Westminster '97
SOUTH DOWN CANDIDATE MICK MURPHY
Mick Murphy has been involved in politics since the civil rights campaign of the late 1960's. A father of six, Mick is a retired publican living in Rostrevor. A keen follower of Gaelic games, Mick plays an active role in supporting the development of Gaelic football in his home town.
Mick believes that the South Down region has been neglected in terms of essential infrastructural development to facilitate industrial growth. Mick intends to actively campaign for industrial investment and an improved road network.
Mick is aware that investment in housing needs to be reassessed with a view to improving existing housing stock and introducing a building strategy which will cater for the demand for public housing in areas where this outstrips availability.
Acutely aware that future development must be in tune with an increasingly fragile environment, Mick will try to ensure that our natural heritage will be carefully managed with steps taken to protect it.
Mick successfully stood for Sinn Fein at last year's Forum elections, recording the highest ever vote for Sinn Fein in the South Down area.
CONSTITUENCY PROFILE
Down South
| Party | 1992 | 1996 |
| SF | 1,843 | 6,142 |
| SDLP | 31,523 | 20,220 |
| UUP | 25,181 | 10,379 |
Floating voters in both the unionist and nationalist electorates characterise this constituency, which Eddie McGrady won from the UUP's Enoch Powell in 1987. Sinn Fein's 13% vote share in the 1996 elections was a huge surge for the party in the constituency. McGrady must be expected to hold the seat in 1997 from agreed unionist candidate, the UUP's Nesbitt.