UUP takes three seats thanks to Donaldson's transfers

Lagan Valley: The Ulster Unionists increased their representation in Lagan Valley from two to three seats thanks to transfers from Mr Jeffrey Donaldson's considerable surplus.

Ms Norah Beare, a former secretary of Mr Donaldson's and an anti-agreement Ulster Unionist, was elected on the last count, fighting off a challenge from the DUP's Mr Andrew Hunter, who is also an MP for Basingstoke.

Speaking after the election, Mr Donaldson said the support for the party had increased by 5,000 votes while the Ulster Unionists were struggling in other areas.

"The winds of change have come ... my message for Sinn Féin is you will no longer be facing unionists across the table who are going to be pushed around."

The sole Ulster Unionist pro-agreement candidate, Mr Billy Bell, who also benefited from Mr Donaldson's 8,000-vote surplus, restated his support for Mr Trimble and the Belfast Agreement.

The Alliance party's Mr Seamus Close also retained his seat, although his share of the vote dropped by almost 30 per cent compared to the 1998 election.

The SDLP's sitting Assembly member, Ms Patricia Lewsley, benefited from cross-party transfers to overtake her main rival, Sinn Féin's Mr Paul Butler.