South Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)

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For other constituencies of the same name, see South Antrim.
South Antrim
County constituency
South Antrim shown within Northern Ireland
Created: 1885, 1950
MP: William McCrea
Party: Democratic Unionist
Type: House of Commons
Districts: Antrim, Newtownabbey
EP constituency: Northern Ireland

South Antrim is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.

Contents

[edit] Boundaries

From 1885, this constituency was one of four county divisions of the former Antrim constituency. It comprised the baronies of Massereene Upper, Massereene Lower, and Antrim Upper, and parts of the Baronies of Upper Toome and Belfast Upper, and so much of the Parliamentary Borough of Belfast as was in the County of Antrim.

It returned one Member of Parliament. In 1922, it was merged into a new Antrim constituency.

The seat 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 had become the largest in the entire United Kingdom by the time of the Northern Ireland Assembly elections of 1982 by which time its electorate had passed the 131,000 mark. For the 1983 Northern Ireland received new seats. Consequently, South Antrim was cut down heavily, losing a lot of territory to the new seats of East Antrim and Lagan Valley as well as minor sections to Belfast West, Belfast North and Upper Bann. In 1995 there were minor changes around the borders with North Belfast and West Belfast. The seat currently encompasses the entirety of the district of Antrim and part of the district of Newtownabbey.

[edit] Boundary changes

Following consultation of boundary changes across Northern Ireland, the altered South Antrim constituency to be fought at the next UK general election is made as follows[1]

  • Glenavy from Lisburn City government area
  • Ballyclare North, Ballyclare South, Ballyduff, Ballynure, Ballyrobert, Burnthill, Carnmoney, Doagh, Hawthorne, Mallusk, and Mossley, from Newtownabbey
  • The district of Antrim

[edit] History

South Antrim is an overwhelmingly unionist constituency which once had the strongest vote for the Ulster Unionist Party anywhere in the province. From 1886 to 1974 the Conservative and Unionist members of the United Kingdom House of Commons formed a single Parliamentary party, and they continuously represented South Antrim

In 1951, it was one of the last four seats to be uncontested in a UK general election. In the 1979 general election James Molyneaux had the largest majority of any MP in the entire of the United Kingdom, helped also by having one of the largest electorates.

The boundary changes in 1983 reduced the Ulster Unionist vote somewhat, with a significant portion now contained by the new Lagan Valley (which Molyneaux then contested) but the constituency still gave strong results for the party.

However on April 27, 2000 the incumbent MP, Clifford Forsythe died. The ensuing by-election took place amidst a fierce political struggle between the Ulster Unionist Party and the Democratic Unionist Party over the Good Friday Agreement, an agreement that the UUP were themselves split over. The DUP had not contested the seat at the previous general election but on this occasion stood William McCrea, the former MP for Mid Ulster, who campaigned strongly on the DUP's refusal to co-operate with Sinn Féin in the absence of arms decommissioning by the IRA. The local UUP branch selected David Burnside to contest the seat who declared that he had supported the Good Friday Agreement at the time that it was signed but had since become disillusioned with its implementation. As a result many commentators predicted that whatever the outcome of the election it was a severe blow for the UUP's leader David Trimble. On a low turnout amidst a fierce contest McCrea narrowly won the seat.

Burnside was nominated again to contest the seat in the 2001 general election in which he overturned McCrea's majority, aided by tactical voting by SDLP and Alliance voters. However the DUP were eager to regain the seat and in the 2003 Assembly election they outpolled the UUP by 298 votes. In the 2005 general election McCrea defeated Burnside in their third contest, but with a noticeably lower swing than those garnered by other DUP candidates who ousted UUP MPs.

[edit] Members of Parliament

The Member of Parliament is William McCrea of the Democratic Unionist Party. He was first elected to the seat in a by-election in 2000 but in the 2001 general election he was defeated by David Burnside of the Ulster Unionist Party. In the 2005 general election McCrea reversed that defeat.

[edit] Elections

[edit] Elections in the 2000s

General Election 2005: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Unionist Party William McCrea 14,507 38.2 +3.4
Ulster Unionist David Burnside 11,059 29.1 -8.0
Social Democratic and Labour Noreen McClelland 4,706 12.4 +0.3
Sinn Féin Henry Cushinan 4,407 11.6 +2.2
Alliance David Ford 3,278 8.6 +4.1
Majority 3,448 9.1
Turnout 37,957 56.7 -5.8
Democratic Unionist Party gain from Ulster Unionist Swing 5.7
General Election 2001: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist David Burnside 16,366 37.1 -20.4
Democratic Unionist Party William McCrea 15,355 34.8 0.0
Social Democratic and Labour Sean McKee 5,336 12.1 -4.1
Sinn Féin Martin Meehan 4,160 9.4 +3.9
Alliance David Ford 1,969 4.5 -7.2
NI Unionist Norman Boyd 972 2.2 N/A
Majority 1,011 2.3
Turnout 44,158 62.5 +4.6
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
By-election 2000: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Unionist Party William McCrea 11,601 38.0 N/A
Ulster Unionist David Burnside 10,779 35.3 -22.2
Social Democratic and Labour Donovan McClelland 3,496 11.4 -4.7
Sinn Féin Martin Meehan 2,611 8.5 +3.0
Alliance David Ford 2,031 6.6 -5.0
Natural Law David Collins 49 0.2 -0.3
Majority 822 2.7
Turnout 43
Democratic Unionist Party gain from Ulster Unionist Swing 5.7

[edit] Elections in the 1990s

General Election 1997: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Clifford Forsythe 23,108 57.5 -13.9
Social Democratic and Labour Donovan McClelland 6,497 16.2 +3.4
Alliance David Ford 4,668 11.6 +0.7
Progressive Unionist Hugh Smyth 3,490 9.0 N/A
Sinn Féin Henry Cushinan 2,229 5.5 +2.5
Natural Law B. A. Briggs 203 0.5 N/A
Majority 16,611 41.3
Turnout 57.8
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1992: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Clifford Forsythe 29,956 70.9
Social Democratic and Labour Donovan McClelland 5,397 12.8
Alliance John Blair 5,244 12.4
Sinn Féin Henry Cushinan 1,220 2.9
Independent Denis Dino Martin 442 1.1 N/A
Majority 24,559
Turnout 42,259 62.9
Ulster Unionist hold Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1980s

General Election 1987: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Clifford Forsythe 25,395 69.8
Alliance Gordon Mawhinney 5,808 16.0
Social Democratic and Labour Donovan McClelland 3,611 9.9
Sinn Féin Henry Cushinan 1,592 4.4
Majority 19,587 53.8
Turnout 62.9
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
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 N/A
Majority 28,217
Turnout 53.5
Ulster Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 1983: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Clifford Forsythe 17,727 45.7
Democratic Unionist Party Ron Thompson 10,935 28.2
Alliance Gordon Mawhinney 4,612 11.9
Social Democratic and Labour Alban Maginness 3,377 8.7
Sinn Féin Sean Laverty 1,629 4.2
Workers' Party Kevin Smyth 549 1.4
Majority 6,792 17.5
Turnout 65.5
Ulster Unionist hold Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1970s

General Election 1979: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist James Molyneaux 50,782 69.0
Alliance Charles Kinahan 11,914 16.2
Social Democratic and Labour Patrick Rowan 7,432 10.1
Independent Labour Bob Kidd 1,895 2.6
Republican Clubs Kevin Smyth 1,615 2.2
Majority 38,868 52.8
Turnout 58.2
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General Election October 1974: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist James Molyneaux 48,892 71.5
Alliance Charles Kinahan 10,460 15.3
Social Democratic and Labour Patrick Rowan 9,061 13.2
Majority 38,432 56.2
Turnout 58.1
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General Election February 1974: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist James Molyneaux 48,203 67.6
Alliance Charles Kinahan 12,559 17.6
Social Democratic and Labour Patrick Rowan 8,769 12.3
Independent Bob Kidd 1,801 2.5
Majority 35,644 50.0
Turnout 61.1
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1970: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist James Molyneaux 59,589 61.2
Labour (NI) Robert Johnston 19,971 20.5
Independent Unionist Tom Caldwell 10,938 11.2
National Democrats Daniel MacAllister 6,037 6.2
Liberal Rodney Smith 913 0.9
Majority 39,618 40.7
Turnout 68.0
Ulster Unionist hold Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1960s

General Election 1966: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Knox Cunningham 40,840 64.3
Labour (NI) Sydney Stewart 22,672 35.7
Majority 18,168 28.6
Turnout 55.9
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1964: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Knox Cunningham 47,325 69.9
Labour (NI) Sydney Stewart 16,531 24.4
Independent Republican Leo Wilson 3,830 5.7
Majority 30,794 45.5
Turnout 64.3
Ulster Unionist hold Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1950s

General Election 1959: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Knox Cunningham 52,786 95.1
Sinn Féin Michael Traynor 2,745 4.9
Majority 50,041 90.1
Turnout 59.3
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General Election 1955: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Knox Cunningham 50,347 90.7
Sinn Féin Michael Traynor 5,155 9.3
Majority 45,192 81.4
Turnout 65.3
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
In the 1951 UK general election, Douglas Lloyd Savory was elected unopposed.
General Election 1950: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Douglas Lloyd Savory 41,023 83.6
Labour (NI) Edward Brown 8,068 16.4
Majority 32,955 67.1
Turnout 63.3
Ulster Unionist hold Swing

[edit] Elections in the 1910s

General Election 1918: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Charles Curtis Craig 13,270 85.13 N/A
Sinn Féin Kevin Roantree O'Shiel 2,318 14.87 N/A
Majority 10,952 70.26 N/A
Turnout 23,235 67.09 N/A
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A

In the United Kingdom general election, December 1910, Charles Curtis Craig was elected unopposed.

General Election January 1910: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Charles Curtis Craig 5,310 69.41 N/A
Liberal William Moffat Clow 2,340 30.59 N/A
Majority 2,970 38.82 N/A
Turnout 9,900 77.27 N/A
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1900s

In the United Kingdom general election, 1906, Charles Curtis Craig was elected unopposed.

South Antrim by-election, 1903
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist Charles Curtis Craig 4,464 55.25 +0.86
Russellite Unionist Samuel Robert Keightley 3,615 44.75 +44.75
Majority 849 10.51 +1.73
Turnout 10,236 78.93 +13.86
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A
General Election 1900: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist William Grey Ellison Macartney 3,674 54.39 N/A
Independent Unionist Samuel Lawther 3,081 45.61 N/A
Majority 593 8.78 N/A
Turnout 10,381 65.07 N/A
Irish Unionist hold Swing N/A

[edit] Elections in the 1890s

In the 1892 and 1895 UK general elections, William Grey Ellison Macartney was elected unopposed.

[edit] Elections in the 1880s

In the 1886 UK general election, William Grey Ellison Macartney was elected unopposed.

General Election 7 December 1885: South Antrim
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Grey Ellison Macartney 5,047 57.83 N/A
Liberal John Doherty Barbour 3,680 42.17 N/A
Majority 1,367 15.66 N/A
Turnout 10,824 80.63 N/A
Conservative gain from new seat Swing N/A

[edit] See also

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