‘No regrets’ for Gildernew despite EU election loss

MICHELLE Gildernew’s bid to become a Member of the European Parliament came to an end in the early hours of Friday morning, when counting concluded in the Midlands-NorthWest constituency.

It means that for the first time in 25 years, the former Stormont Agriculture Minister and long-standing MP and Assembly member, will not hold a post in frontline politics.

Earlier in the week, the Tyrone woman had admitted that gaining a seat would be extremely difficult. However, she then rallied and, at one stage, appeared to be in pole position to take the final seat in the constituency.

Instead, the former RTE Correspondent, Ciaran Mullooly, of Independent Ireland, crossed the line to take the fifth and final seat.

Last month, Ms Gildernew announced that she would not defend her Fermanagh and South Tyrone seat at Westminster. Instead, Sinn Fein selected high-profile candidate, Pat Cullen.

What role she has in the future within politics now remains to be seen, but it seems certain that the party will find a post for such an experienced and capable politician.

She s MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone since 2017, having previously served in the role from 2001 to 2015, when she was the first female candidate from Sinn Fein to be elected since Countess Markievicz in 1918.

She previously served as Agriculture and Rural Development Minister in the Executive from 2007 to 2011 and continues to be a well-known and popular member of the party.

Speaking when counting was continuing, she said she had no regrets in standing in the EU elections.

“I don’t regret the decision that I made, I don’t regret running.

“This is the setback – it’s definitely not a tragedy.

“I know what that feels like, this week as well and you know, I don’t have any regrets at all about the decision I made.”

Overall, Sinn Fein, has said that it will examine what has gone wrong for them in both the local government and EU polls in the south.

The party failed to reach its targets in both, falling almost 100 short in its target for councillors.