Coming to terms with his shock loss, veteran Ulster Unionist Danny Kennedy refused to apportion blame for the party’s poor return in the constituency however it’s believed a bogus letter bearing his falsified signature, and which was widely circulated on the eve of Thursday’s poll, may have influenced the result.
Mr Kennedy responded with a genuine letter on social media to “set the record straight” after the fake election literature circulated in his name warned voters against using their second preference for fellow unionist candidate, the DUP’s William Irwin. Claiming he had been the victim of a dirty tricks campaign, Mr Kennedy slammed those responsible and announced he would indeed be offering the transfer of his vote to Mr Irwin and other unionists.
Condemning the move as belonging in “the political sewer”, he said: “I have always fought campaigns based on my record of delivery for Newry and Armagh and I want to make clear how disgusted I am that someone should try and impersonate me in election communications to the public. This is a very serious issue and is…an attempt to sabotage my campaign and damage my political reputation, and I will do all in my power to identify the culprits responsible,” he said at the time.