NATIONALIST PARTIES IN Northern Ireland have been ordered to write ‘Londonderry’ on their forms for the forthcoming Westminster election.

This relates to the traditionally unionist constituency of ‘East Londonderry’ and it is thought it will affect Sinn Féin and the SDLP.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie this morning, a spokesperson for the the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland stated that:

All candidates have been advised to complete the form using the constituency name laid out in the legislation.

It was also stated that this rule has always been in place and does not differ from any previous elections.

The legislation that governs what goes onto the nomination forms for the UK General Election is the Representation of the People Act 1983.

The UK General Election campaign officially began last week and parties are expected to begin making their nominations for the 7 May poll.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, John Dallat, an SDLP MLA for the area said that this was the first time the name written on the election form had been an issue.

“Unfortunate that the very office that has responsibility for promoting democracy, diversity and respect is itself the one that is condemning candidates to register themselves in a way that is seen as totally unionist,” he said.

He went on to describe the step of telling candidates that their forms would be rejected if the electoral district was written incorrectly as “unprecedented”.

Gregory Campbell, the DUP politician notable for his ‘curry my yogurt’ comments late last year, is the sitting MP in the area.

A response from Sinn Féin on the matter is pending.

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