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East Londonderry - Will the outsider become a record breaker?

The DUP's Gregory Campbell could become the longest serving MP in Northern Ireland
The DUP's Gregory Campbell could become the longest serving MP in Northern Ireland

Outgoing MP Gregory Campbell of the DUP is not from East Londonderry, to give the constituency he has represented since 2001 its official title.

He lives in the Waterside area of the city, which is in the neighbouring constituency of Foyle.

If he is re-elected for his adopted constituency, he will become the longest serving MP in Northern Ireland.

Last time around, in 2019, he took 40% of the total valid votes and won with a majority of over 9,600, making East Derry the second safest DUP seat after North Antrim.

Unlike in 2019, the TUV, which has accused the DUP of a "sell out" on the so-called Irish Sea Border, is fielding a candidate this time around.

Allister Kyle will hope to attract DUP supporters opposed to its decision to go back into power-sharing with Sinn Féin as a result of its post-Brexit Windsor Framework deal with the British government, a deal which Gregory Campbell endorsed.

In the Assembly elections of 2022, the combined first preference vote for Sinn Féin's two candidates was just under 600 lower than the combined total for the DUP's two candidates.

The TUV had 2,959 votes in that election, 6.7% of the total, and will hope to build on that performance.

But when it comes to Westminster polls, Gregory Campbell has consistently attracted a large personal vote from the broader unionist electorate, and it would be a major upset if he is not back in the House of Commons again.


2019 General Election

Valid votes: 39,302

Turnout: 57.04%

DUP: 15,765

SDLP: 6,158

Sinn Féin: 6,128

Alliance: 5,921

UUP: 3,599

Aontú: 1,731


2024 Candidates

Gemma Brolly - Aontú

Gregory Campbell - DUP

Cara Hunter - SDLP

Allister Kyle - TUV

Jen McCahon - Green Party Northern Ireland

Kathleen McGurk - Sinn Féin

Glen Miller - UUP

Claire Scull - Conservatives

Richard Stewart - Alliance