DUP, UUP and SF retaintheir seats in Brussels

Sinn Féin MEP Martin Anderson faced the electorate for the first time after having replaced Bairbre de Brún, who stood aside on health grounds in 2012.

Ms Anderson topped the poll with 159,813 votes (25.5 per cent) and was elected on the first count having reached the quota of 156,532.

DUP candidate Diane Dodds, who had travelled to Londonderry on a number of occasions during her European campaign, retained her seat having polled 131,163 first preferences (20.9 per cent).

She achieved a quota at stage seven of the count having benefited from TUV candidate Jim Allister’s transfers. Mr Allister once again failed to regain the seat he lost in 2009.

UUP candidate Jim Nicholson, who also visited Londonderry during the campaign, polled 83,438 first preferences (13.3 per cent) and was the third candidate elected.

SDLP candidate Alex Attwood polled 81,594 first preferences (13 per cent) but there ultimately weren’t enough nationalist transfers to go around.

Mr Attwood was the last candidate to be eliminated, losing out to Mr Nicholson.