More than 20 candidates standing across Tyrone constituencies

A TOTAL of 22 candidates will be contesting the three Westminster seats up for grabs in the three constituencies covering Tyrone when the General Election takes place on July 4.

There will be eight people on the ballot paper in both West Tyrone and Mid Ulster, while voters will have six names to choose from in Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

For the most part, the main parties in the North will contest each of the three constituencies, although the DUP has not put forward a candidate in Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

Sinn Fein will be hoping to retain the three seats in each area. On this occasion, Cathal Mallaghan carries the baton for them in Mid Ulster following the retirement of veteran Francie Molloy.

Pat Cullen is also a new name on the ballot paper for them in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, where she will be aiming to retain the seat won narrowly by Michelle Gildernew five years ago. The contest there between Pat Cullen and Diana Armstrong of the UUP is once again expected to be one of the closest of all in the North.

Gerry Cullen will represent the Cross-Community Labour Alternative in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, while Pat Blake of the SDLP, Aontu’s Carl Duffy and Eddie Roofe of the Alliance Party are also standing.

Things, though, are expected to be more straightforward in West Tyrone. Sinn Fein’s Orfhlaith Begley won the seat in 2019 with thousands of votes to spare and a similar result is being anticipated after the votes are counted this time around.

The SDLP will be represented by Daniel McCrossan in West Tyrone, where he will hope to overtake the DUP’s Tom Buchanan and move into second place behind Orfhlaith Begley.

In Mid Ulster, the biggest opposition to Cathal Mallaghan is expected to come from Keith Buchanan, of the DUP. However, considering Francie Molloy’s large margin of victory in 2019, it’s expected that the Pomeroy politician will be the MP.

Aontu are represented in each of the three areas, including by Leza Houston in West Tyrone, where Stephen Lynch of the Conservative Party is also standing.

The full list of candidates in each of the three areas is:

West Tyrone – Orfhlaith Begley (Sinn Fein), Matthew Bell (UUP), Tom Buchanan (DUP), Stephen Donnelly (Alliance), Leza Houston (Aontu), Stephen Lynch (Conservative), Daniel McCrossan (SDLP), Stevan Patterson (TUV).

Fermanagh and South Tyrone – Diana Armstrong (UUP), Pat Cullen (Sinn Fein), Pat Blake (SDLP), Gerry Cullen (Cross Community Labour Alternative), Carl Duffy (Aontu), Eddie Roofe (Alliance Party).

Mid Ulster – Cathal Mallaghan (Sinn Fein), Keith Buchanan (DUP), Jay Basra (UUP), Denise Johnston (SDLP), Padraic Farrell (Alliance), John Kelly (Independent), Alixandra Halliday (Aontu), Glenn Moore (TUV).