New Belfast Lord Mayor elected

The new Lord Mayor for Belfast has been elected.

Pat McCarthy from the SDLP, is the third from the party and the fourth nationalist Lord Mayor to be elected by councillors and he last night received backing from all parties, except Sinn Fein.

Ulster Unionist hopes of gaining the title were dashed after the Alliance Party withdrew their support for the party due to their recent decision to admit Progressive Unionist leader David Ervine into their Assembly grouping, despite their links to the currently active UVF.

Mr McCarthy has been a councillor for five years, and has represented areas including the Markets and Lower Ormeau.

This is the first time a nationalist Lord Mayor has been elected with the backing of the DUP, and will replace their current party member, Wallace Browne in the post.

DUP's councillor Ruth Patterson has been elected as his deputy.

The new Lord Mayor has promised to work for everyone in the city, regardless of their background.

Speaking before the election, Mr McCarthy said that he wanted to have input into the future of Belfast and added that there is alot of catching up to be done after 30-years of turmoil.

Speaking last night, after the appointment had been made, DUP group leader on Belfast City Council Cllr Robin Newton welcomed the decision of the council to ensure that the office of both Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor will be occupied by parties who support the pursuit of exclusively peaceful and democratic means.

Mr Newton said: “The election of an SDLP Lord Mayor and a DUP Deputy Lord Mayor is a demonstration of how constitutional parties in the City Hall can work together for the good of the citizens of Belfast.

"The DUP vote has ensured that Sinn Fein will not occupy these posts. This outcome is good for democracy and ensures that those who remain ambivalent about the pursuit of exclusively peaceful and democratic means will have no role in leading the citizens of Belfast during the centenary year of the City Hall."

"As has been indicated in the past Democratic Unionists will work alongside all those parties who rely solely on the mandate obtained at the ballot box. On this basis we had no hesitation in supporting the SDLP candidate. "

He concluded by saying that his party look forward to working with the new Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor and wish them well as they embark upon their year in office.

(EF/SP)