Independent Lady Sylvia Hermon dealt a devastating blow to the Ulster Unionists today by easily retaining her North Down seat months after leaving the party in protest at their link-up with the Tories.
The 54-year-old widow of former RUC chief constable Jack Hermon defeated the Conservatives and Unionists candidate Ian Parsley in emphatic fashion, by 21,181 votes to 6,817.
The one-time law lecturer, who was the Ulster Unionists’ only MP in the last parliament, resigned from the party earlier this year after refusing to run on a joint ticket with the Tories.
While her victory was widely predicted, Lady Sylvia insisted the margin of her win was a surprise.
“There was no way to predict how the electorate would react this time around,” she said.
“So I was overwhelmed when the figures were revealed.”
Lady Sylvia, a consistent supporter of the Labour government from the opposition benches, made no secret of her unease with the Conservative alliance since it was first agreed two years ago.
While she initially stuck with the UUP, the prospect of standing under a Tory banner was a step too far.
She left in March and her subsequent decision to run her own campaign has been fully vindicated.
Though North Down has a history of backing independents, her bid was significantly buoyed by the DUP’s decision to step aside and support her.
And when the Conservative and Unionists selected the relatively low-profile Alliance Party defector as their candidate her third successive win was never really in doubt.
Mr Parsley acknowledged his opponent’s achievement.
“I would like to congratulate Sylvia on an outstanding result and she deserves every credit for it,” he said.
“The result is a symbol of the esteem in which she is held by the people of North Down.”
PA