General Election 2024: First Minister feeling 'very confident' that it's been a good poll for Sinn Féin across the board

Sinn Féin leaders Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O'Neill have arrived at the count centre in Magherafelt.

The pair took time out to pose for pictures with Mid Ulster candidate Cathal Mallaghan and his family.

When asked how they felt the party has performed across the North, First Minister Michelle O'Neill said: “We are feeling very confident that it's been a good poll for us across the board but it's very early and we are in for a long night.”

Speaking about the news that Keir Starmer looks set to become PM as the Tories face their worst defeat, Mary Lou McDonald said: “Certainly there is a moment now for a reset in terms of relationship between Ireland and Britain, Dublin and London. We very much hope there will be a step change. We look forward to that, there are big issues on the direct horizon, the legacy legisation, I'm thinking of our wider relationships charting the course for the future, our collective relationships with the European Union, those are big questions and I hope under the new leadership of Keir Starmer a really constructive and a huge, huge mandate and we hope and believe really ample political space to do really big constructive things and we look forward to working with them in that regard.”