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Defeated Peter Robinson's future in doubt after election defeat
Friday, 7 May 2010
The DUP's Peter Robinson congratulates Alliance Party's Naomi Long after her East Belfast election victory
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The future of Democratic Unionist Party leader Peter Robinson was in doubt today after the sensational General Election defeat of the First Minister of the powersharing executive at Stormont.
After more than 30 years at Westminster, he lost his east Belfast seat to the city's lord mayor Naomi Long, a result which stunned all sides, and left his party reeling from one of the biggest political upsets of all time in Northern Ireland.
Just months after his wife Iris quit in disgrace as MP for Strangford following her admission of an affair, as well as damaging and embarrassing claims over the couple's parliamentary expenses and his links to a controversial land deal, Mr Robinson was unceremoniously dumped by an electorate clearly uneasy with his, and her, private lives.
Even his closest colleagues gasped in disbelief when the defeat was confirmed in Newtownards, Co.Down. Ms Long now becomes the first member of the non-sectarian Alliance Party, founded 40 years ago, to be elected to the House of Commons.
The future of Sir Reg Empey, leader of the rival Ulster Unionist Party, could also be in doubt after he failed to topple the sitting DUP MP in south Antrim, the Rev William McCrea.
With Ian Paisley Jnr winning his father's seat in North Antrim where he crushed his big and bitter rival, Jim Allister, leader of Traditional Unionist Voice, it was a relatively good election for the DUP.
Nigel Dodds held off a strong challenge by Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly in North Belfast, but Mr Robinson's shock defeat overshadowed the party's overall performance and raised serious questions about his authority, and whether he will stay on as leader, and maybe even First Minister.
In the wake of the result, which saw his 6,000 majority turned into a 1,500 vote reverse, he vowed to fight on.
"I have a job to complete with my mandate at the Assembly and I will continue to carry out that important work," he said, his voice cracked and strained.
The east Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell insisted Mr Robinson still had the party's full and total confidence, but Jim Shannon who won Mrs Robinson's old seat in Strangford stopped short of giving him his full endorsement. He declared: "We'll have to make a decision on where we go as a party."
It was an extraordinary triumph for Ms Long who, despite Mr Robinson's domestic difficulties, delivered a stunning result nobody even contemplated.
She looked dazed as she acknowledged her victory and it was evident that Unionists disillusioned with the so-called Robinson political dynasty, as well as many republicans, were among the 12,839 who voted for her.
She said: "I went to the electorate with a track record of hard work with a passion for east Belfast where I have lived my whole life and with a dedication to serve them in an open and transparent way and give them my best and to build a better future for everyone in east Belfast.
"If that is what has won it, I'm pleased about that."
Ms Long trailed in third in the 2005 poll, more than 11,000 votes behind Mr Robinson.
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams admitted he was shocked, but said the DUP leader still had the authority to continue as First Minister.
He said: "I didn't see it coming. I thought the DUP would take some small hit on their vote, but I didn't see Peter losing his seat. He has had a very torrid time recently and politics is a very tough business.
"One can not help but feel empathy with Peter Robinson. You can be sacked privately, but if you are sacked by the public, it can be a very humbling experience and of course I feel sorry for him."
All but one of the 18 Northern Ireland seats have been declared, but it will be later today before the Fermanagh/south Tyrone result is finally announced. It is going to a third recount after just a handful of votes separated the outgoing MP, Sinn Fein's Michelle Gildernew, and the Independent Unionist Rodney Connor.
SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie will be among the new Northern Ireland MPs after she topped the poll in south Down.
Counting in Londonderry was suspended for a time after a hijacked car was abandoned in a car park beside the city's Templemore Sports Centre.
Election staff involved in the Foyle and east Londonderry constituencies were evacuated, as well as some of the candidates, while army explosives experts were called in. Police later confirmed that a "viable device" had been found inside the vehicle.
Dissident republicans opposed to Sinn Fein's peace process strategy were blamed. Police had been on high alert across Northern Ireland and feared they would stage some sort of attack during the election. Several elderly people also had to be moved from their homes, but the counting later resumed.
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Comments
118 Comments
Diane
When I witness the dereliction and deprivation of inner East Belfast I find it difficult to understand how you feel he has served his community well?
I can only look on Peter Robinson's 31 years as MP as a dismal failure for the community of the lower Newtownards Road.
Posted by Maria | 10.05.10, 20:35 GMT
Again, w.gould and david, I refer to the first half of my last post.
Incidentally, w.gould. It is "grammar" not "grammer." Not to say that I would be as petty.
Posted by Ulysses32 | 10.05.10, 10:18 GMT
im clad peter robinson lost his seat its time for change
Posted by daniel chapman | 08.05.10, 15:50 GMT
The voters of East Belfast have ended Peter Robinson's double jobbing. The Free Presbyterian Church must now end William McCrea's double jobbing. McCrea must now resign as a gospel minister because if it is unacceptable to double job in politics then how much more is it wrong to rob God of the time that a minister must give to his calling in the gospel.
Posted by One Job Only | 08.05.10, 15:28 GMT
Maybe he can now go and spend some time with Iris shopping, sorry recovering!!!
Posted by eugene | 08.05.10, 14:19 GMT
Agree with Leon. It would appear the voters of E. Belfast have shown great maturity in their vote. I hope voters in the South can send a similar message to those politicians who appear to have lost the notion of service and leadership and are only interested in their expenses and pensions.
Posted by cname | 08.05.10, 11:50 GMT
Never have I been so disappointed in the Unionist people of Northern Ireland, especially those in East Belfast! How can we overlook 3 decades of Peter Robinson’s commitment and dedication, not only to East Belfast, but to Northern Ireland as a whole? Whilst Naomi deserves to be congratulated, it is impossible to argue that she won Peter’s seat entirely on merit as we have watched a smear campaign do its worst to him in the last 6 months, culminating in the removal of a brilliant politician and MP who has served his constituency and wider community with diligence and effective leadership. I, for one, hope Peter continues to steer us through the unchartered waters that are ahead of us in Northern Ireland. Both he and his Unionist colleagues in the DUP have moved Northern Ireland forward significantly and if given the chance and the support they deserve, will continue to do so! I urge his colleagues in the DUP to stand united behind him and to give him the support he so clearly deserves.
Posted by Diane | 08.05.10, 11:47 GMT
Ufortunately the man's ego, arogance and greed are too much for him to consider giving up power. East Belfast has sacked him as our MP. Will the DUP be stupid enough to keep him as leader against the wishes of the East Belfast electorate? Kick him out!
Posted by East Belfast Voter | 08.05.10, 11:08 GMT
i am glad to see peter robinson gone but there is a bigger issue that every politician in NI should pay heed to. that is the dramatic slide in the number of people who didnt even bother going to the poll station to cast their legal voting right. i am one of them and i cannot ever imagine voting again for any party. i think all mp's are self serving and put their own material gains first. as for ni's future, we only exist because gb carries us on her back. without that support, we would be a back water.
Posted by tomos | 08.05.10, 10:17 GMT
at last we are a proper, democratic country where people decide who they want to represent them. bye bye peter. its time to go.
Posted by peter the great | 08.05.10, 10:09 GMT
It was a case of 3 (known) strikes and you are out. He may have to switch from politics to real estate
Posted by pragmatist | 08.05.10, 09:48 GMT
Its a cautionary tale. Poor old Peter - I feel sorry for the chump. He should go out for a dander along the river and have a coffee to console himself.
Posted by Bapman | 08.05.10, 09:46 GMT
Enoch Powell said "all political lives end in failure" Crash and burn Peter, crash and burn. No more big house unionist fawning from the masses for you and your wife. But hey - it beats the hell out of retiring quietly.
Posted by william | 08.05.10, 09:28 GMT
Peter achieved the impossible. Shame on him. The people are not as stupid as he thought. Greed and arrogance his downfall.
How could he morally accept muliple salaries while we all know nurses etc are going to be asked to take cuts to their only salaries due to Government over spend. We can't with a population of 1.5 million afford Stormont never mind muliple salaries.
Posted by Ed | 08.05.10, 09:00 GMT
Ulyysses32, the Alliance Party is not a unionist party, it is a party of the people, it is a party for all, nationalist or unionist.
I am a unionist, in the past I have voted SDLP, they are a nationalist party, but they speak of reason and understanding and while they aspire to a nationalist ideology, they represent all of the people of Northern Ireland. The SDLP live in the real world, they work in Westminster, they vote in Westminster, they represent the people of Ireland in a UK government because as things currently stand, the six counties are part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The problem I have, as an Alliance voter based on economics and my families wellbeing, I believe that being part of the UK is a much greater alternative to a united Ireland, I am by ideology a unionist, yet there is no place for me in Sinn Fein's "Ireland of Equals".
Sinn Fein and republicans cannot even say Northern Ireland.
It's sectarian and pathetic.
Posted by Steven73 | 08.05.10, 02:39 GMT
Very crushing defeat. Sorry for you Peter even though I have been a critic of your dynasty's excesses. Time to leave politics and make a new live for yourself your wife and family. Best regards.
Posted by BrianH | 07.05.10, 23:42 GMT
Well done Naomi...
TUV and PUP deliver the seat to a non-unionist.
Posted by David | 07.05.10, 23:05 GMT
In a years time all will be forgive Peter, thanks for all your hard work on our behalf.
Can't see Namoi sticking round Long ;)
Posted by William | 07.05.10, 23:03 GMT
Mont Blanc Pen £305
Kingsize bed £1600
Brief case £700
Meals for 25 years £30,000
Claiming second mortgage payments
Land sold for £5
employing your family who don't live in the country for part of the year
Claiming you knew nothing about £50k peculiar money transactions.
The good ppl of east Belfast will to coin a phrase NEVER stand for this! Time to go Pete and Reg the partnership didn't work we need a shake up in both parties. All the best Naomi!
Posted by Who Knows? | 07.05.10, 22:46 GMT
Ulysses32, w.gould makes a reasonable point. East Belfast has shown a willingless to vote for a different party, to embrace policies rather than simply voting for a Unionist Party for the sake of it.
Maybe it's time some of the Sinn Fein voters did the same?
Posted by david | 07.05.10, 22:32 GMT
118 Comments