Antrim East

The constituency has always been unionist, with the combined votes for nationalist parties rarely exceeding 10 per cent. However it has been known for supporting candidates outside the four main parties, such as Alliance, the Conservatives, Greens and UKUP.

The current MP, DUP’s Sammy Wilson – whose profile has risen since he became Environment Minister – won the seat from UUP’s Roy Beggs in 2005. Beggs had held the seat since the 1983 general election, therefore the DUP, who are standing Wilson again, will be keen to repeat his spectacular success.

Rodney McCune, a London barrister and the UUP’s last-time candidate in North Antrim, will go forward under the Ulster Conservative and Unionist banner. However, the UUP vote fell further in 2007 to 6,574.

Alliance – who repeatedly gained between 7,000 and 8,000 votes in the 1980s and early 1990s – dropped to 6,929 in 1997 and 4,483 in 2001. In 2005, they were up slightly to 4,869. Party leaders will probably hope that if they gain the policing and justice ministry they can enhance their profile and an increase their number of votes once again. Their candidate is Gerry Lynch, North Belfast representative and executive director of the party.

In the nationalist camp, the SDLP have opted for Justin McCamphill, a teacher from Ballymoney. He previously stood as SDLP candidate in Ballymoney Town in 2001 and 2005. This move is most likely due to the fact that East Antrim will gain three mainly nationalist Moyle wards.

Sinn Féin are running Oliver McMullan, already a Moyle councillor, who gained 1,168 votes in the 2007 Assembly elections.