SDLP's Durkan wins seat in Foyle

BBC News:

The SDLP leader Mark Durkan has won the Foyle seat. He took 21,119 votes compared to 15,162 for Sinn Fein's Mitchel McLaughlin.

The border seat was one of the last great prizes for republicans and it had been thought the contest might be much closer.

However, the figures do reveal a big reduction in the SDLP majority of 24,538 to Sinn Fein's 12,988 in 2001.

Much of that was a huge personal vote for the then SDLP leader John Hume.

This news piece may help explain why Durkan held onto Foyle:

Meanwhile in Foyle, DUP candidate William Hay has said some unionists voted tactically in an attempt to prevent Sinn Fein from winning that seat.

Mr Hay said he had been at several polling stations in the city and was in no doubt that tactical voting took place.

Apparently, "Nationalist" voters in Derry like politicians who pander to the British.