- Northern Ireland by-elections, 1986
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Northern Ireland by-elections, 1986
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The 1986 Northern Ireland by-elections were fifteen by-elections held on 23 January 1986, to fill vacancies in the Parliament of the United Kingdom caused by the resignation in December 1985 of all sitting Unionist Members of Parliament (MPs). The MPs, from the Ulster Unionist Party, Democratic Unionist Party and Ulster Popular Unionist Party, did this to highlight their opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Each of their parties agreed not to contest seats previously held by the others, and each outgoing MP stood for re-election.
Contents
Other candidates
Of the remaining two seats in Northern Ireland, Foyle was held by the Nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), while Belfast West was held by the Republican party Sinn Féin. These MPs did not resign and their seats were not contested.
The SDLP and Sinn Féin regarded the resignations as a publicity stunt, and were reluctant to take part in the resulting by-elections. In the event, they contested only the seats which they believed to have an anti-Unionist majority.
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland instructed its branches to nominate a candidate for each by-election, but many were reluctant, and ultimately, the party stood in only five seats. The small Workers' Party also stood, in nine seats.
In four constituencies, no political party was willing to contest the by-election. This effectively made these the last uncontested by-elections in British history. However, to ensure that there was a contest and the Unionists would be able to demonstrate their point, Wesley Robert Williamson changed his name by deed poll to "Peter Barry", Peter Barry being Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ireland. "Peter Barry" stood in these four constituencies under the label "For the Anglo-Irish Agreement", allowing a contest, but did not campaign.
The unusual circumstances led this to be the greatest number of UK Parliamentary by-elections ever held on a single day.
Results
All but one of the Unionists were re-elected, many with extremely large majorities. The largest of all went to Ian Paisley in North Antrim. He won 97.4% of the vote, the highest percentage polled by any candidate in a UK by-election since the 1940 Middleton and Prestwich by-election.
The sole exception to this pattern was the Newry and Armagh by-election, where Seamus Mallon of the SDLP was able to take the seat.
The results of the fifteen by-elections were cited by Unionists as a rejection of the Agreement by the Northern Irish electorate, but did not succeed in repealing it.
Antrim
East Antrim by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Ulster Unionist Roy Beggs 30,386 84.9 Alliance Sean Neeson 5,405 15.1 Majority 24,981 Turnout 59.2 Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A North Antrim by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Unionist 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 54.7 Democratic Unionist hold Swing N/A South Antrim by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Ulster Unionist Clifford Forsythe 30,087 94.1 For the Anglo-Irish Agreement Peter Barry 1,870 5.9 Majority 28,217 Turnout 53.5 Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A Belfast
Belfast East by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Unionist Peter Robinson 27,607 81.0 Alliance Oliver Napier 5,917 17.4 Workers' Party Frank Cullen 578 1.7 Majority 21,690 Turnout 60.2 Democratic Unionist hold Swing Belfast North by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Ulster Unionist Cecil Walker 21,649 71.5 Alliance Paul Maguire 5,072 16.7 Workers' Party Seamus Lynch 3,563 11.8 Majority 16,577 Turnout 51.5 Ulster Unionist hold Swing Belfast South by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Ulster Unionist Martin Smyth 21,771 71.3 Alliance David Cook 7,635 25.0 Workers' Party Gerry Carr 1,109 3.6 Majority 14,136 46.3 Turnout 56.9 Ulster Unionist hold Swing Down
North Down by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Ulster Popular Unionist James Kilfedder 30,793 79.2 Alliance John Cushnahan 8,066 20.8 Majority 22,727 Turnout 62.8 Ulster Popular Unionist hold Swing South Down by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Ulster Unionist Enoch Powell 24,963 48.4 SDLP Eddie McGrady 23,121 44.8 Sinn Féin Hugh McDowell 2,963 5.7 Workers' Party Sean Magee 522 1.0 Majority 1,842 Turnout Ulster Unionist hold Swing Newry and Armagh
Main article: Newry and Armagh by-election, 1986Newry and Armagh by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% SDLP Seamus Mallon 22,694 45.5 Ulster Unionist Jim Nicholson 20,111 40.3 Sinn Féin Jim McAllister 6,609 13.2 Workers' Party Patrick McCusker 515 1.0 Majority 2,583 SDLP gain from Ulster Unionist Swing Other constituencies
Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Ulster Unionist Ken Maginnis 27,857 49.7 Sinn Féin Owen Carron 15,278 27.2 SDLP Austin Currie 12,081 21.5 Workers' Party David Kettyles 864 1.5 Majority 12,579 Turnout Ulster Unionist hold Swing Lagan Valley by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Ulster Unionist Jim Molyneaux 32,514 90.7 Workers' Party John Lowry 3,328 9.3 Majority 29,186 Turnout 57.8 Ulster Unionist hold Swing East Londonderry by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Ulster Unionist William Ross 30,922 93.9 +56.0 For the Anglo-Irish Agreement Peter Barry 2,001 6.1 N/A Majority 28,921 87.8 +73.7 Turnout 32,923 46.8 –29.5 Ulster Unionist hold Swing Mid Ulster by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Unionist William McCrea 23,695 46.1 Sinn Féin Danny Morrison 13,998 27.2 SDLP Adrian Colton 13,021 25.3 Workers' Party Thomas Owens 691 1.3 Majority 6,967 Turnout Democratic Unionist hold Swing Strangford by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Ulster Unionist John Taylor 32,627 94.2 For the Anglo-Irish Agreement Peter Barry 1,993 5.8 Majority 30,634 88.5 Turnout 34,620 55.0 Ulster Unionist hold Swing Upper Bann by-election, 1986 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Ulster Unionist Harold McCusker 29,311 80.8 Workers' Party Tom French 6,978 19.2 Majority 22,333 Turnout Ulster Unionist hold Swing See also
- List of United Kingdom by-elections
- UK by-election records
- Five Constituencies Referendum
References
- British Parliamentary By Elections: Campaign literature from the by-elections
- CAIN: Westminster By-Elections (NI) - Thursday 23 January 1986
- Northern Ireland Elections: Westminster by-elections 1986
« 48th Parliament « By-elections to the 49th Parliament of the United Kingdom » 50th Parliament » 1983 July: Penrith and the Border1984 March: Chesterfield • May: Cynon Valley • South West Surrey • Stafford • June: Portsmouth South • December: Enfield Southgate1985 July: Brecon and Radnor • December: Tyne Bridge1986 January: Belfast East • Belfast North • Belfast South • East Antrim • East Londonderry • Fermanagh & South Tyrone • Lagan Valley • Mid Ulster • Newry & Armagh • North Antrim • North Down • South Antrim • South Down • Strangford • Upper Bann • April: Fulham • May: Ryedale • West Derbyshire • July: Newcastle-under-Lyme • November: Knowsley North1987 Categories:- By-elections to the United Kingdom Parliament in Northern Irish constituencies
- 1986 elections in the United Kingdom
- 1986 in Northern Ireland
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