Northern Ireland is divided into 18 parliamentary constituencies: 4 borough constituencies in Belfast and 14 county constituencies elsewhere. Section 33 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 provides that the constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly are the same as the constituencies that are used for the United Kingdom Parliament.[1] Parliamentary constituencies are not used for local government, which is instead carried out by 11 district councils; these often have different boundaries.

Constituencies

Each constituency returns one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons at Westminster and five Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to the devolved Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont. Six MLAs were returned per constituency until the Assembly Members (Reduction of Numbers) Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 reduced the number to five, effective from the 2017 Assembly election.[2]

2019 general election

  Democratic Unionist   Sinn Féin   Social Democratic and Labour   Ulster Unionist   Alliance Party

Name[nb 1] Electorate[3] Majority[nb 2] Member of Parliament Unionist % Nationalist % Other % Map
Belfast East BC 66,245 1,819 Gavin Robinson 55.1 0.0 44.9
A very small constituency, located in the east of the country.
Belfast North BC 72,225 1,943 John Finucane 43.1 47.1 9.8
A very small constituency, located in the east of the country
Belfast South BC 69,984 15,401 Claire Hanna 27.2 58.4 14.3
A very small constituency, located in the East of the country.
Belfast West BC 65,644 14,672 Paul Maskey 13.5 65.7 20.9
A very small constituency, located in the East of the country.
East Antrim CC 64,830 6,706 Sammy Wilson 62.8 8.1 29.1
A medium-sized constituency, located in the East of the country.
East Londonderry CC 69,246 9,607 Gregory Campbell 49.3 35.7 15.1
A fairly large constituency, located in the north of the country.
Fermanagh & South Tyrone CC 72,848 57 Michelle Gildernew 43.2 50.1 6.3
A very large constituency, comprising the southwest area of the country.
Foyle CC 74,346 17,110 Colum Eastwood 12.4 82.0 5.5
A medium-sized constituency found in the south east of the county.
Lagan Valley CC 75,735 6,499 Jeffrey Donaldson 64.9 6.3 28.8
A medium constituency located inland, in the southeast of the country.
Mid Ulster CC 70,449 9,537 Francie Molloy 30.4 60.2 9.4
A medium constituency, located slightly to the north and west of the centre of the country.
Newry & Armagh CC 81,226 9,287 Mickey Brady 30.0 61.8 8.3
A medium constituency in the south of the country.
North Antrim CC 77,134 12,721 Ian Paisley, Jr. 65.9 19.5 14.7
A large constituency in the north of the county.
North Down CC 67,099 2,968 Stephen Farry 45.2 0.0 54.8
A medium-sized constituency found in the south east of the county.
South Antrim CC 71,711 2,689 Paul Girvan 64.3 16.7 19.1
A medium constituency located in the extreme south west of the county.
South Down CC 79,175 1,620 Chris Hazzard 21.9 64.1 13.9
A medium constituency located in the centre of the county. Due to the elongated shape of the county, no constituencies border it to the north or the south despite its central location.
Strangford CC 66,928 7,071 Jim Shannon 62.6 6.8 30.5
A small constituency. It is situated in the south west of the county, although it borders another constituency located further south west.
Upper Bann CC 82,887 8,210 Carla Lockhart 53.4 33.8 12.9
A large constituency in the north of the county.
West Tyrone CC 66,259 7,478 Órfhlaith Begley 28.7 60.4 11.0
A medium-sized constituency found in the south east of the county.
  1. ↑ BC denotes borough constituency, CC denotes county constituency.
  2. ↑ The majority is the number of votes the winning candidate receives more than their nearest rival.

Data from the BBC Election Website. For full official results see the Electoral Office of Northern Ireland.

Historical representation by party

Where a cell is marked → (with a different colour of frame to the preceding cell) it indicates that the previous MP continued to sit under a new party affiliation. Changes are dated in the header row: either a general election (four-figure year, bold, link) or by-election or change in affiliation (two-figure year, italic, link or details appear on hover).

1801 to 1832 (22 MPs)

Antrim

  Tory   Whig

Constituency 1801 1802 1806 07 1807 1812 14 16 1818 19 1820 22 1826 1830 1831
Antrim Staples O'Neill
MacNaghten F. Seymour-Conway H. H. Seymour R. Seymour-Conway MacNaghten G. Chichester →
Belfast J. May S. May Michel A. Chichester G. Chichester A. Chichester
Carrickfergus Dalway S. Chichester Craig A. Chichester G. Chichester A. Chichester Hill
Lisburn Hatton F. Seymour-Conway Moore Foster H. B. Seymour Meynell

Londonderry

  Tory   Whig

Constituency 1801 01 1802 1806 07 1807 09 1812 14 14 15 1818 1820 23 1826 1830 1831 31
Coleraine W. Jones * W. Jones J. Beresford G. Beresford J. Beresford Brydges Copeland
Londonderry City Alexander Hill* Ferguson
County Londonderry C. Stewart A. Stewart A. R. Stewart T. Jones
vacant Hill G. Beresford Ponsonby Dawson Bateson

* Sir George Hill, 2nd Baronet, was elected to sit as MP for both Coleraine and Londonderry City in the 1806 general election and chose to continue to sit for Londonderry City, hence the 1807 by-election, in which Walter Jones was restored to his seat.

Tyrone

  Tory   Whig   Independent

Constituency 1801 01 02 1802 03 1806 07 1807 09 1812 1818 1820 25 1826 1830 1831
Dungannon J. Knox C. Hamilton * C. Hamilton * J. Hamilton Cl. Hamilton Scott Holford T. Knox jnr J. J. Knox
Tyrone Lowry-Corry John Stewart T. Knox snr John Stewart H. Lowry-Corry
James Stewart T. Knox jnr W. Stewart H. Stewart

* At both the 1802 and 1806 elections, George Knox was returned for both Dungannon and Dublin University and chose to sit for the university seat.

Armagh

  Tory   Whig

Constituency 1801 1802 1806 1807 1812 15 16 1818 19 1820 1826 1830 1831 31
Armagh Duigenan Webber Foster Stuart Goulburn Chetwynd-Talbot Brydges
County Armagh Acheson snr Richardson Caulfeild Acheson jnr
Cope Caulfeild W Brownlow Caulfeild C Brownlow*
Newry Moore Corry F Needham FJ Needham Knox

* Charles Brownlow was initially elected as a Tory but at some point changed his affiliation to sit with the Whigs.

Down

  Tory   Whig

Constituency 1801 01 1802 05 1806 1807 12 1812 15 17 1818 1820 21 1826 1830 1831
Down R Stewart Meade Hill
Savage Ward R Stewart Forde F Stewart
Downpatrick C Rowley SC Rowley Hawthorne Ruthven* Croker Hawthorne Annesley Maxwell Ruthven

* The Parliaments of England by Henry Stooks Smith suggests that after the 1806 election there was a petition, which led to Edward Southwell Ruthven (Whig) being unseated and John Wilson Croker (Tory) being declared duly elected. Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801–1922, edited by BM Walker, does not make any reference to such a petition.

Fermanagh

  Tory

Constituency 1801 1802 02 03 06 06 1806 07 1807 1812 1818 1820 23 1826 28 1830 1831
Enniskillen Hamilton Beresford Burroughs King Fremantle Sneyd Bennet Pochin Magenis AH Cole
Fermanagh Archdall snr Archdall jnr
JW Cole GL Cole Lowry-Corry WW Cole

1832 to 1885 (29 MPs)

Antrim

  Conservative   Whig   Peelite   Liberal

Constituency 1832 1835 35 1837 38 41 1841 45 45 1847 52 1852 52 53 1857
Antrim J. O'Neill Alexander E. Pakenham
G. Chichester Irving H. B. Seymour E. C. Macnaghten Macartney
Belfast A. Chichester McCance Dunbar Gibson J. Tennent R. Tennent Davison
J. Tennent → G. Chichester Dunbar Johnson A. Chichester → Cairns
Carrickfergus C. Dobbs Kirk Stapleton-Cotton W. Dobbs
Lisburn Meynell H. B. Seymour J. Tennent Smyth Richardson
Constituency 1859 60 63 63 1865 66 1868 69 73 1874 78 1880 85
Antrim T. Pakenham G. H. Seymour H. Seymour Chaine Sinclair
Upton E. O'Neill E. MacNaghten
Belfast Davison Getty Johnston Ewart
Cairns Lanyon McClure Corry
Carrickfergus Torrens Dalway Greer
Lisburn Richardson Barbour Verner Wallace

Londonderry

  Conservative   Whig   Liberal

Constituency 1832 33 1835 1837 1841 42 43 44 1847 52 1852 1857 57
Coleraine Beresford* Copeland Litton Boyd Naas Boyd
Londonderry City Ferguson
County Londonderry Jones Greer
R. Bateson R. Bateson jnr T. Bateson Clark
Constituency 1859 60 62 1865 1868 72 1874 78 1880 81 84
Coleraine Boyd Bruce Taylor Bruce
Londonderry City Ferguson McCormick Hamilton Dowse Lewis
County Londonderry Dawson Smyth McClure
Heygate Law Porter Walker

*unseated on petition

Tyrone

  Conservative   Peelite   Liberal

Constituency 1832 1835 1837 38 39 1841 1847 51 1852 1857 1859 1865 1868 73 1874 1880 80 81
Dungannon J. Knox T. Knox T. Knox jnr W. Knox T. Dickson J. Dickson
Tyrone H. T. Lowry Corry → → H. W. Lowry Corry Litton T. Dickson
Stewart Hamilton Alexander Hamilton → → Ellison-Macartney

Armagh

  Conservative   Whig   Peelite   Liberal

Constituency 1832 1835 1837 40 1841 1847 51 1852 55 1857 1859 64 1865 67 1868 71 73 1874 75 1880
Armagh Dobbin Curry Rawdon Moore Bond Miller Bond Miller Vance Beresford
County Armagh Acheson Caulfeild Close Stronge Close
Verner W. Verner jnr E. Verner Richardson
Newry Hill Brady Ellis F. J. Needham → Hallewell Kirk Quinn Innes Kirk F. C. Needham Whitworth Thomson

Down

  Conservative   Whig   Peelite   Liberal

Constituency 1832 1835 36 1837 1841 45 1847 51 1852 1857 1859 1865 67 1868 1874 78 1880 84
Down A. M. Hill A. W. B. Hill Hill-Trevor A. W. Hill
Stewart D. S. Ker Forde Crawford Vane-Tempest-Stewart R. W. Ker
Downpatrick Maxwell D. Ker D. S. Ker R. Ker Hardinge R. Ker D. S. Ker Keown Mulholland

Fermanagh

  Conservative

Constituency 1832 34 1835 1837 40 1841 44 1847 51 1852 54 1857 59 1859 1865 1868 1874 1880
Enniskillen A. Cole H. Cole Whiteside J. Cole Crichton L. Cole
Fermanagh Archdall M. Archdale W. Archdale
W. Cole Brooke H. Cole Crichton

1885 to 1918 (25 MPs)

Antrim

   Conservative Party    Irish Unionist then Ulster Unionist    Russellite Unionist    Independent Unionist

Constituency 1885 1886 87 1892 1895 99 1900 03 1906 Jan 1910 Dec 1910 13 15
East Antrim J. McCalmont → R. McCalmont
Mid Antrim R. O'Neill → A. O'Neill H. O'Neill
North Antrim Macnaghten → Lewis Connor H. McCalmont Moore Glendinning Kerr-Smiley
South Antrim Ellison-Macartney → Craig

Armagh

   Conservative Party    Irish Unionist then Ulster Unionist    Irish Parliamentary Party (1885-90, 1900-22) / Irish National League (1890-1900)    Irish National Federation    Healyite Nationalist    Nationalist Party

Constituency 1885 86 1886 91 1892 1895 00 1900 1906 06 09 Jan 1910 Dec 1910 17 18
Mid Armagh McKane Corry → Barton Lonsdale Lonsdale
North Armagh Saunderson → Moore Allen
South Armagh Blane McHugh J. Campbell McKillop O'Neill Donnelly

Belfast

   Conservative Party    Irish Unionist then Ulster Unionist    Independent Unionist    Liberal Unionist    Irish Parliamentary Party (1885-90, 1900-22) / Irish National League (1890-1900)    Irish National Federation    Nationalist Party    Labour Unionist

Constituency 1885 1886 89 90 92 1892 1895 96 1900 02 05 1906 07 Jan 1910 Dec 1910 14 Apr 17 Jul 17
Belfast East de Cobain Wolff McMordie Sharman-Crawford
Belfast North Ewart Harland Haslett Dixon Clark Thompson
Belfast South Johnston Sloan Chambers Lindsay
Belfast West Haslett Sexton → Arnold-Forster Devlin

Down

   Conservative Party    Irish Unionist then Ulster Unionist    Russellite Unionist    Irish Parliamentary Party (1885-90, 1900-22) / Irish National League (1890-1900)    Irish National Federation    Nationalist Party

Constituency 1885 1886 90 1892 1895 98 1900 02 05 1906 07 08 Jan 1910 10 Dec 1910
East Down Ker → Rentoul Wood Craig
North Down Waring → Blakiston-Houston Corbett Mitchell-Thomson
South Down Small McCartan → → McVeagh
West Down A. W. Hill → A. Hill Liddell A. W. Hill MacCaw
Newry J. H. McCarthy Carvill → Mooney

Fermanagh

   Irish Unionist then Ulster Unionist    Russellite Unionist    Irish Parliamentary Party (1885-90, 1900-22) / Irish National League (1890-1900)    Irish National Federation

Constituency 1885 1886 1892 1895 98 1900 03 1906 Jan 1910 Dec 1910 16
North Fermanagh Redmond Dane Archdale Mitchell Fetherstonhaugh Archdale
South Fermanagh H. Campbell McGilligan Jordan → Crumley

Londonderry

   Conservative Party    Irish Unionist then Ulster Unionist    Liberal Unionist    Liberal Party    Irish Parliamentary Party (1885-90, 1900-22) / Irish National League (1890-1900)    Irish National Federation

Constituency 1885 1886 1892 1895 99 1900 1906 Jan 1910 Dec 1910 12 13 14 16
Londonderry City Lewis J. McCarthy Ross Knox Moore Hamilton Hogg Dougherty
North Londonderry Mulholland Atkinson Barrie
South Londonderry Healy Lea Gordon → Henry

Tyrone

   Conservative Party    Irish Unionist then Ulster Unionist    Russellite Unionist    Liberal Unionist    Liberal Party    Irish Parliamentary Party (1885-90, 1900-22) / Irish National League (1890-1900)    Irish National Federation    Nationalist Party

Constituency 1885 1886 90 91 1892 1895 1900 02 1906 06 07 Jan 1910 Dec 1910 11 16 18
East Tyrone Reynolds → Doogan → Kettle Redmond Harbison
Mid Tyrone Kenny → Murnaghan → Brunskill McGhee
North Tyrone E. Hamilton F. Hamilton Hemphill Dodd Barry Russell
South Tyrone O'Brien Russell → → Horner Coote

1918 to 1922 (30 MPs)

   Irish Unionist then Ulster Unionist    Independent Unionist    Labour Unionist    Sinn Féin

Constituency 1918 19 19 21 21 21 22 22 22 22
East Antrim R McCalmont Hanna
Mid Antrim H O'Neill
North Antrim Kerr-Smiley
South Antrim Craig
Mid Armagh Lonsdale Armstrong
North Armagh Allen
South Armagh Donnelly
Belfast Pottinger Dixon
Belfast Duncairn Carson McConnell
Belfast Cromac Lindsay
Belfast Falls Devlin
Belfast Ormeau Moles
Belfast Shankill McGuffin
Belfast St Anne's Burn
Belfast Victoria Donald
Belfast Woodvale Lynn
Queen's University Whitla
Constituency 1918 19 19 21 21 21 22 22 22 22
East Down Reid
North Down Brown H Wilson Simms
South Down McVeagh
West Down D Wilson Wallace Hayes
Mid Down Craig Sharman-Crawford
North Fermanagh Archdale
South Fermanagh O'Μahony
Londonderry City MacNeill
North Londonderry Anderson Barrie Macnaghten
South Londonderry Henry Chichester Pain
Tyrone North-East Harbison
Tyrone North-West Griffith
South Tyrone Coote
Constituency 1918 19 19 21 21 21 22 22 22 22

1922 to 1950 (13 MPs)

  Ulster Unionist   Ulster Progressive Unionist   Independent Unionist   New Party   Northern Ireland Labour   Independent Labour   Federation of Labour   Irish Labour   Nationalist Party

Constituency 1922 1923 1924 29 1929 31 1931 34 1935 38 39 40 43 43 1945 46 48 49
Antrim
(Two members)		 Craig McConnell Campbell Haughton
O'Neill
Armagh Allen Harden
Belfast East Dixon Harland Cole
Belfast North McConnell Somerset Neill
Belfast South Moles Stewart → Gage
Belfast West Lynn Allen → Browne Beattie → → →
Down
(Two members)		 Reid Little → Mullan
Simms Vane-Tempest-Stewart Smiles
Fermanagh and Tyrone
(Two members)		 Harbison Pringle Harbison Healy Cunningham
Healy Falls Devlin Stewart Mulvey
Londonderry Macnaghten Ross
Queen's University of Belfast Whitla Sinclair Savory

1950 to 1983 (12 MPs)

Periodic boundary reviews commenced in 1947.[4][5] The elections at which these were implemented are tagged with diamond suit characters, ♦.

The 1st Periodic Review boundary map can be viewed on the ARK elections website. Changes in the 2nd review were relatively minor.[6]

Unionist parties

  Ulster Unionist   Protestant Unionist (pre-1971) / Democratic Unionist (post-1971)   Vanguard Unionist / United Ulster Unionist (Mid Ulster, 1975-83)   Conservative Party   Independent Unionist   Ulster Popular Unionist

Nationalist parties

  Independent Republican   Unity   Nationalist Party   Anti H-Block (pre-1982) / Sinn Féin (post-1982)   Republican Labour   Social Democratic and Labour

Other

  Alliance   Independent   Independent Socialist   Irish Labour

Constituency 1950 ♦ 51 1951 52 53 54 1955 57 59 1959 63 1964 1966 69 1970 70 71 72 73 Feb 1974 ♦ Oct 1974 75 77 78 1979 80 81 81 82
Antrim N H. O'Neill P. O'Neill Clark Paisley →
Antrim S Savory Cunningham Molyneaux
Armagh Harden Armstrong Maginnis McCusker
Belfast E McKibbin McMaster Craig → Robinson
Belfast N Hyde Mills → → Carson McQuade
Belfast S Gage Campbell Pounder Bradford → Smyth
Belfast W Teevan3 Beattie McLaughlin Kilfedder Fitt → →
Down N Smiles Ford Currie Kilfedder → →
Down S Orr Powell
Ferm. & S Tyr. Healy Grosvenor1 Hamilton McManus West Maguire Sands Carron →
Londonderry Ross Wellwood Chichester-Clark Ross
Mid Ulster Mulvey O'Neill Forrest2 → Devlin → Dunlop →

Notes:

  1. The constituency was won by Philip Clarke of Sinn Féin, but he was unseated on petition on the basis that his criminal conviction (for Irish Republican Army activity) made him ineligible. Instead, the seat was awarded to the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) candidate.
  2. The seat was originally won by Tom Mitchell of Sinn Féin, but Mitchell was subsequently unseated upon petition, on the grounds that his terrorist convictions made him ineligible to sit in Parliament. The seat was awarded to Charles Beattie of the UUP. However, Beattie in turn was also found ineligible to sit due to holding an office of profit under the crown, triggering a further by-election.
  3. Original winner of the 1950 election in that seat, James Godfrey MacManaway (UUP), disqualified due to being a clergyman. Teevan won the subsequent by-election

1983 to present (17, then 18 MPs)

3rd and 4th Review boundary maps can be viewed on the ARK elections website: 1983, 1997.

  Democratic Unionist   Sinn Féin   Social Democratic and Labour   Ulster Unionist   Alliance Party   Independent   Ulster Popular Unionist   UK Unionist Party

Constituency 1983 ♦ 86 1987 90 1992 95 1997 ♦ 00 2001 04 2005 10 2010 ♦ 11 13 2015 2017 18 2019
Antrim East Beggs Wilson
Antrim North Paisley Paisley Jr1
Antrim South Forsythe McCrea Burnside McCrea Kinahan Girvan
Upper Bann McCusker Trimble Simpson Lockhart
Belfast East P Robinson Long G Robinson
Belfast North Walker Dodds Finucane
Belfast South Smyth1 McDonnell Pengelly Hanna
Belfast West Adams Hendron Adams Maskey
Down North Kilfedder McCartney Hermon → Farry
Down South Powell McGrady Ritchie Hazzard
Fermanagh and South Tyrone Maginnis Gildernew Elliott Gildernew
Foyle Hume Durkan McCallion Eastwood
Lagan Valley Molyneaux Donaldson →
Londonderry East Ross Campbell
Newry and Armagh Nicholson Mallon Murphy Brady
Strangford Taylor I Robinson Shannon
West Tyrone Thompson Doherty McElduff Begley
Mid Ulster McCrea McGuinness Molloy

1Paisley Jr was suspended from the DUP between July and November 2018.

Seats by political alignment (1983–present)

Boundary changes

See 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies for further details.

Following the abandonment of the Sixth Periodic Review (the 2018 review), the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland formally launched the 2023 Review on 5 January 2021. In accordance with the provisions of the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 2020, the number of constituencies allocated to Northern Ireland was unchanged, at 18.[7] Initial proposals were published on 20 October 2021 and, following two periods of public consultation, revised proposals were published on 17 November 2022. Final recommendations were published on 28 June 2023.[8]

Under the recommendations, the following constituencies for Northern Ireland would come into effect at the next general election:[9]

Constituency Electorate
Belfast East BC 70,076
Belfast North BC 71,372
Belfast South and Mid Down BC 71,978
Belfast West BC 71,921
East Antrim CC 69,936
East Londonderry CC 72,213
Fermanagh and South Tyrone CC 74,643
Foyle CC 69,890
Lagan Valley CC 76,332
Mid Ulster CC 70,094
Newry and Armagh CC 74,585
North Antrim CC 71,165
North Down CC 70,412
South Antrim CC 71,646
South Down CC 71,772
Strangford CC 70,070
Upper Bann CC 76,969
West Tyrone CC 70,614

See also

References

  1. ↑ "FAQs". Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 1 April 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "Assembly Members (Reduction of Numbers) Act (Northern Ireland) 2016". Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  3. ↑ "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF) (Second ed.). House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [7 April 2018]. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2019.
  4. ↑ Uberoi, Elise; White, Isobel (25 February 2016). "Constituency boundary reviews and the number of MPs". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ↑ White, Isobel (28 July 2010). "Parliamentary constituency boundaries: the Fifth Periodical Review". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ↑ Whyte, Dr Nicholas. "Westminster election February 1974". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  7. ↑ "Guide to the 2023 Review". Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland. 27 May 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  8. ↑ "Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland Publishes Final Recommendations Report of the 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies". Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  9. ↑ "Final Recommendations Report of the 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies - PDF". Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland. 28 June 2023. pp. 97–114. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
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