign and election.

He added: “It is an improvement on the Assembly election result two years ago and it shows within the constituency of South Down there is still a will to take the SDLP view.”

DUP candidate Diane Forsythe failed to make any ground for her party in the constituency, polling 7,349 votes.