WITH just over a year to go before the next Assembly election, the DUP have been canvassing in the Shankill and Suffolk for their West Belfast candidate Frank McCoubrey.
The party is telling voters that there is a unionist seat in the West Belfast constituency and their chances have been enhanced with recent changes to the electoral boundary.
In 2022 voters in West Belfast elected four Sinn Féin MLAs and one from People Before Profit. The percentage of first preference votes saw Sinn Féin take 64 per cent; DUP 10 per cent: People Before Profit eight per cent; and the SDLP six per cent.
However, unionists are buoyed by changes to the West Belfast constituency implemented by the 2024 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies.
DUP MLAs have taken to social media this week sharing photos of party members canvassing for McCoubrey.
North Belfast DUP MLA Brian Kingston posted: “A great response for DUP teams door knocking in Gtr Shankill and Suffolk today highlighting there’s a real opportunity to elect a unionist MLA for West Belfast next year and Frank McCoubrey is best placed to achieve that gain for unionist community.”
While deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly posted: “Unionism can win a MLA seat in West Belfast. Boundary change has brought in more unionists into West Belfast but it needs you (to) get out and voting for Frank in the election next year.
“Let’s get behind this campaign, and get a unionist voice back for the West at Stormont – out campaigning today on the Shankill and wider area.”
Speaking after being selected by the party to run in West Belfast, Frank McCoubrey said: “There is a real opportunity here, but we must be honest about what it will take.
“The boundary changes mean there is now over a quota of unionist votes in West Belfast. The challenge is making sure those votes come together behind one candidate who can win. Division will only deliver defeat.
“I am proud to be standing where I live, and I will be working hard to earn support. My message is simple. If Unionists want to win this seat back, then we need to unite and we need to do it behind the candidate with the clearest path to victory.”
