Sinn Fein's Pat Cullen under fire from rivals for living in South Belfast rather than Fermanagh and South Tyrone

By David Thompson
Published 15th Jun 2024, 08:00 BST
Former union boss Pat Cullen has not clarified whether she will live in the constituency she hopes to represent after the Westminster election.Former union boss Pat Cullen has not clarified whether she will live in the constituency she hopes to represent after the Westminster election.
Former union boss Pat Cullen has not clarified whether she will live in the constituency she hopes to represent after the Westminster election.
Sinn Fein’s Pat Cullen is facing scrutiny from election rivals after it emerged she is the only candidate without an address in the constituency she is running for in the general election.

Ms Cullen lives almost two hours drive from Enniskillen, in South Belfast and Mid Down, according to information on postal votes. It is understood the former union boss lives in a wealthy neighbourhood where houses often sell for over £1m.

It is unclear whether Ms Cullen intends to leave her South Belfast home and relocate to the rural constituency if she wins the election. The News Letter asked Sinn Fein if its candidate will commit to relocating, but the party did not respond.

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The UUP’s Diana Armstrong said the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone “want an MP who is accessible and present within their local community - which I intend to be.

Ulster Unionist Diana Armstrong is the sole unionist candidate running in the Fermanagh South Tyrone constituency at the general election.Ulster Unionist Diana Armstrong is the sole unionist candidate running in the Fermanagh South Tyrone constituency at the general election.
Ulster Unionist Diana Armstrong is the sole unionist candidate running in the Fermanagh South Tyrone constituency at the general election.

“It’s disappointing to know that Ms Cullen intends to be absent from both Parliament and Fermanagh & South Tyrone.

“I have no doubt that Pat Cullen could find a home in our large and beautiful constituency and if she hopes to represent it, whether elected or not, I’d call on her to do so”.

The DUP’s Deborah Erskine said “the million pound houses” of South Belfast “are a long way from the laneways of rural Tyrone or Fermanagh”.

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The Fermanagh MLA said “Sinn Fein style themselves as socialists yet Pat looks more like a champagne socialist living in the leafy suburbs and who at the RCN was earning a salary greater than the Prime Minister”.

She said the constituency “has been deprived of representation in the house of Commons for 21 of the last 23 years. We deserve a voice in Parliament.”

Peadar Tóibín, Leader of Aontú, said it was surprising that SF “could not find a candidate that lives in Fermanagh South Tyrone. “I think its unfair on local SF members to parachute a candidate from over 2 hours away. Its really important that MPs are close to the people that they are supposed to represent.

“In the past we had absentee land lords, now it seems we have absentee MPs. Our candidate Carl Duffy is from Enniskillen in the heart of the constituency, he is immersed in the community and is accessible to people at all times”.

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Related topics:Sinn FeinFermanaghMPsEnniskillen

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