Belfast West (Assembly constituency)

Belfast West Northern Ireland Assembly Borough constituency

Belfast West shown within Northern Ireland
First Used:	1973
Assembly Members:	Alex Attwood Paul Maskey Fra McCann Jennifer McCann Sue Ramsey Pat Sheehan
Districts:	Belfast, Lisburn

Belfast West is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973. It usually shares boundaries with the Belfast West UK Parliament constituency, however the boundaries of the two constituencies were slightly different from 1983 to 1986 as the Assembly boundaries had not caught up with Parliamentary boundary changes and from 1996 to 1997 when members of the Northern Ireland Forum had been elected from the newly drawn Parliamentary constituencies but the 51st Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected in 1992 under the 1983–95 constituency boundaries, was still in session.

Members were then elected from the constituency to the 1975 Constitutional Convention, the 1982 Assembly, the 1996 Forum and then to the current Assembly from 1998.

For further details of the history and boundaries of the constituency, see Belfast West (UK Parliament constituency).

1 Members
2 Elections
3 References

Members

The six MLAs for the constituency elected in the Northern Ireland Assembly Election 2011 are:

Alex Attwood – Social Democratic and Labour Party
Paul Maskey – Sinn Féin
Fra McCann – Sinn Féin
Jennifer McCann – Sinn Féin
Sue Ramsey – Sinn Féin
Pat Sheehan – Sinn Féin

Alex Attwood was the previous Social Development minister and has since became the Minister for the Environment.

The six MLAs for the constituency elected in the 2007 election are:

Gerry Adams – Sinn Féin
Alex Attwood – Social Democratic and Labour Party
Paul Maskey – Sinn Féin
Fra McCann – Sinn Féin
Jennifer McCann – Sinn Féin
Sue Ramsey – Sinn Féin

Changes

Gerry Adams resigned from the Assembly and was replaced by Pat Sheehan (also Sinn Féin) with effect from November, 2010.^[1]

The six MLAs for the constituency elected^[2] in the 2003 election were:

Gerry Adams – Sinn Féin
Alex Attwood – Social Democratic and Labour Party
Bairbre de Brún – Sinn Féin
Diane Dodds – Democratic Unionist Party
Michael Ferguson – Sinn Féin
Fra McCann – Sinn Féin

Changes

Bairbre de Brún resigned from the Assembly and was replaced by Sue Ramsay (also Sinn Féin) with effect from 29 November 2004.^[3]
Michael Ferguson died on 24 September 2006.

In the 1998 election the six MLAs elected^[4] were:

Gerry Adams – Sinn Féin
Alex Attwood – Social Democratic and Labour Party
Bairbre de Brún – Sinn Féin
Joe Hendron – Social Democratic and Labour Party
Alex Maskey – Sinn Féin
Sue Ramsey – Sinn Féin

In the 1996 election to the Northern Ireland Peace Forum, 5 Forum members were elected from North Belfast. They were as follows:

Gerry Adams – Sinn Féin
Annie Armstrong – Sinn Féin
Joe Hendron – Social Democratic and Labour Party
Alex Maskey – Sinn Féin
Dodie McGuinness – Sinn Féin

In 1982 elections were held for an Assembly for Northern Ireland to hold the Secretary of State to account, in the hope that this would be the first step towards restoring devolution. West Belfast elected 4 members as follows:

In 1975 elections were held to a Constitutional Convention which sought (unsuccessfully) to generate a consensus on the future of the province. The six members elected from West Belfast were:

John Laird – Ulster Unionist Party
Paddy Devlin – Social Democratic and Labour Party
Bob Cooper – Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Joe Hendron – Social Democratic and Labour Party
Hugh Smyth – independent Unionist
Jean Coulter – Ulster Unionist Party

In 1973 elections were held to the Assembly set up under the Sunningdale Agreement. The six members elected from West Belfast were:

John Laird – Ulster Unionist Party anti Sunningdale
Paddy Devlin – Social Democratic and Labour Party
Bob Cooper – Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Desmond Gillespie – Social Democratic and Labour Party
Hugh Smyth – independent Unionist
Jean Coulter – Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party

Elections

Northern Ireland Assembly

Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2011^[5]
Party		Candidate	%	1st Pref	Result	Count
	Sinn Féin	Paul Maskey^[6]	15.4	5,343	Elected	1
	Sinn Féin	Jennifer McCann^[6]	15.1	5,239	Elected	1
	Sinn Féin	Fra McCann^[6]	12.9	4,481	Elected	10
	Sinn Féin	Sue Ramsey^[6]	11.9	4,116	Elected	11
	SDLP	Alex Attwood^[7]	10.9	3,765	Elected	10
	Sinn Féin	Pat Sheehan^[6]	10.8	3,723	Elected	11
	Democratic Unionist	Brian Kingston^[8]	7.5	2,587	Not Elected	11
	People Before Profit	Gerry Carroll^[9]	4.8	1,661	Not Elected	9
	Ulster Unionist	Bill Manwaring^[10]	4.2	1,471	Not Elected	8
	SDLP	Colin Keenan^[11]	2.3	802	Not Elected	7
	Workers' Party	John Lowry^[12]	1.7	586	Not Elected	6
	Socialist Party	Pat Lawlor^[13]	1.1	384	Not Elected	5
	Alliance	Dan McGuinness^[6]	1.1	365	Not Elected	4
	Independent	Brian Pelan^[6]	0.4	122	Not Elected	3

2007 Assembly election: Belfast West
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6
	Sinn Féin	Gerry Adams	17.8	6,029
	Sinn Féin	Sue Ramsey	14.0	4,715	5,266.60
	Sinn Féin	Paul Maskey	12.9	4,368	4,758.60	4,774.05	4,783.95	4,821.80	5,074.80
	Sinn Féin	Jennifer McCann	12.6	4,265	4,294.80	4,665.75	4,667.70	4,693.50	4,848.50
	Sinn Féin	Fra McCann	12.6	4,254	4,323.80	4,344.95	4,353.80	4,378	4,646.85
	Democratic Unionist	Diane Dodds	13.3	3,661	3,661	3,661.15	3,671.15	3,677.15	4,166
	SDLP	Alex Attwood	9.0	3,036	3,148.80	3,149.70	3,196.90	3,234.90	4,779.10
	SDLP	Margret Walsh	3.2	1,074	1,086.20	1,087.10	1,110.30	1,156.50
	People Before Profit	Seán Mitchell	2.3	774	789	789.60	830.40	968.80
	Ulster Unionist	Louis West	1.7	558	558.80	558.80	579.80	581.80
	Workers' Party	John Lowry	1.3	434	440	440.45	452.65	452.65
	Republican Sinn Féin	Geraldine Taylor	1.3	427	429	429.45	437.05
	Alliance	Dan McGuinness	0.4	127	132.40	133.30
	Make Politicians History	Rainbow George	0.2	68	69	69
Electorate: 50,792 Valid: 33,790 Spoilt: 448 Quota: 4,828 Turnout: 34,238 (67.4%)

Note: All Republican Sinn Féin candidates appeared as Independent on the ballot paper

2003 Assembly election: Belfast West
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8
	Sinn Féin	Gerry Adams	18.9	6,199
	Sinn Féin	Fra McCann	13.0	4263	4337.16	4360.88	4363.36	4525.00	4905.00
	Sinn Féin	Bairbre De Brun	12.4	4069	4476.52	4494.96	4504.92	4665.68	5229.68
	Sinn Féin	Michael Ferguson	11.7	3,849	3,912.84	3,921.56	3,945.12	4,000.00	4,117.00	4,346.00	4448.60
	SDLP	Alex Attwood	11.2	3667	3796.60	3901.04	3956.28	6096.28
	Sinn Féin	Sue Ramsey	9.1	2,988	3,673.20	3,699.68	3,705.92	3,768.84	3,923.84	4,084.84	4,190.29
	SDLP	Joe Hendron	7.9	2,583	2,654.28	2,849.72	3,108.72
	Democratic Unionist	Diane Dodds	7.7	2,554	2,554	2.631	4,144.24	4,256.24	4,272.40	4,274.40	4,277.09
	Ulster Unionist	Chris McGimpsey	3.6	1170	1174.56	1298.57
	Progressive Unionist	Hugh Smyth	2.5	813	814.68	862.68
	Workers' Party	John Lowry	1.2	407	410.84
	Independent	John MacVicar	0.6	211	211.24
	Alliance	Dan McGuiness	0.2	75	78.2
	Independent	David Kerr		16	16
Electorate: 50,861 Valid: 32,854 Spoilt: 673 Quota: 4,694 Turnout: 33,527 (65.9%)

Note: David Kerr sought election as an Ulster Third Way candidate, and appeared as such on the ballot paper.

1998 Assembly election: Belfast West
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9	Count 10
	Sinn Féin	Gerry Adams	21.7	9,078
	SDLP	Joe Hendron	14.7	6,140	6,140
	Sinn Féin	Bairbre De Brun	11.2	4,711	5,341.00	5,381.35	5,383.83	5,405.11	5,409.11	5,421.89	5,705.26	6,993.67
	Sinn Féin	Alex Maskey	10.3	4,330	4,831.20	4,852.35	4,856.41	4,889.20	4,901.27	4,909.82	5,242.2	5,324.61	6,328.43
	SDLP	Alex Attwood	10.2	4,280	4,647.85	4,738.25	4,838.85	5,117.87	5,127.22	5,234.49	5,327.61	5,343.69	5,349.52
	Sinn Féin	Sue Ramsey	9.4	3,946	5,223.15	5,235.00	5,236.44	5,253.27	5,262.62	5,276.34	7,371.34
	Sinn Féin	Michael Ferguson	6.2	2,585	2,791.85	2,838.45	2,840.71	2,867.12	2,871.84	2,896.95
	Progressive Unionist	Hugh Smyth	5.2	2,180	2,186.65	2,206.75	2,208.63	2,342.94	2,716.06
	Ulster Unionist	Chris McGimpsey	3.9	1,640	1,641.40	1,674.40	1,675.58	1,808.99	2,757.44	4,827.29	4,837.64	4,837.64	4,837.64
	Democratic Unionist	Margaret Ferris	3.2	1,345	1,347.80	1,354.50	1,354.80	1,784.22
	UK Unionist	Thomas Dalzell-Sheridan	1.6	666	671.25	677.25	677.37
	Workers' Party	John Lowry	1.5	607	630.10	658.80	660.68
	Alliance	Dan McGuiness	0.3	129	165.40
	Independent	Mary Cahillane	0.3	128	151.80
	Natural Law	Michael Kennedy	0.1	29	31.45
Electorate: 50,861 Valid: 41,794 Spoilt: 960 Quota: 5,971 Turnout: 42,754 (70.5%)

Note: Mary Cahillane was a Pro-Agreement Socialist

1996 Forum

Successful candidates are shown in bold.^[14]

	Candidate(s)	Votes	Percentage
Sinn Féin	Gerry Adams Dodie McGuinness Alex Maskey Annie Armstrong Marie Moore	22,355	53.4
SDLP	Joe Hendron Alex Attwood Margaret Walsh Patricia Lewsley Mary Muldoon	11,087	26.5
Progressive Unionist	Hugh Smyth Mina Wardle	1,982	4.7
Democratic Unionist	Eric Smyth Margaret Ferris	1,769	4.2
Ulster Unionist	Fred Parkinson John McDonald	1,489	3.6
Workers' Party	John Lowry Jim Pollock	984	2.4
Ulster Democratic	Frank McCoubrey Delwyn Williams	848	2.0
Alliance	Dan McGuinness Patricia Mallon Glyn Roberts	340	0.8
Labour Coalition	Mary Cahillane Isabel Cowan Barbara Lynn Brian McDermott Terence McDonagh	319	0.8
NI Women's Coalition	Vera McKee Mary Catney Ann Hall Julie Cullen	252	0.6
Green (NI)	Jude Stephens Philip Kearney David Taylor	156	0.4
Conservative	Charles Balmer David Munster	60	0.1
Independent DUP	Florence Baxter William Clements	36	0.1
Ulster Independence	Kenneth McClinton Clifford Peoples	43	0.1
Democratic Left	Mary McMahon Freddie Rea	37	0.1
Natural Law	Michael Kennedy Vivien Martin	30	0.1
Communist Party	Barry Bruton Daniella Egerton	28	0.1
Independent Voice	Bernard McGrath Susan McGrath	26	0.1
Independent Chambers	Ruth Patty Richard Stewart	12	0.0

1982

Assembly Election – 20 October 1982
Party		Candidate	Count 1		Count 2		Count 3		Count 4		Count 5		Count 6		Count 7		Count 8
	Sinn Féin	Gerry Adams	9740	-2618
	SDLP	Joe Hendron	5207	102.30	5309.30	694.00	6003.30	2.00	6005.30	1965.00	7965.30	-1113.30
	Ulster Unionist	Thomas Passmore	4505	0	4505.00	4.00	4509.00	619.00	5128.00	2.00	5130.00	1.86	5131.86	19.93	5151.79	13.76	5165.55
	Democratic Unionist	William Dickson	4394	2.10	4396.10	3.00	4399.10	450.30	4849.40	16.90	4866.40	2.79	4869.09	23.72	4892.81	25.79	4918.60
	Alliance	Will Glendinning	2737	31.50	2765.50	40.60	2805.10	42.00	2847.10	225.60	3072.70	578.46	3651.16	1074.83	4725.99	437.21	5163.20
	Workers' Party	Mary McMahon	2493	19.80	2512.80	54.10	2566.90	14.00	2580.90	81.90	2662.80	354.33	3017.13	-3017.13
	SDLP	Cormac Boomer	2145	59.40	2204.40	248.10	2452.50	2.00	2454.50	-2454.50
	Progressive Unionist	Hugh Smyth	1255	0.30	1255.30	1.00	1256.3	-1256.3
	SDLP	Mary Muldoon	1016	8.10	1024.10	-1024.10
	Sinn Féin	Alex Maskey	627	2613.00	3240.00	86.20	3326.2	0.00	3326.2	71.40	3397.60	168.33	3565.93	258.29	3824.22	-3824.22
	People's Democracy	John McAnulty	144	17.70	161.70	-161.70
	Non Transferable		N/A	33.80	33.80	54.80	88.60	127.00	215.60	96.70	312.30	7.53	319.83	1640.36	1960.19	3347.46	5.307.65
Electorate=57726, valid=34259, spoiled=1819, quota=6852

1975 Constitutional Convention

1975 Constitutional Convention: Belfast West
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8
	Ulster Unionist	John Laird	23.6	8,433
	SDLP	Paddy Devlin	17.5	6,267
	Alliance	Bob Cooper	9.2	3,293	3,362.81	3,495.11	3,679.76	4,341.58	4,428.25	4,472.89	4,915.13
	SDLP	Joe Hendron	8.0	2,840	2,841.56	3,058.82	3,180.76	3,607.50	3,611.04	3,611.66	4,901.95
	Independent Unionist	Hugh Smyth	7.4	2,644	3,235.63	3,236.35	3,252.92	3,256.31	4,127.80	4,684.56	4,693.55
	SDLP	Paschal O'Hare	6.9	2,452	2,453.95	2,578.87	2,691.07	3,115.67	3,118.63	3,121.11
	Ulster Unionist	Jean Coulter	6.5	2,325	4,209.48	4,209.48	4,226.65	4,235.65	5,710.65
	Independent	Thomas Conaty	5.7	2,052	2,052.78	2,133.96	2,302.18
	SDLP	Desmond Gillespie	5.6	1,986	1,988.73	2,506.59	2,652.23	3,254.10	3,257.10	3,257.72	4,513.76
	Democratic Unionist	Edith Goligher	5.5	1,958	2,668.19	2,669.63	2,686.41	2,688.59
	Republican Clubs	John Sullivan	1.8	660	661.17	676.29
	Republican Clubs	John Brady	1.2	418	418,78	432.82
	Republican Clubs	Bernard McDonagh	0.7	262	263.17	268.21
	Communist Party	John Morris	0.2	86	86	87.62
	Communist Party	Peter Kerrins	0.1	44	44.78	45.50
Electorate: 63,869 Valid: 37,514 (58.7%) Spoilt: 1,794 Quota: 5,103 Turnout: 35,720

Note: John Laird, Jean Coulter and Edith Goligher were all UUUC endorsed candidates.

1973

1973 Assembly Election: Belfast West
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9	Count 10	Count 11	Count 12
	Ulster Unionist	John Laird	27.7	11,479
	SDLP	Paddy Devlin	18.7	7,743
	Independent Unionist	Hugh Smyth	8.8	3,625	5,997.09
	Alliance	Bob Cooper	7.6	3,160	3,262.90	3,374.22	3,374.89	3,382.61	3,637.01	3,810.76	3,866.68	5,042.61	5,221.61	5,378.06	5,597.46
	SDLP	Desmond O'Donnell	5.1	2,112	2,113.47	2,341.17	2,321.17	2,353.40	2,394.93	2,734.28	2,734.78	2,763.39	2,764.39	3,037.25
	Labour (NI)	Billy Boyd	4.7	1,942	2,204.15	2,214.73	2,216.67	2,237.90	2,333.56	2,388.08	2,538.10
	SDLP	Desmond Gillespie	4.7	1,940	1,940	2,520.29	2,520.30	2,527.93	2,590.38	2,953	2,953.49	2,993.58	2,994.58	3,404.51	4,961.35
	Vanguard	Jean Coulter	4.3	1,765	3,606.42	3,606.42	3,634.31	3,638.30	3,704.33	3,707.56	5,610.71	6,281.71
	SDLP	Gerry Campbell	4.3	1,764	1,764.49	2,269.34	2,268.35	2,277.35	2,325.48	2,698.95	2,699.95	2,835.67	2,837.67	3,320.88	4,399.77
	Republican Labour	Paddy Kennedy	4.2	1,750	1,750.49	1,970.37	1,970.37	1,984.60	2,036.94
	Republican Clubs	Raymond O'Hagan	3.4	1,389	1,389	1,438.91	1,438.91	1,465.37	2,134.58	2,537.47	2,538.47	2,563.10	2,564.10
	Democratic Unionist	Willam Spence	3.3	1,366	2270.05	2270.05	2286.85	2293.62	2236.40	2239.40
	Republican Clubs	John O'Hare	1.7	702	703.47	715.43	715.44	725.44
	Alliance	Reginald Donnelly	0.5	194	202.33	223.49	223.51	225
	Alliance	Maureen Smyth	0.4	169	232.70	238.22	238.67	242.67
	Labour (NI)	Patrick Doherty	0.4	151	152.47	172.02	172.03	174.03
	Communist Party	James Stewart	0.3	123	130.35	131.96	132.20
Electorate: 70,791 Valid: 44,208 Spoilt: 2,834 Quota: 5,911 Turnout: 41,374

Note: John Laird, Hugh Smyth, Jean Coulter and William Spence used the label "West Belfast Loyalist Coalition" simultaneously whilst standing under different party affiliations.

References

^ Pat Sheehan picked to succeed Gerry Adams at Stormont
^ West Belfast 2003
^ The Northern Ireland Assembly
^ West Belfast 1998
^ West Belfast, UTV
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Statement of Persons Nominated EONI, 8 April 2011
^ "Election 2011, Chambré PA
^ "DUP launches election Candidates, DUP, 28 February 2011
^ "[1], People before Profit Alliance
^ "Manwaring expresses his gratitude at West Belfast UUP selection", UUP, 14 December 2010
^ "SDLP Assembly Candidates, SDLP 6 April 2011
^ "[2]", Workers Party
^ Pat Lawlor to fight for West Belfast Assembly seat", Socialist Party
^ 1996 Candidates – West Belfast, Northern Ireland Elections

Northern Ireland Assembly

Assembly	Speaker · Assembly Commission · Acts · Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) · Parliament Buildings

Committees	Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister · Agriculture and Rural Development · Culture, Arts and Leisure · Education · Employment and Learning · Enterprise, Trade and Investment · Environment · Finance and Personnel · Health, Social Services and Public Safety · Regional Development · Social Development

Constituencies	Belfast East · Belfast North · Belfast South · Belfast West · East Antrim · East Londonderry · Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Foyle · Lagan Valley · Mid Ulster · Newry and Armagh · North Antrim · North Down · South Antrim · South Down · Strangford · Upper Bann · West Tyrone

Parties	Alliance · Democratic Unionist · Green · NI Unionist · NI Women's Coalition · Progressive Unionist · Sinn Féin · Social Democratic and Labour · Traditional Unionist Voice · UK Unionist · Ulster Unionist · United Unionist

Elections	2011 · 2007 · 2003 · 1998

Procedure	Cross-community vote

See also	Good Friday Agreement · St Andrews Agreement