North Antrim (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 55°07′16″N 6°19′44″W / 55.121°N 6.329°W / 55.121; -6.329

North Antrim
Former County Constituency
for the Parliament of Northern Ireland

North Antrim shown within Northern Ireland
Former constituency
Created 1929
Abolished 1973
Election method First past the post

North Antrim was a constituency of the Northern Ireland House of Commons.

The House of Commons (Method of Voting and Redistribution of Seats) Act (Northern Ireland), 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections for 48 single-member constituencies (including Antrim North).

This constituency was one of seven county divisions in Antrim, so it was smaller than the UK Parliament seat. From 1969 there were nine county divisions in Antrim, but the changes in the vicinity of Belfast did not affect the boundaries of this division.

It comprised (in terms of local government units existing in 1929) parts of the rural districts of Ballycastle and Ballymoney together with the whole of the urban districts of Ballycastle, Ballymoney and Portrush.

It returned one member of Parliament from 1929 until the Parliament of Northern Ireland was temporarily suspended in 1972, and then formally abolished in 1973.

Politics

County Antrim (except for parts of Belfast) is a strongly unionist area. There has never been the slightest chance of a republican or nationalist candidate being elected in a single-member Antrim county constituency, however the boundaries were drawn. Antrim North has not been an exception.

At the Northern Ireland general election of 1929 the new Antrim North division was the scene of a reasonably close Unionist/Liberal contest (less than a 20% majority). However this was the last appearance of a Liberal candidate for the Northern Ireland Parliament constituency, which became an extremely safe Unionist seat for the rest of its existence.

Members of Parliament

ElectionMemberParty
1929 Robert John Lynn Ulster Unionist
1945 William Victor McCleery Ulster Unionist
1958 Phelim O'Neill Ulster Unionist
1972 Alliance Party
1973 constituency abolished

Elections

Northern Ireland 1921–72
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The elections in this constituency took place using the first past the post electoral system.

General Election 22 May 1929: Antrim North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Robert John Lynn 6,584 59.76 N/A
Liberal Robert Nathaniel Boyd 4,433 40.24 N/A
Majority 2,151 19.52 N/A
Turnout 17,591 62.63 N/A
UUP gain from new seat Swing N/A
General Election 30 November 1933: Antrim North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Robert John Lynn Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 9 February 1938: Antrim North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Robert John Lynn 8,194 64.67 N/A
Progressive Unionist Robert Nathaniel Boyd 4,477 35.33 N/A
Majority 3,717 29.33 N/A
Turnout 18,221 69.54 N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 14 June 1945: Antrim North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Robert John Lynn 9,264 73.47 +8.80
NI Labour Alexander Stewart 3,345 26.53 +26.53
Majority 5,919 46.94 +17.61
Turnout 19,304 65.32 -4.22
UUP hold Swing N/A
North Antrim by-election, 1945
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP William Victor McCleery Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 10 February 1949: Antrim North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP William Victor McCleery Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 22 October 1953: Antrim North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP William Victor McCleery Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 20 March 1958: Antrim North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Phelim O'Neill Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 31 May 1962: Antrim North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Phelim O'Neill Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 25 November 1965: Antrim North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Phelim O'Neill Unopposed N/A N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A
General Election 24 February 1969: Antrim North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Phelim O'Neill 9,142 73.83 N/A
Protestant Unionist John Wylie 3,241 26.17 N/A
Majority 5,901 47.65 N/A
Turnout 19,611 63.14 N/A
UUP hold Swing N/A

References

External links

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