Pat Cullen to run for Stormont seat in South Belfast and Mid Down

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 20 Oct, 20:02 · Archive

Sinn Féin MP Pat Cullen, the former head of the Royal College of Nursing, will stand for election to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Pat Cullen, the former head of the Royal College of Nursing, was elected as an MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone in July 2024. He will now stand for the Northern Ireland Assembly in the new South Belfast and Mid Down constituency next May, alongside Deirdre Hargey, the sitting South Belfast MLA.

At a candidate launch on Tuesday evening, Sinn Féin leader Michelle O'Neill said the party has an opportunity to elect two MLAs in the constituency. 'Deirdre Hargey and Pat Cullen are two outstanding candidates for Sinn Féin,' she said. 'They are a formidable team, and they will bring their strong leadership, their experience, and their determination to South Belfast and Mid Down.'

Cullen said he had 'spent my life standing up for our health service and the people who work in it', having worked first as a nurse and then as leader of the Royal College of Nursing. O'Neill said the party aimed to 'send a clear message in the next election' and elect 'the strongest Sinn Féin team yet to the Assembly'.

How it is being reported

• Sinn Féin MP to stand for Stormont: Party bids for second South Belfast MLA seat with Fermanagh politicianA Fermanagh MP is to bid to become an MLA as Sinn Féin attempts to win a second Assembly seat in South Belfast.News Letter · 20 Oct, 20:10
• Sinn Féin MP Pat Cullen to run in Assembly election as party bids to take two seats in South Belfast & Mid DownFormer nursing chief joins Deirdre Hargey on Stormont ticketBelfast Telegraph · 20 Oct, 19:30
• Pat Cullen sets sights on Stormont as Sinn Féin announce latest election candidatesThe former head of the Royal College of Nursing was elected as MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone in 2024Belfast Live · 20 Oct, 19:30

In this story: Pat Cullen · Deirdre Hargey · Sinn Féin · Royal College of Nursing · South Belfast and Mid Down · Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Michelle O'Neill

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