Sinn Féin MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone Michelle Gildernew has confirmed that she will not run in the upcoming UK general election.
Ms Gildernew is one of the party’s two candidates in the Midlands-North-West constituency in next month’s European Elections in Ireland.
She said that representing the people of Midlands-North-West is her “sole focus”.
“I want to represent the people of Midlands-North-West in the European Parliament; and hope that the voters will put their faith in me when they go to the ballot box on 7 June,” Ms Gildernew said.
Ms Gildernew has been a Sinn Féin elected representative for 25 years, serving as both an MP and an MLA.
She was first elected to Westminster in 2001. She lost the seat in 2015 but was re-elected in 2017.
Like all Sinn Féin MPs, she does not take her seat at Westminster.
“In 2001, when I was first elected by a margin of 53 votes to the seat held by Bobby Sands in 1981 I was humbled,” Ms Gildernew said.
“It has been both a privilege and an honour to represent the people of Fermanagh South Tyrone since; and I will be forever grateful for the trust they have placed in me.”
