Hazzard’s emphatic victory blows away his opponents

Hazzard’s emphatic victory blows away his opponents

10 July 2024

“IT’S fantastic to be elected for the third time as the MP for South Down.”

The beaming smile which accompanied the words of Chris Hazzard at 4.45am on Friday morning brought to an end an extensive six-week election campaign which saw him criss-cross the constituency.

He clocked up the miles, knocked thousands of doors and spoke to thousands of voters during a meticulously planned and extensive canvass of military proportions delivered by an army of workers.

The Sinn Fein man’s victory was never in doubt but the MP who is readying himself to head back to Westminster doesn’t do complacency. Nothing is taken for granted and nothing but nothing is left to chance. 

The tried, trusted and well-oiled Sinn Fein election machine is one its political rivals openly admit they would like to replicate, but simply don’t have the manpower or resources to do so.

Mr Hazzard described his emphatic victory as a “smashing endorsement” and was delighted to increase his majority by over 9,000.

As he gave his victory speech, the glare of the television camera lights lit up his smart white shirt which also made it easy for photographers to pick out the Sinn Fein man in a packed election count centre at the South Lake Leisure Centre in Craigavon where candidates, their supporters and election staff were packed in like sardines.

The re-elected MP said he opted for the casual look instead of a suit, but there was nothing casual about the manner of his stunning victory.

Addressing party supporters and the media packed into one of the smallest declaration rooms the Sinn Fein man most probably has ever been in, he said “it was fantastic to be elected for the third time as the MP for South Down.”

As the party faithful cheered, Mr Hazzard said that once again South Down was one of the last constituencies to formally declare the election result, joking that it was perhaps about saving the best to last.

Nevertheless, it took nothing away from his victory as the sun rose over the beautiful lake outside the count centre. Almost seven hours after the last vote was cast, five more years at Westminster awaited for the Sinn Fein MP.

Mr Hazzard said he wanted to thank the people of South Down for their support.

“What a smashing endorsement for strong leadership and positive change and, most importantly, a different vision for the future and for decisions about our lives to be taken at home here in Ireland,” he declared.

“It’s fantastic to be elected again for the third time as the MP for South Down. This result demonstrates that elections are fought on the ground, not Twitter and I think this is a great endorsement of our record of delivery.

“For that, I have to thank every single Sinn Fein member and activist in South Down who have walked the highways and byways and the laneways, not just over the last six weeks, but over the last six years and for many many years before that.

“I’m thinking of people who would have been here tonight with us but sadly are not and have passed these past couple of years. We are thinking of them tonight. This victory is for them and all the people of South Down.

“This is about working for everyone. This is about creating positive change and about delivering the Narrow Water bridge project, about fixing our health service, our education service and I am delighted that the Tories have not got any sort of endorsement out of South Down once again.”

Mr Hazzard said his election was a positive endorsement for strong leadership, positive change and a different way of doing things.

“There wasn’t a single village that wasn’t canvassed thoroughly to get our vote. This is a tribute to everyone who worked so hard.”

Recent boundary changes saw the returning MP’s home area of Drumaness moved into the Strangford constituency in tandem with other large parts of East Down, with Loughbrickland and Poyntzpass moving the other way.

As he prepared for home, Mr Hazzard said it was “back down to work” on Monday morning when he was due to meet with the party’s Stormont Executive ministers and First Minister Michelle O’Neill to discuss priorities going forward.

Elated by his performance, Mr Hazzard said belief among the SDLP rank and file that the party had a chance of winning back the South Down seat was “completely misplaced”.

He said: “There was never a single night when i was out on the canvass that I ever thought that a result like this was in doubt. The positivity was encouraging the entire time and it was around that record of delivery.

“I was entirely confident that we could stand on our record of delivery, Not just me as MP, but our two MLAs and councillors. Sinn Fein has a first class record of delivery on the ground and that resonated on the doors.

“I think we are the only political party that really did a full and proper canvass. We talked and we listened to people and when you look at the results that is fully reflected.”

Health service provision is one of the key issues at the top of the MP’s agenda and he recently presented proposals to the South Eastern Trust around extending the urgent care centre at the Downe Hospital in Downpatrick, providing additional bed capacity and ensuring there was always a emergency ambulance available.

“The health trust confirmed it is very keen to take these forward and it’s now about working in partnership with the organisation and other political parties to ensure that we can go to the Department of Health for the funds that we need to make this happen,” he said.

Concluding, Mr Hazzard said he was very proud.

He added: “I was the first Sinn Fein MP ever to be elected in South Down in 2017, re-elected in 2019 and now I have been elected again. 

“This is not just down to my hard work, but my team and the entire Sinn Fein family in South Down and it makes me hugely proud and privileged to go forward as the area’s MP. But there is now that expectation to deliver for the people.

“I’m acutely aware politics is the art of delivery and the pressure is always on. People want hope and that vision of positive change and it is what we want to deliver for them.