Sinn Féin to confirm Foyle Westminster candidate

The party’s Leas Uachtarán Michelle O’Neill will be the main speaker at the event in the city.

Sitting MP Elisha McCallion is expected to be selected as the Sinn Féin candidate for Foyle in the expected election.

A Sinn Féin spokesperson said: “With the chaos in Westminster continuing the likelihood of an election is increasing.”

The spokesperson said the election will be an opportunity to reject what Sinn Féin claimed was “the madness of the Tory/DUP Brexit” and build support for Irish Unity.

“Sinn Féin is ready to fight that election and to seize the opportunity to unseat Brexiteer DUP MPs.

“In the last Westminster election, the nationalist people sent a powerful message by turning its back on Westminster and returning seven Sinn Féin MPs, including the historic victory of Elisha McCallion in Foyle.

“Given the catastrophe that Westminster is attempting to force upon our island it is vital that we continue to show Dublin, Europe and the world that we still reject Brexit, borders and the DUP.”

Elisha McCallion has been the MP for Foyle since March 2017, when she topped the poll and unseated the SDLP’s Mark Durkan.

Former Mayor of Derry Mrs McCallion attracted 9,205 first preference votes from across the city.