Belfast South (UK Parliament constituency)

For other constituencies of the same name, see Belfast South (disambiguation).

Belfast South
Former borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Boundary of Belfast South in Northern Ireland
Districts of Northern Ireland
Electorate60,914 (March 2011)
BoroughBelfast
1922–2024
Seats1
Created from
Replaced byBelfast South and Mid Down
1885–1918
Seats1
Type of constituencyBorough constituency
Created fromBelfast
Replaced by

Belfast South was a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons from 1885 to 1918 and from 1922 to 2024. From the 2024 general election, it was succeeded by the constituency of Belfast South and Mid Down.

History

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Belfast South tended to elect 'rebel unionists' such as William Johnston, who defied a ban on Orange marches, and Thomas Sloan, founder of the Independent Orange Order.

Belfast South contained some of Belfast's most expensive residential districts as well as Queen's University Belfast. The overall tenor of the constituency is middle-class – young, trendy and cosmopolitan towards the city centre, with Northern Ireland's biggest concentrations of both students and ethnic minorities, and further out from the city centre it is settled and prosperous. Despite this, significant pockets of inner-city working class areas such as the Markets and a number of isolated suburban estates exist in the constituency.

There had been particularly rapid demographic change in Belfast South from around the year 2000. The 2011 census revealed that Belfast South consisted of a slightly larger Catholic population than Protestant and while the constituency traditionally has had a unionist majority, the nationalist vote surpassed this in more recent elections. There have also been strong votes for other parties such as the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, Green Party, the Conservatives and the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition. The constituency has witnessed a steady series of candidates backed by groups who aspire to support the British Labour Party despite its prior ban on membership and organisation in Northern Ireland, though their results have been minimal. Until the 1990s the main focus of attention had been on contests between unionist candidates.

In the February 1974 general election the seat was won by Robert Bradford of the Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party on a united anti-Sunningdale Agreement slate with the Ulster Unionist Party and the Democratic Unionist Party. He defeated Rafton Pounder, the sitting Unionist MP who defended his seat as a Pro-Assembly Unionist. Bradford held the seat for the next seven years, though in February 1978 he and the rump of Vanguard reunited with the Ulster Unionists. At the end of 1981 Bradford was assassinated by the IRA in a Belfast community centre while hosting a political surgery.

The subsequent by-election garnered much interest as it was expected that the Democratic Unionist Party would take the seat, building on their steady rise which had seen them gain both Belfast North and Belfast East at the previous general election. However, the DUP came third, behind the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, and the UUP's candidate Martin Smyth won the seat, holding it until 2005. The by-election was extremely significant at the time in that it was the first at which the DUP tide ebbed.

In January 2005 Smyth announced that he would retire at the 2005 general election, raising speculation both as to whom the Ulster Unionists would field in succession to him and what effect a different candidate would have upon their share of the vote. The UUP selected Assembly member Michael McGimpsey, albeit with a highly controversial and bitter selection. McGimpsey was repudiated by many prominent Unionists, including both Smyth and former UUP leader James Molyneaux. The DUP selected Jimmy Spratt and offered an electoral pact to the UUP that would give each party a free run at one out of South Belfast and Fermanagh and South Tyrone. This offer was rejected by the UUP.

In the event, the DUP and UUP both fielded candidates which split the vote. The nationalist vote mainly went for the SDLP over Sinn Féin, with the result that the SDLP took the seat despite a majority of votes cast for unionist candidates.[1]

In the 2010 general election, Sinn Féin opted not to stand against the SDLP to avoid splitting the nationalist vote.[2] The SDLP won the seat with a majority of 6,000. This was the seat in which the Alliance Party had their second-best showing, polling 15% of the votes. Alasdair McDonnell retained the seat in May 2015, with only 24.5% of the vote, as Sinn Féin opted to stand. This is the smallest proportion of the vote a winning candidate has ever achieved in a UK general election.[3]

In the 2017 general election the seat was won by Emma Little-Pengelly of the DUP[4] with Alasdair McDonnell losing his seat along with all other SDLP MPs in Northern Ireland.[5] This was won back for the SDLP by Claire Hanna in 2019, with Sinn Féin again opting not to stand.[6] This was the first time since 1987 that the winning candidate in the constituency had a majority of the vote.

Boundaries

Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the parliamentary borough of Belfast was expanded. The 2-seat borough constituency of Belfast in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom was divided into four divisions: East, South, West, and North.

The city boundaries were expanded under the Belfast Corporation Act 1896.[7] Under the Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918, the parliamentary borough was extended to include the whole city and the number of divisions increased from 4 to 9. The Cromac and Ormeau divisions largely replaced the South division.[8][9] These boundaries were in effect at the 1918 general election.

The Government of Ireland Act 1920 established the Parliament of Northern Ireland, which came into operation in 1921. The representation of Northern Ireland in the Parliament of the United Kingdom was reduced from 30 MPs to 13 MPs, taking effect at the 1922 United Kingdom general election. These changes saw a 4-seat Belfast South constituency in the House of Commons of Northern Ireland and Belfast South re-established as a one-seat constituency at Westminster.

1885–1918 Cromac Ward (except so much as is comprised in the East division),

St. George's Ward (except so much as is comprised in West division),

and in the parish of Shankill, County of Antrim, the Townland of Malone Lower, and so much of the Townland of Malone Upper as is included in the parliamentary borough.[10]

1922–1950 The divisions of Cromac (Cromac and Windsor wards) and Ormeau (Ormeau ward)[11]
1950–1974 In the county borough of Belfast, the wards of Cromac, Ormeau and Windsor.[12]
1974–1983 In the county borough of Belfast, the wards of Cromac, Ormeau and Windsor;

In the rural district of Lisburn, the electoral divisions of Ardmore, Dunmurry, Finaghy, and Upper Malone; and

in the rural district of Hillsborough, the electoral divisions of Breda and Edenderry.[13]

1983–1997 In Belfast, the wards of Ballynafeigh, Cromac, Donegall, Finaghy, Malone, Ormeau, Rosetta, St George's, Stranmillis, university, Upper Malone, Willowfield, and Windsor.[14]
1997–2010 In Belfast, the wards of Ballynafeigh, Blackstaff, Botanic, Finaghy, Malone, Musgrave, Ravenhill, Rosetta, Shaftesbury, Stranmillis, Upper Malone, Windsor and Woodstock,

and in Castlereagh, the wards of Beechill, Cairnshill, Galwally, Knockbracken, Minnowburn and Newtownbreda.[15]

2010–2024 In Belfast, the wards of Ballynafeigh, Blackstaff, Botanic, Finaghy, Malone, Musgrave, Ravenhill, Rosetta, Shaftesbury, Stranmillis, Upper Malone, Windsor and Woodstock

and in Castlereagh, the wards of Beechill, Cairnshill, Carryduff East, Carryduff West, Galwally, Hillfoot, Knockbracken, Minnowburn, Newtownbreda and Wynchurch.[16]

Under the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies, the seat was proposed to be replaced by Belfast South and Mid Down.[17] The redrawn constituency contained 90.8% of the population of the former Belfast South.[18][19][20] This seat was first contested at the 2024 United Kingdom general election.

Members of Parliament

The Member of Parliament for Belfast South at the time of its abolition was Claire Hanna of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, who defeated Emma Little-Pengelly of the Democratic Unionist Party in the 2019 general election.

Election Member Party
1885 William Johnston Ind. Conservative
1886 Irish Conservative
1891 Irish Unionist
1902 Thomas Sloan Ind. Unionist
1910 James Chambers Irish Unionist
1917 William Arthur Lindsay
1918 constituency abolished
1922 constituency recreated
1922 Thomas Moles UUP
1929 William Stewart
1938 Progressive Unionist
1945 Conolly Gage UUP
1952 David Campbell
1963 Rafton Pounder
February 1974 Robert Bradford Vanguard
1977 UUP
1982 Martin Smyth
2003 Ind. Unionist
2004 UUP
2005 Alasdair McDonnell SDLP
2017 Emma Little-Pengelly DUP
2019 Claire Hanna SDLP

Election results

Elections in the 2010s

2019 general election: Belfast South[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDLP Claire Hanna 27,079 57.2 +31.3
DUP Emma Little-Pengelly 11,678 24.7 −5.7
Alliance Paula Bradshaw 6,786 14.3 −3.9
UUP Michael Henderson 1,259 2.7 −0.8
Aontú Chris McHugh 550 1.2 New
Majority 15,401 32.5 N/A
Turnout 47,352 67.6 +1.5
Registered electors 70,047
SDLP gain from DUP Swing +18.5

This seat saw the largest SDLP vote share and the largest increase in vote share for the party at the 2019 general election. This came as Sinn Féin did not contest the seat. It also saw the only fall in vote share for Alliance.[22]

2017 general election: Belfast South[23][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Emma Little-Pengelly 13,299 30.4 +8.2
SDLP Alasdair McDonnell 11,303 25.9 +1.4
Alliance Paula Bradshaw 7,946 18.2 +1.0
Sinn Féin Máirtín Ó Muilleoir 7,143 16.3 +2.4
Green (NI) Clare Bailey 2,241 5.1 −0.6
UUP Michael Henderson 1,527 3.5 −5.6
NI Conservatives Clare Salier 246 0.6 −0.9
Majority 1,996 4.5 N/A
Turnout 43,699 66.1 +6.1
Registered electors 66,105
DUP gain from SDLP Swing +3.5
2015 general election: Belfast South[25][26][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDLP Alasdair McDonnell 9,560 24.5 −16.5
DUP Jonathan Bell 8,654 22.2 −1.5
Alliance Paula Bradshaw 6,711 17.2 +2.2
Sinn Féin Máirtín Ó Muilleoir 5,402 13.9 New
UUP Rodney McCune 3,549 9.1 −8.2
Green (NI) Clare Bailey 2,238 5.7 +2.7
UKIP Bob Stoker 1,900 4.9 New
NI Conservatives Ben Manton 582 1.5 New
Workers' Party Lily Kerr 361 0.9 New
Majority 906 2.3 −15.0
Turnout 38,957 60.0 +2.6
Registered electors 64,927
SDLP hold Swing −7.5

The SDLP won the lowest winning share of the vote in modern British history.

2010 general election: Belfast South[28][29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDLP Alasdair McDonnell 14,026 41.0 +8.7
DUP Jimmy Spratt 8,100 23.7 −5.9
UCU-NF Paula Bradshaw[30] 5,910 17.3 −4.9
Alliance Anna Lo 5,114 15.0 +7.7
Green (NI) Adam McGibbon 1,036 3.0 New
Majority 5,926 17.3 +13.4
Turnout 34,186 57.4 −5.1
Registered electors 59,524
SDLP hold Swing +6.7

Elections in the 2000s

2005 general election: Belfast South[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDLP Alasdair McDonnell 10,339 32.3 +1.7
DUP Jimmy Spratt 9,104 28.4 New
UUP Michael McGimpsey 7,263 22.7 −22.1
Sinn Féin Alex Maskey 2,882 9.0 +1.4
Alliance Geraldine Rice 2,012 6.3 +0.9
Rainbow Dream Ticket Lynda Gilby 235 0.7 +0.4
Workers' Party Paddy Lynn 193 0.6 +0.1
Majority 1,235 3.9 N/A
Turnout 32,028 60.8 −3.1
Registered electors 52,218
SDLP gain from UUP Swing −13.4
2001 general election: Belfast South[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Martin Smyth 17,008 44.8 +8.8
SDLP Alasdair McDonnell 11,609 30.6 +6.3
NI Women's Coalition Monica McWilliams 2,968 7.8 +4.8
Sinn Féin Alex Maskey 2,894 7.6 +2.5
Alliance Geraldine Rice 2,042 5.4 −7.5
PUP Dawn Purvis 1,112 2.9 −11.5
Workers' Party Paddy Lynn 204 0.5 −0.2
Rainbow Dream Ticket Rainbow George Weiss 115 0.3 New
Majority 5,399 14.2 +2.5
Turnout 37,952 63.9 +1.7
Registered electors 59,436
UUP hold Swing +1.3

Elections in the 1990s

1997 general election: Belfast South[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Martin Smyth 14,201 36.0 −18.7
SDLP Alasdair McDonnell 9,601 24.3 +10.1
PUP David Ervine 5,687 14.4 New
Alliance Steve McBride 5,112 12.9 −2.8
Sinn Féin Seán Hayes 2,019 5.1 +2.6
NI Women's Coalition Annie Campbell 1,204 3.0 New
NI Conservatives Myrtle Boal 962 2.4 −9.3
Independent Labour Niall Cusack 292 0.7 New
Workers' Party Paddy Lynn 286 0.7 New
Natural Law James Anderson 120 0.3 New
Majority 4,600 11.7 −19.3
Turnout 39,484 62.2 −2.3
Registered electors 63,633
UUP hold Swing −13.4

1997 Changes are compared to the 1992 notional results shown below.

Notional 1992 UK general election result : Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP N/A 23,258 52.7 N/A
Alliance N/A 6,921 15.7 N/A
SDLP N/A 6,266 14.2 N/A
NI Conservatives N/A 5,154 11.7 N/A
Others N/A 1,437 3.3 N/A
Sinn Féin N/A 1,116 2.5 N/A
Majority 16,337 37.0 N/A
1992 general election: Belfast South[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Martin Smyth 16,336 48.6 −9.2
SDLP Alasdair McDonnell 6,266 18.7 +5.6
Alliance John Montgomery 5,054 15.0 −6.3
NI Conservatives Andrew Fee 3,356 10.0 New
Sinn Féin Seán Hayes 1,123 3.3 +0.1
Labour and Trade Union Peter Hadden 875 2.6 New
Workers' Party Paddy Lynn 362 1.1 −3.6
Natural Law Teresa Mullen 212 0.6 New
Majority 10,070 29.9 −6.6
Turnout 33,584 64.5 +4.2
Registered electors 52,050
UUP hold Swing

Elections in the 1980s

1987 general election: Belfast South[35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Martin Smyth 18,917 57.8 +7.8
Alliance David Cook 6,963 21.3 −2.6
SDLP Alasdair McDonnell 4,268 13.1 +4.5
Workers' Party Gerard Carr 1,528 4.7 +2.4
Sinn Féin Seán McKnight 1,030 3.2 +0.2
Majority 11,954 36.5 +10.5
Turnout 32,706 60.3 −9.3
Registered electors 54,208
UUP hold Swing
1986 Belfast South by-election[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Martin Smyth 21,771 71.3 +21.3
Alliance David Cook 7,635 25.0 +1.1
Workers' Party Gerry Carr 1,109 3.6 +1.3
Majority 14,136 46.3 +20.3
Turnout 30,515 56.9 −12.7
Registered electors 53,944
UUP hold Swing

Note: The by-election was caused by the decision of all Unionist MPs to resign their seats and seek re-election on a platform of opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

1983 general election: Belfast South[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Martin Smyth 18,669 50.0 −11.7
Alliance David Cook 8,945 23.9 −1.2
DUP Raymond McCrea 4,565 12.2 N/A
SDLP Alasdair McDonnell 3,216 8.6 −0.7
Sinn Féin Sean McKnight 1,107 3.0 New
Workers' Party Gerry Carr 856 2.3 New
Majority 9,724 26.0 −10.6
Turnout 37,358 69.6 +1.7
Registered electors 53,674
UUP hold Swing
1982 Belfast South by-election[38]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Martin Smyth 17,123 39.3 −22.4
Alliance David Cook 11,726 26.9 +1.8
DUP William McCrea 9,818 22.6 New
SDLP Alasdair McDonnell 3,839 8.8 +0.9
Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party John McMichael 576 1.3 New
United Labour Party Brian Caul 303 0.7 New
One Human Family Jagat Narain 137 0.3 New
Peace State Simon Hall-Raleigh 12 0.03 New
Majority 5,397 12.4 −24.2
Turnout 43,534 66.2 −1.7
Registered electors 66,219
UUP hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s

1979 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Robert Bradford 28,875 61.7 +2.5
Alliance Basil Glass 11,745 25.1 +2.1
SDLP Alasdair McDonnell 3,694 7.9 +3.2
Unionist Party NI Victor Brennan 1,784 3.8 New
Labour Integrationist Jeffrey Dudgeon 692 1.5 New
Majority 17,130 36.6 +0.4
Turnout 46,790 67.9 +0.2
Registered electors 68,920
UUP hold Swing
October 1974 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Vanguard Robert Bradford 30,116 59.2 +16.6
Alliance John Glass 11,715 23.0 +13.1
Ind. Unionist Stanley McMaster 4,982 9.8 New
SDLP Ben Caraher 2,390 4.7 −3.3
NI Labour Erskine Holmes 1,643 3.2 −1.5
Majority 18,401 36.2 +28.5
Turnout 50,846 67.7 −1.9
Registered electors 75,112
Vanguard hold Swing
February 1974 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Vanguard Robert Bradford 22,083 42.6 New
Pro-Assembly Unionist Rafton Pounder 18,085 34.9 New
Alliance David Cook 5,118 9.9 New
SDLP Ben Caraher 4,149 8.0 New
NI Labour Erskine Holmes 2,455 4.7 −24.9
Majority 3,998 7.7 N/A
Turnout 51,890 69.6 +1.2
Registered electors 75,443
Vanguard gain from UUP Swing
1970 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Rafton Pounder 27,523 70.4 +5.0
NI Labour John Coulthard 11,567 29.6 −5.0
Majority 15,956 40.8 +10.0
Turnout 39,090 68.4 +5.1
Registered electors 57,112
UUP hold Swing +5.0

Elections in the 1960s

1966 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Rafton Pounder 23,329 65.4 −4.4
NI Labour Erskine Holmes 12,364 34.6 +12.2
Majority 10,965 30.8 −16.6
Turnout 35,693 63.3 −5.0
Registered electors 56,390
UUP hold Swing
1964 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Rafton Pounder 27,422 69.8 −0.1
NI Labour John Barkley 8,792 22.4 +0.8
Ulster Liberal Judith Rosenfield 1,941 4.9 −2.6
Ind. Republican Robert McKnight 1,159 3.0 New
Majority 18,630 47.4 −0.9
Turnout 39,314 68.3 −3.8
Registered electors 57,558
UUP hold Swing
1963 Belfast South by-election[39]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Rafton Pounder 17,989 64.3 −5.6
NI Labour Norman Searight 7,209 25.8 +4.2
Ulster Liberal Albert Hamilton 2,774 9.9 +2.4
Majority 10,780 38.5 −9.8
Turnout 27,972 48.3 −23.8
Registered electors 57,864
UUP hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

1959 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP David Campbell 30,164 69.9 −8.5
NI Labour Norman Searight 9,318 21.6 +4.0
Ulster Liberal Sheelagh Murnaghan 3,253 7.5 New
Sinn Féin Brendan O'Reilly 434 1.0 −2.9
Majority 20,846 48.3 −12.5
Turnout 43,169 72.1 +6.4
Registered electors 59,864
UUP hold Swing
1955 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP David Campbell 33,392 78.4 +2.6
NI Labour Edward Brown 7,508 17.6 −3.6
Sinn Féin Patrick Kearney 1,679 3.9 New
Majority 25,884 60.8 +9.2
Turnout 42,579 65.7 −8.1
Registered electors 64,844
UUP hold Swing
1952 Belfast South by-election[40]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP David Campbell 23,067 75.1 −0.7
NI Labour Samuel Napier 7,655 24.9 +0.7
Majority 15,412 50.2 −1.4
Turnout 30,722 46.4 −27.4
Registered electors 65,196
UUP hold Swing
1951 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Hugh Gage 37,046 75.8 +0.6
NI Labour Robert McBrinn 11,815 24.2 −0.6
Majority 25,231 51.6 +1.2
Turnout 48,861 73.8 +4.5
Registered electors 66,212
UUP hold Swing
1950 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Hugh Gage 34,620 75.2 +23.0
NI Labour James McKernan 11,428 24.8 +7.3
Majority 23,192 50.4 +28.5
Turnout 46,048 69.3 +2.9
Registered electors 66,486
UUP hold Swing

Elections in the 1940s

1945 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Conolly Gage 24,282 52.2 N/A
Commonwealth Labour Harry Midgley 14,096 30.3 New
NI Labour James Morrow 8,166 17.5 New
Majority 10,186 21.9 N/A
Turnout 46,544 66.4 N/A
Registered electors 70,140
UUP hold Swing N/A

Elections in the 1930s

1935 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP William Stewart Unopposed
Registered electors 63,004
UUP hold
1931 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP William Stewart Unopposed
Registered electors 59,394
UUP hold

Elections in the 1920s

1929 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP William Stewart 24,019 62.9 N/A
Ind. Unionist Philip James Woods 14,148 37.1 New
Majority 9,871 25.8 N/A
Turnout 38,167 64.7 N/A
Registered electors 59,025
UUP hold Swing N/A
1924 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Thomas Moles Unopposed
Registered electors
UUP hold
1923 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Thomas Moles Unopposed
Registered electors
UUP hold
1922 general election: Belfast South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Thomas Moles Unopposed
Registered electors
UUP win (new seat)

Elections in the 1910s

July 1917 Belfast South by-election[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist William Arthur Lindsay Unopposed
Registered electors
Irish Unionist hold
April 1917 Belfast South by-election[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist James Chambers Unopposed
Registered electors
Irish Unionist hold
December 1910 general election: Belfast South[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist James Chambers 5,585 67.2 +5.3
Ind. Unionist Thomas Sloan 2,722 32.8 −5.3
Majority 2,863 34.4 +10.6
Turnout 8,307 78.2 −9.6
Registered electors 10,622
Irish Unionist hold Swing +5.3
January 1910 general election: Belfast South[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist James Chambers 5,772 61.9 +16.9
Ind. Unionist Thomas Sloan 3,553 38.1 −16.9
Majority 2,219 23.8 N/A
Turnout 9,325 87.8 +3.0
Registered electors 10,622
Irish Unionist gain from Ind. Unionist Swing +16.9

Elections in the 1900s

1906 general election: Belfast South[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ind. Unionist Thomas Sloan 4,450 55.0 N/A
Irish Unionist Arthur Hill 3,634 45.0 N/A
Majority 816 10.0 N/A
Turnout 8,084 84.8 N/A
Registered electors 9,538
Ind. Unionist hold Swing N/A
1902 Belfast South by-election[42][41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ind. Unionist Thomas Sloan 3,795 56.1 New
Irish Unionist Charles William Dunbar Buller 2,969 43.9 N/A
Majority 826 12.2 N/A
Turnout 6,764 66.0 N/A
Registered electors 10,246
Ind. Unionist gain from Irish Unionist Swing N/A
1900 general election: Belfast South[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist William Johnston Unopposed
Registered electors
Irish Unionist hold

Elections in the 1890s

1895 general election: Belfast South[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist William Johnston Unopposed
Registered electors 8,192
Irish Unionist hold
1892 general election: Belfast South[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Unionist William Johnston Unopposed
Registered electors 7,563
Irish Unionist hold

Elections in the 1880s

1886 general election: Belfast South[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Conservative William Johnston 4,542 87.4 +21.4
Irish Parliamentary Andrew McErlean 657 12.6 New
Majority 3,885 74.8 N/A
Turnout 5,199 77.1 −4.1
Registered electors 6,740
Irish Conservative gain from Ind. Conservative Swing
1885 general election: Belfast South[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ind. Conservative William Johnston 3,610 66.0
Liberal John Workman 990 18.1
Ind. Conservative Robert Seeds 871 15.9
Majority 2,620 47.9
Turnout 5,471 81.2
Registered electors 6,740
Ind. Conservative win (new seat)

References

  1. ^ "SDLP victorious in South Belfast". 6 May 2005. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Sinn Féin pulls candidate from South Belfast seat in attempt to form pact with SDLP". The Guardian. 20 April 2010. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  3. ^ "A close-run thing as Alasdair McDonnell turns up late for his own party". belfasttelegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Belfast South parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC News. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Results of the 2017 general election". BBC News. Archived from the original on 10 June 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  6. ^ "Belfast South parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Belfast Corporation Act 1896 (ch. ccxlvi)". vLex. 14 August 1896.
  8. ^ "Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918 (7 & 8 Geo. 5. c. 65), Second Schedule, Part I" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk.
  9. ^ Representation of the People Bill 1917: redistribution of seats: report. Boundary Commission (Ireland). 1917.
  10. ^ "Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict. c. 23), s. 8 and Sixth Schedule, Part 3" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk.
  11. ^ "Government of Ireland Act 1920: Fifth Schedule". legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  12. ^ First Schedule, Part IV (Northern Ireland), (b) Borough constituencies, "Representation of the People Act 1948 (11 & 12 Geo. 6, Ch. 65)" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 July 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  13. ^ Schedule, Part II (b) Borough constituencies, "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Northern Ireland) Order 1970 (No. 1678)" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  14. ^ Schedule, Part II (b) Borough constituencies, "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Northern Ireland) Order 1982 (No. 1838)" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. 22 December 1982. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Parliamentary Constituencies (Northern Ireland) Order 1995: Schedule", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 23 November 1995, SI 1995/2992 (sch.)
  16. ^ "Parliamentary Constituencies (Northern Ireland) Order 2008: Schedule", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 11 June 2008, SI 2008/1486 (sch.)
  17. ^ "Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023: Schedule 2", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 15 November 2023, SI 2023/1230 (sch. 2)
  18. ^ "Belfast South and Mid Down – Overlaps". UK Parliament.
  19. ^ "Sinn Fein defend proposals to redraw Belfast's electoral boundaries". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  20. ^ "Final Recommendations Report of the 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies – PDF". Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Belfast South Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 13 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  22. ^ Uberoi, Elise; Baker, Carl; Cracknell, Richard (19 December 2019). General Election 2019: results and analysis (PDF) (Report). House of Commons Library. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  23. ^ "Election of a Member of Parliament for the BELFAST SOUTH Constituency - Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Electoral Office of Northern Ireland. 11 May 2017. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  24. ^ "UK Parliamentary Election Result 2017 - Belfast South". Archived from the original on 28 June 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  25. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  26. ^ "The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland – EONI". eoni.org.uk. Archived from the original on 25 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  27. ^ "Belfast South parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC. Archived from the original on 5 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  28. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  29. ^ "BBC News – Election 2010 – Constituency – Belfast South". BBC News. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  30. ^ Westminster Candidates Archived 16 December 2019 at the Wayback Machine, Ulster Unionist Party, 20 March 2010
  31. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  32. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  33. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  34. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  35. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  36. ^ Results of Byelections in the 1983-87 Parliament Archived 5 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine in the United Kingdom Election Results website Archived 7 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine maintained by David Boothroyd
  37. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  38. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 1979-83 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 9 June 2000. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  39. ^ "1963 By Election Results". Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  40. ^ "1952 By Election Results". Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  41. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. pp. 329–330. ISBN 0901714127.
  42. ^ "Election intelligence". The Times. No. 36850. London. 19 August 1902. p. 3.

Further reading

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.