Newry and Armagh will have anew face representing the area in the NI Assembly from next month. Camlough native Conor Murphy who also is MP for the constituency will step down from the role in a party move to end double jobbing by Sinn Fein. The announcement came on Monday with the news Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness would resign his Westminster seat while three other MPs with dual roles will also vacate their seats at Stormont. It is understood that the new candidate for Newry and Armagh will be ed via convention before July 2. Given the three Sinn Fein MLAs cover each part of the constituency with Mickey Brady for Newry, and Cathal Boyle for North Armagh it is likely Mr Murphy’s replacement will come from the South Armagh and possibly a candidate will be gleaned from the council chamber at Newry and Mourne although the party is maintaining tight lipped about the identity of any possible new MLA. Conor Murphy and the DUP’s Danny Kennedy are the only MLAs to be consistently re-elected to Stormont since 1998 for Newry and Armagh. Speaking on Monday Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said: “It may be the case” that it may be the case that some of the candidates may stand for Assembly again by the next election planned for 2015/2016. Mr Adams added that MPs would not be taking their seats at Westminster but would be “freed up for an increased lobbying activity in both Britain and elsewhere with respect to policy area that are particularly relevant to their constituents and also of course with respect to the promotion of the case of Irish unity.
Newry Reporter
12th June 2012
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