Stormont Nominations Complete

Around half the politicians whose names were put forward today for election as Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) at Stormont, will actually make it to a seat.

That's because the overall number of candidates standing this time round is down by almost 40 on the last Assembly poll in 2007.

Some 218 candidates are chasing 108 seats, which means that close to half of those standing will be going to Stormont.

Elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly are held every four years, with this one due to be held on 5 May.

The full list of candidates has been published by the NI Electoral Office today.

The official statistics show that the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) - led by the outgoing Executive First Minister, Peter Robinson - has the largest number of candidates with 44; followed by the republican group, Sinn Fein, which has long established links with IRA violence over the 40 years of NI's Troubles.

The party is fielding 40 candidates in all.

The longest established pro-union party, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), has 29 candidates, but have surprised commentators by not standing in the Foyle constituency at all.

The DUP Director of Elections, Simon Hamilton, has today attacked the UUP on their decision in the North West and said: "The Ulster Unionists have surrendered in Londonderry. This decision is demonstrative of the continued decline of the UUP."

He accused the UUP of pulling out after the outgoing Executive Health Minister, the UUP's Michael McGimpsey, chose to axe a new radiotherapy unit at Altnagelvin in the constituency.

However, Michael McGimpsey has angrily rejected associated Sinn Fein claims made this week that his decision to mothball the radiotherapy unit was "sectarian".

He told the Derry Journal newspaper that remarks by outgoing Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness were "tantamount to incitement to hatred".

He also insisted Sinn Fein and the DUP were actually responsible for the health budget cuts, arguing that his department faced a 2% cut which would widen the gap between provision in NI and in mainland Britain.

He claimed that the former Finance Minister, Sammy Wilson, of the DUP, had failed to respond to a business case for Altnagelvin Hospital which he had given to him in October of last year.

Seeeking Gains

The nationalist Social Democratic & Labour Party (SDLP) is fielding 28 candidates while the 'centre-ground' Alliance Party is putting up 22 candidates, its biggest number for an Assembly election.

It is hoping to build on gains in the last Westminster poll when the party's Deputy Leader, Naomi Long, unseated Peter Robinson in East Belfast in a result that shocked the scandal-hit DUP leader.

The Green Party is standing in six constituencies, while the People Before Profit Alliance and the Workers Party are standing in four and the Socialist Party in three.

Of the parties appearing for the first time in an Assembly election, Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) has the largest representation with 12 candidates followed by the UK Independence Party (UKIP) with six; and the British National Party (BNP) with three.

There are also 15 standing as Independents.

The voting system used is the single transferable vote system and six MLAs are elected in each of the 18 UK Parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland.

Elections to the councils will also take place on 5 May.

There are 26 local councils in Northern Ireland and 582 councillors.

Each local council is responsible for providing a range of public services including waste management, sports and leisure facilities and tourism.

Elections in Northern Ireland are administered centrally by the Chief Electoral Officer, who is both the returning officer and registration officer, for all NI elections.

(BMcC/GK)