▁the ▁party ▁as ▁" high ly ▁opportun istic ". ▁She ▁also ▁stated ▁that ▁she ▁would ▁refuse ▁to ▁join ▁a ▁merged ▁entity . ▁However , ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁local ▁elections , ▁she ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁to ▁K ild are ▁County ▁Council , ▁this ▁time ▁for ▁the ▁Le ix lip ▁local ▁elect oral ▁area ▁representing ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party , ▁she ▁also ▁won ▁a ▁seat ▁on ▁Le ix lip ▁Town ▁Council . ▁ ▁Independent ▁politician ▁She ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁cit ing ▁what ▁she ▁term ed ▁" dest ruct ive ▁internal ▁intr ig ues ". ▁She ▁stood ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁local ▁elections ▁and ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁to ▁both ▁council ▁seats , ▁to pping ▁the ▁poll . ▁ ▁Charlie ▁McC ree vy , ▁the ▁F ian na ▁F á il ▁T D ▁for ▁K ild are ▁North , ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁D á il ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁a ▁European ▁Commission er . ▁Mur phy ▁cont ested ▁the ▁resulting ▁by - e lection ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁candidate , ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁seat . ▁On ▁a ▁low ▁turn out , ▁she ▁pol led ▁slightly ▁fewer ▁first - pre ference ▁votes ▁than ▁F ian na ▁F á il ' s ▁Á ine ▁Br ady , ▁but ▁was ▁elected ▁on ▁the ▁fifth ▁count . ▁Her ▁by - e