Northern Irish republicans are hoping to emerge stronger from the British elections and revive the debate on holding a referendum.
Northern Irish Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson is under pressure to win re-election and retain his Westminster seat in the UK general election.
The pro-British DUP now has eight seats, compared to seven for the Republican Sinn Féin, two for the Social Democrats and one for the moderate Alliance Unionists.
In Belfast, the Alliance Party is counting on Naomi Long to dethrone the DUP.
Kate Nicholl, Northern Alliance Party member: “It’s very tight, but the feedback from our canvassers who are on the ground is good. The response is good, Naomi (Long) is a once-in-a-generation politician. We think she is very competent, she has represented the country in Europe, in Westminster and as Justice Minister, and people know that if they vote for her, she will deliver what they want.
The Democratic Unionist Party, on the other hand, says it is certain of returning eight MPs to Westminster, including Gavin Robinson, the former mayor of Belfast who has been in the House of Commons since 2015.
Gordon Lyons, DUP campaign director: “Gavin Robinson has proven himself in east Belfast. Every time he has stood before the electorate he has got very strong votes and I think he will do the same, but we are not taking anything for granted.”
With rival unionist parties likely to steal votes from the DUP, the loss of just one Westminster seat for the main unionist party will be hugely symbolic as pro-Irish unity party Sinn Féin continues to expand its support due to the growing number of Irish nationalist Catholics in Northern Ireland.
The rivalry between the unionist parties, between the DUP and the Alliance Party, threatens to upset the balance of power in Northern Ireland.
The symbols are powerful and Sein Féin republicans would emerge stronger if the Democratic Unionist Party lost just one seat to its Alliance rivals.
Sam McBride, Belfast Telegraph: “In recent years Sinn Fein has been on the rise and the unionist parties have been on the decline. If that continues in this election it will reinforce the sense that Irish unity is coming closer.”
For Ken Murray, Euronews correspondent in Ireland, if the DUP stopped having more elected representatives in Westminster than Sein Féine, everything would change: “We should then expect further calls for a referendum on a united Ireland.”
