Northern Ireland Labour members to run independent election candidate

Rebel activists will defy the national party to run in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, complicating a tight race in one of Northern Ireland's most marginal seats.

By Patrick Maguire

Rebel Labour activists in Northern Ireland will run an independent general election candidate in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, the New Statesman has learned.

In an email to members this evening, the executive of the party’s Northern Irish branch said “an independent advocating for Labour policies” would stand in the hyper-marginal border constituency, where Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew is defending a majority of 875 over the Ulster Unionists.