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North Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)

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For other constituencies of the same name, see North Antrim.
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North Antrim is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.

Boundaries

Giant's Causeway.

North Antrim has always been a county constituency comprising the northern part of County Antrim in the north-east of Northern Ireland. It has the sea to the north and east and the border with County Londonderry to the west.

From 1885, this constituency was one of four county divisions carved out of the former constituency of Antrim. It comprised the baronies of Cary, Dunluce Lower, Dunluce Upper and Kilconway and returned one Member of Parliament from 1885 until 1922, when it was merged into a new Antrim constituency.

North Antrim was re-created in 1950 when the old Antrim two MP constituency was abolished as part of the final move to single member seats. The seat has had relatively few changes over the years and currently contains exactly the districts of Ballymena, Ballymoney and Moyle.

The constituency is largely rural. Amongst the features within its boundaries are Rathlin Island and Giant's Causeway.

Proposed Boundary changes

Rathlin Island

The Boundary Commission initially proposed alterations for the boundaries of North Antrim, currently one of the largest electorate of any constituency in Northern Ireland. It was proposed to transfer the Glens, including Rathlin Island, in Moyle to East Antrim and rename that seat Antrim Coast & Glens. However this proposal has raised many questions, with some already arguing that the Glens have no natural ties to Jordanstown.

Following consultation and revision, the constituency alterations have been passed through the Northern Ireland Parliamentary Constituencies Order. The local areas now making up the altered North Antrim are;

  • The whole government areas of Ballymena, and Ballymoney
  • From Moyle, Armoy, Ballylough, Bushmills, Bonamargy and Rathlin, Carnmoon, Dalriada, Dunseverick, Glenshesk, Glentaisie, Kinbane, Knocklayd, Moss-Side, and Moyarget.

History

North Antrim is an overwhelmingly unionist seat. It first existed from 1885 to 1922. From 1886 to 1974 the Conservative and Unionist members of the United Kingdom House of Commons formed a single Parliamentary party.

Unusually for Ireland, the Liberal Party retained significant strength in this constituency after the split over Home Rule in 1886. The Irish Parliamentary Party never contested the seat.

In 1906 the constituency was won by a Russellite Unionist, at least somewhat linked to the Liberal Party. Although the Unionists regained the seat when the sitting MP retired, the constituency was one of very few Unionist/Liberal marginals in Ireland at both 1910 elections.

A victory for the Unionist candidate in 1918 by 9,621 votes to Sinn Féin's 2,673 votes demonstrated the strength of the unionist support in the area.

In 1922, the constituency reverted to being part of the two member Antrim seat (as it had been before 1885). North Antrim was re-created in 1950 as a larger seat than it had been in its first incarnation. County Antrim, excluding the parts in the Belfast constituencies, was split into two divisions instead of four as previously. The 1950 North Antrim was comparable to the North and Mid Antrim divisions which had existed from 1885 to 1922.

Since 1950 the Westminster elections have been relatively uncompetitive. In 1951, it was one of the last four seats to be uncontested in a UK general election. More recently, one man has repeatedly won by a landslide. The Reverend Ian Richard Kyle Paisley was first elected as a Protestant Unionist Party candidate in the 1970 general election. The following year that party changed to the Democratic Unionist Party and Paisley has held the seat ever since. This is the longest continuous period for which the current holding party has held any Northern Irish seat. In elections at all levels, the DUP have frequently had their highest share of the vote in North Antrim and have rarely been seriously challenged.

Surprisingly perhaps, to outsiders, there has been anecdotal evidence of a number of Catholic voters in the constituency voting for Ian Paisley despite his views, presumably because of his strong reputation for his constituency work. 30% of residents were Catholic at the 2001 UK Census. Some allowances must be made Catholic apathy against overwhelming odds, and for residents aged under 18 but, in comparison, the proportion of nationalist voters in recent elections has been 23% (2001 local government), 26.6% (2001 general election), 27.6% (2003 assembly election), 26.8% (2005 local government) and 27.9% (2005 general election).

There is much speculation that Ian Paisley will step down at the next UK general election. It is widely expected that, if he does, the new DUP candidate will be his son, Ian Paisley, Jr.

According to straw polls, the constituency was alone in Northern Ireland in voting against the Belfast Agreement.

Members of Parliament

The Member of Parliament since the 1970 general election is the Rev. Dr. Ian Paisley. He was initially elected as a member of the Protestant Unionist Party but since 1971 has sat for the Democratic Unionist Party:)

North Antrim has had comparatively few MPs in its lifetime compared to other parliamentary constituencies. Sir Hugh O'Neill had sat for one of the predecessor seats of Mid Antrim between 1915 and 1922 and Antrim between 1922 until 1950, making this one of the few seats where four individuals between them represented the seat continuously over a period of ninety years.

Elections

Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Ian Paisley 25,156 54.8 +4.9
Sinn Féin Philip McGuigan 7,191 15.7 +5.9
UUP Rodney McCune 6,637 14.5 −6.5
SDLP Sean Farren 5,585 12.2 −4.6
Alliance Jayne Dunlop 1,357 3.0 +0.4
Majority 17,965 39.1
Turnout 45,926 61.7 −4.4
DUP hold Swing
General Election 2001: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Ian Paisley 24,539 49.9 +3.3
UUP Lexie Scott 10,315 21.0 −2.7
SDLP Sean Farren 8,283 16.8 +1.0
Sinn Féin John Kelly 4,822 9.8 +3.5
Alliance Jayne Dunlop 1,258 2.6 −3.6
Majority 14,224 28.9
Turnout 49,217 66.1 +2.3
DUP hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Ian Paisley 21,495 46.5 −4.4
UUP James Leslie 10,921 23.6 +5.5
SDLP Sean Farren 7,333 15.9 +1.6
Sinn Féin James McGarry 2,896 6.3 +2.1
Alliance David Alderdice 2,845 6.2 −1.4
NI Women's Coalition Bronagh Hinds 580 1.3 N/A
Natural Law J. Wright 116 0.3 N/A
Majority 10,574
Turnout 63.8 −2.0
DUP hold Swing
General Election 1992: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Ian Paisley 23,152 50.9 −17.8
UUP Joe Gaston 8,216 18.1 N/A
SDLP Sean Farren 6,512 14.3 −1.8
Alliance Gareth Williams 3,442 7.6 −4.8
NI Conservatives Richard Sowler 2,263 5.0 N/A
Sinn Féin James McGarry 1,916 4.2 −2.2
Majority 14,936
Turnout 65.8 +9.5
DUP hold Swing

Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Ian Paisley 28,283 68.7
SDLP Sean Farren 5,149 12.5
Alliance Gareth Williams 5,140 12.4
Sinn Féin S. Reagan 2,633 6.4
Majority 23,234 56.3
Turnout 62.8
DUP hold Swing
North Antrim by-election, 1986
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Ian Paisley 33,937 97.4 +43.2
"For the Anglo-Irish Agreement" "Peter Barry" 515 2.6 N/A
Majority 33,024 94.8
Turnout 53.5
DUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 1983: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Ian Paisley 23,922 54.2
UUP Robert Coulter 10,749 24.3
SDLP Sean Farren 6,193 14.0
Sinn Féin P. McMahon 2,860 6.5
Majority 13,173 29.8
Turnout 69.8
DUP hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Ian Paisley 33,941 51.7 − 20.9
UUP David Burchill 15,398 23.4 N/A
Alliance Hugh Wilson 7,797 11.9 N/A
SDLP Sean Farren 4,867 7.4 − 5.4
Irish Independence John Turnly 3,689 5.6 N/A
Majority 18,543 28.2 − 29.1
Turnout 64.3 + 7.0
DUP hold Swing
General Election October 1974: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Ian Paisley 43,186 72.6 + 9.1
Independent Hugh Wilson 8,689 14.6 N/A
SDLP Mary McAlister 7,616 12.8 − 2.7
Majority 34,497 58.0 + 15.5
Turnout 59,491 57.3 − 5.8
DUP hold Swing
General Election February 1974: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Ian Paisley 41,282 63.5 + 22.2
Pro-Assembly Unionist Thomas Utley 13,651 21.0 N/A
SDLP Mary McAlister 10,056 15.5 N/A
Majority 27,631 42.5 + 37.9
Turnout 64,989 63.1 − 10.2
DUP hold Swing
General Election 1970: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Protestant Unionist Ian Paisley 24,130 41.2 N/A
UUP Henry Maitland Clark 21,451 36.6 − 41.5
NI Labour Patrick McHugh 6,476 11.0 N/A
National Democratic Alasdair McDonnell 4,312 7.4 N/A
Ulster Liberal Richard Moore 2,269 3.9 − 18.0
Majority 2,679 4.6 − 51.6
Turnout 58,638 73.4 + 16.7
Protestant Unionist gain from UUP Swing

Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Henry Maitland Clark 31,927 78.1 − 12.0
Ulster Liberal Richard Moore 8,941 21.9 N/A
Majority 22,986 56.2 − 24.1
Turnout 40,868 56.7 − 6.4
UUP hold Swing
General Election 1964: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Henry Maitland Clark 40,372 90.1 − 4.8
Ind. Republican John Caughey 4,424 9.9 N/A
Majority 35,948 80.3 − 9.6
Turnout 44,796 63.3 − 1.6
UUP hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Henry Maitland Clark 42,807 94.9 + 8.9
Sinn Féin John Dougan 2,280 5.1 − 8.9
Majority 40,527 89.9 + 17.9
Turnout 45,087 64.5 − 7.7
UUP hold Swing
General Election 1955: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Phelim Robert Hugh O'Neill 41,763 86.0 N/A
Sinn Féin John Dougan 6,809 14.0 N/A
Majority 34,954 72.0 N/A
Turnout 48,572 72.2 N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
In the 1950 and 1951 UK general elections, Sir Hugh O'Neill was elected unopposed. In the North Antrim by-election, 1953, Phelim Robert Hugh O'Neill (his son) was elected unopposed.

Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1918: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Peter Kerr-Smiley 9,621 78.3 +23.8
Sinn Féin Patrick McCarty 2,673 21.7 N/A
Majority 6,948 56.5 +47.6
Turnout 19,110 64.3 −22.6
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election December 1910: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Peter Kerr-Smiley 3,557 54.5 +1.6
Liberal William Macafee 2,974 45.5 −1.6
Majority 583 8.9 +3.2
Turnout 7,516 86.9 −1.6
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election January 1910: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Peter Kerr-Smiley 3,519 52.9 −8.8
Liberal William James Baxter 3,135 47.1 N/A
Majority 384 5.77 N/A
Turnout 7,516 88.5 +2.6
Irish Unionist gain from Russellite Unionist Swing N/A

Elections in the 1900s

General Election 1906: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Russellite Unionist Robert Glendinning 3,757 55.9 N/A
Irish Unionist William Moore 2,969 44.1 N/A
Majority 788 11.7 N/A
Turnout 7,829 85.9 N/A
Russellite Unionist gain from Irish Unionist Swing N/A

In the UK general election, 1900, William Moore was elected unopposed.

Elections in the 1890s

In the North Antrim by-election, 1899, William Moore was elected unopposed.

In the UK general election, 1895, Hugh McCalmont was elected unopposed.

General Election 1892: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Charles Cunningham Connor 4,666 69.7 +13.0
Liberal William Huston Dodd 2,027 30.3 −6.8
Majority 2,639 39.4 +19.9
Turnout 9,035 74.08 +2.5
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1880s

North Antrim by-election, 1887
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Charles Edward Lewis 3,858 56.7 −13.2
Liberal Samuel Craig McElroy 2,526 37.1 +7.00
Ind. Unionist William Acheson Traill 424 6.2 N/A
Majority 1,332 19.6 −20.2
Turnout 9,505 71.6 +0.8
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 1886: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Edward MacNaghten 4,429 69.9 N/A
Liberal Samuel Craig McElroy 1,910 30.1 +0.7
Majority 2,519 39.7 N/A
Turnout 8,948 70.8 −10.7
Irish Unionist gain from Conservative Swing N/A
General Election 1885: North Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward MacNaghten 3,233 44.3 N/A
Liberal [William Pirrie Sinclair 2,149 29.5 N/A
Independent John Pinkerton 1,915 26.2 N/A
Majority 1,084 14.9 N/A
Turnout 8,948 81.6 N/A
Conservative gain from new seat Swing N/A

Sources

See also

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