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1983 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland

Summary

The 1983 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland was held on 9 June with 17 MPs elected in single-seat constituencies using first-past-the-post as part of the wider general election in the United Kingdom. This was an increase of five seats, after the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1979 had come into effect to account for the reduced representation after direct rule had been imposed since 1972. New constituencies were drawn up in 1982.[1]

1983 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland
← 1979 9 June 1983 1987 →
17 seats in Northern Ireland of the 650 seats in the House of Commons
  First party Second party
 
Leader James Molyneaux Ian Paisley
Party Ulster Unionist DUP
Leader since 1979 1971
Leader's seat Lagan Valley Antrim North
Last election 5 seats, 36.6% 3 seats, 10.2%
Seats won 11 3
Seat change Increase 6 Steady 2
Popular vote 259,952 152,749
Percentage 34.0% 20.0%
Swing Decrease 2.6% Increase 9.8%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader John Hume Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
Party SDLP Sinn Féin
Leader since 6 May 1979 1970
Leader's seat Foyle Did not stand
Last election 1 seat, 18.2% Did not contest
Seats won 1 1
Seat change Steady Increase 1
Popular vote 137,012 102,701
Percentage 17.9% 13.4%
Swing Decrease 0.3% Increase 13.4%

Results edit

The Conservative Party led by Margaret Thatcher as prime minister won another term in government.

The main beneficiaries of the increase of seats was the Ulster Unionist Party, now led by James Molyneaux. The SDLP lost a seat held by former leader Gerry Fitt to Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin, but the new SDLP leader John Hume gained a seat.

Results[2][3][4]
Party MPs Votes
No. Change No. % Change
Ulster Unionist 11   6 259,952 34.0%   2.6
DUP 3   152,749 20.0%   9.8
SDLP 1   137,012 17.9%   0.3
Sinn Féin 1   1 102,701 13.4%   13.4
UPUP 1 New 22,681 3.0%   3.0
Alliance 0   61,275 8.0%   3.9
Workers' Party 0   14,650 1.9%   0.2
Independent Socialist 0   10,326 1.3%  1.3
Independent DUP 0   1,134 0.1%  1.3
Independent 0   2,265 0.3%   0.1
Total 17   5 801734 100  

MPs elected edit

Constituency Party MP
Antrim East Ulster Unionist Roy Beggs
Antrim North DUP Ian Paisley
Antrim South Ulster Unionist Clifford Forsythe
Belfast East DUP Peter Robinson
Belfast North Ulster Unionist Cecil Walker
Belfast South Ulster Unionist Martin Smyth
Belfast West Sinn Féin Gerry Adams
Down North UPUP Jim Kilfedder
Down South Ulster Unionist Enoch Powell
Fermanagh and South Tyrone Ulster Unionist Ken Maginnis
Foyle SDLP John Hume
Lagan Valley Ulster Unionist James Molyneaux
Londonderry East Ulster Unionist William Ross
Mid Ulster DUP William McCrea
Newry and Armagh Ulster Unionist Jim Nicholson
Strangford Ulster Unionist John Taylor
Upper Bann Ulster Unionist Harold McCusker

By-elections edit

In December 1985, all Unionist MPs resigned their seats in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement and sought re-election in by-elections. These resulted in a loss of one seat to the SDLP

Constituency Date Incumbent Party Winner Party Cause
Antrim North 23 January 1986 Ian Paisley DUP Ian Paisley DUP Resignation
Antrim East 23 January 1986 Roy Beggs Ulster Unionist Roy Beggs Ulster Unionist Resignation
Antrim South 23 January 1986 Clifford Forsythe Ulster Unionist Clifford Forsythe Ulster Unionist Resignation
Belfast East 23 January 1986 Peter Robinson DUP Peter Robinson DUP Resignation
Belfast North 23 January 1986 Cecil Walker Ulster Unionist Cecil Walker Ulster Unionist Resignation
Belfast South 23 January 1986 Martin Smyth Ulster Unionist Martin Smyth Ulster Unionist Resignation
Down North 23 January 1986 James Kilfedder UPUP James Kilfedder UPUP Resignation
Down South 23 January 1986 Enoch Powell Ulster Unionist Enoch Powell Ulster Unionist Resignation
Fermanagh and South Tyrone 23 January 1986 Ken Maginnis Ulster Unionist Ken Maginnis Ulster Unionist Resignation
Lagan Valley 23 January 1986 James Molyneaux Ulster Unionist James Molyneaux Ulster Unionist Resignation
East Londonderry 23 January 1986 William Ross Ulster Unionist William Ross Ulster Unionist Resignation
Mid Ulster 23 January 1986 William McCrea DUP William McCrea DUP Resignation
Strangford 23 January 1986 John Taylor Ulster Unionist John Taylor Ulster Unionist Resignation
Newry and Armagh 23 January 1986 James Nicholson Ulster Unionist Seamus Mallon SDLP Resignation
Upper Bann 23 January 1986 Harold McCusker Ulster Unionist Harold McCusker Ulster Unionist Resignation

References edit

  1. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Northern Ireland) Order 1982 (No. 1838)" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. 22 December 1982. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  2. ^ Walker, Brian Mercer (1992). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1918–1992 (New History of Ireland). Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 33–37. ISBN 0901714968.
  3. ^ "Elections to the United Kingdom Parliament held in Northern Ireland: General Election 9 June 1983". ElectionsIreland.org. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Westminster election, 9 June 1983". ARK: Northern Ireland Elections. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2019.