Unionists stayed at home, while Sinn Fein benefited

Sinn Fein Accused of Vote-Rigging

Voting was held on Thursday in local polls across Northern Ireland, and by the time counting had finished on Friday, the unionists had also lost control of three other councils - Strabane, Magherafelt and Fermanagh. The SDLP lost control of Derry City Council as Sinn Fein emerged the clear winners overall with 16.9% of the vote - a rise of 4.7%. In Belfast, Sinn Fein won 13 seats on the council, making it the biggest single party.

Another important factor in the result was the non-appearance of many unionist voters. Turnout among that section of the electorate was reported to be well down on usual figures.

Bradley:has come across abuse

Identification cards would stop abuse

The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland, Patrick Bradley, said he believed the allegations of corruption were true. He refused to name any one party, saying that he was "not at all convinced it was all one-sided."

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's World at One programme, he added, "I have come across abuse, and in my opinion it would seem to be the activity of various agents from different sections. There appears to have been an orchestrated, planned campaign in postal and proxy voting that has the effect of negating the democratic process."

Unionists anxiously look at the results

The other parties immediately rounded on Sinn Fein as the perpetrators of the alleged fraud. Former SDLP chairman Mark Durkan said, "The increase of Sinn Fein's vote is coming from elsewhere and I don't think it's a matter of increasing numbers listening to Sinn Fein...maybe the people voting for Sinn Fein are voting an increasing number of times."

Ulster Unionist MP Ken Maginnis backed the allegations, saying, "I concur entirely with what has been said about electoral malpractice, especially in the largest conurbations".

Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam said the claims of vote-rigging were extremely serious. She thought an inquiry essential.

Sinn Fein, however, denied the allegations, putting them down to sour grapes. Party leader Gerry Adams said the other parties were "whingeing" because people had voted for Sinn Fein, further increasing its mandate in negotiations on Northern Ireland's future.

Adams hits back at the other parties

Mr Adams called on the other parties to react with "some generosity and magnamity" but there seems little chance of Sinn Fein taking the offices of power on councils such as Belfast. The other parties seem certain to work together to keep them out and the most likely candidate for Belfast's mayor is reported to be the SDLP's Alban Maginnis.

Fringe parties celebrate success

The other significant beneficiaries of the poll were the loyalist fringe parties, particularly the Progressive Unionists, who are linked to the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force. They won six seats, three of them in Belfast.