DUP And SF Gain In NI Assembly Elections

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein have consolidated their positions as the two biggest parties in the Northern Irish Assembly after last week's elections there.

It means Peter Robinson (DUP) will return as First Minister and SF's Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister.

Both parties increased the number of seats they hold, with the DUP winning 38 and Sinn Fein 29.

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and nationalist SDLP both lost two seats, falling to 16 and 14 respectively.

The Alliance Party took eight seats, with one each for the Greens, Tradtional Unionist Voice (TUV) and Independents.

Turnout in the elections was just 54 per cent, unusually low for Northern Irish elections, but perhaps a sign of voter apathy and the extent to which normal politics has taken root there.

Weather too played its part, with heavy downpours on the polling day, leading to hairdryers being used in one count center to dry off papers.

The results represented a comeback of sorts for DUP leader Peter Robinson, who lost his Westminster seat last year in the wake of an expenses row and his wife's scandalous affair with a teenager.

But he increased his personal vote in the Assembly election and leads a strengthened party at Stormont.

The DUP leader dedicated his election result to the memory of murdered catholic police officer Ronan Kerr.

"He wanted to serve his community," Mr Robinson said, "And in the words of his mother, she wanted to ensure that people would come out and support the way forward peacefully in Northern Ireland."

Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness called on the SDLP and UUP to work more closely with the coalition government.

"I would like to see those parties as well as the Alliance Party working in the spirit of co-operation," he said. "If Peter Robinson and I can work together, then surely all of those parties can work with us."

Jim Allister, leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice, celebrated his election in North Antrim - the first ever won by his party, by promising to be a "thorn in the flesh" of the SF/DUP government.

The non-sectarian Alliance Party gained one seat and its leader David Forde was upbeat.

"Our vote appears to be up in every constituency if you allow for boundary changes," he said

"I think that's a sign of growth in our vote, growth in party support generally and it's translating into a couple of extra seats."