Westminster By-Elections (NI)
Thursday 23 January 1986

Westminster By-Elections (NI)
Thursday 23 January 1986

This is a first draft (v1) of the results of the 1986 Westminster by-elections in Northern Ireland.

Introduction

The following provides the results of the 1986 Westminster by-elections which were contested on Thursday 23 January 1986 by 15 constituencies in Northern Ireland. These elections were forced by the 15 sitting Unionist MPs as a means of expressing their opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Belfast West and Foyle constituencies did not take part. These seats were held by Sinn Fein and SDLP respectively.

Summary of Results

Electorate:
Valid votes cast:
Spoiled votes:
Percentage poll:

Constituency Results

The results for each of the 15 constituencies which contested the by-elections, contain the following information:
Name of constituency
Outcome of vote
Name of candidate (Party) Number of votes

Size of the majority; size of the Electorate; and Turnout

East Antrim
Seat retained by Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
Roy Beggs (Ulster Unionist Party) 30,386
Sean Neeson (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 5,405

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority 24,981; Electorate 60,851; Turnout 59.16%

North Antrim
Seat retained by Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
Rev Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party) 21,771
'Peter Barry' (Independent Unionist against AIA) 1,870

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) majority 33,024; Electorate 65,334; Turnout 54.7%

South Antrim
Seat retained by Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
Clifford Forsythe (Ulster Unionist Party) 30,087
'Peter Barry' (Independent Unionist against AIA) 1,870

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority 28,217; Electorate 61,296; Turnout 53.5%

Belfast East
Seat retained by Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
Peter Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party) 27,607
Sir Oliver Napier (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 5,917 (%)
F. Cullen (Workers' Party) 578

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) majority 21,690; Electorate 55,319; Turnout 61.9%

Belfast North
Seat retained by Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
Cecil Walker (Ulster Unionist Party) 21,649
P. Maguire (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 5,072
S. Lynch (Workers' Party) 3,563

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority 16,577; Electorate 59,820; Turnout 51.5%

Belfast South
Seat retained by Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
Rev Martin Smyth (Ulster Unionist Party) 21,771
D. Cook (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 7,635
G. Carr (Workers' Party) 1,109

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority 14,136; Electorate 53,971; Turnout 56.9%

North Down
Seat retained by Ulster Progressive Unionist Party (UPUP)
Jim Kilfedder (Ulster Progressive Unionist Party) 30,793
J. Cushnahan (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) 8,066

Ulster Progressive Unionist Party (UPUP) majority 22,727; Electorate 64,278; Turnout 60.6%

South Down
Seat retained by Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
Enoch Powell (Ulster Unionist Party) 24,963
Edward McGrady (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 23,121
H. F. McDowell (Sinn Féin)2,936
S. D. Magee (Workers' Party) 522

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority 1,842; Electorate 70,108; Turnout 74.0%

Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Seat retained by Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
Ken Maginnis (Ulster Unionist Party) 27,857
Owen Carron (Sinn Féin) 15,278
Austin Currie (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 12,081
D. Kettyles, (Workers' Party) 864

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority 12,579; Electorate 69,919 Turnout 80.9%

Lagan Valley
Seat retained by Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
James Molyneaux (Ulster Unionist Party) 32,514
J. T. Lowry (Workers' Party) 203

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority 29,186; Electorate 63,369; Turnout 57.8%

East Londonderry
Seat retained by Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
William Ross (Ulster Unionist Party) 30,922
'Peter Barry' (Independent Unionist against AIA) 2,001

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority 28,921; Electorate 70,375; Turnout 48.4%

Mid Ulster
Seat retained by Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
Rev William McCrea (Democratic Unionist Party) 23,695
Danny Morrisson (Sinn Féin) 13,998
A. Colton (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 13,021
T. A. Owens (Workers' Party) 691

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) majority 9,697; Electorate 66,830; Turnout 77.6%

Newry and Armagh
Seat gained by Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)
Seamus Mallon (Social Democratic and Labour Party) 22,694
Jim Nicholson (Ulster Unionist Party) 20,111
J.McAllister (Sinn Féin) 6,609
P. McCusker (Worker's Party) 515

Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) majority 2,583; Electorate 65,482; Turnout 76.9%

Strangford
Seat retained by Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
John Taylor (Ulster Unionist Party) 32,627
'Peter Barry' (Independent Unionist against AIA) 1,993

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority 30,634; Electorate 62,896; Turnout56.1%

Upper Bann
Seat retained by Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
Harold McCusker (Ulster Unionist Party) 29,311
Tom French (Workers' Party) 6,978

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) majority 22,333; Electorate 63,663; Turnout 57.9%