South Antrim (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)

Northern Ireland Parliament constituency infobox
Name = South Antrim


Type = County
Start = 1929
End = 1972
EM = First past the post

South Antrim was a constituency of the Northern Ireland Parliament.

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 South").

Boundaries and boundary changes

Antrim South has always been a county constituency comprising the southern part of County Antrim in the province of Ulster (excluding the part in Belfast). Larger versions of the constituency have has the sea and Belfast (including 1969-1973 the suburban Northern Ireland Parliament Larkfield division) to the north-east, County Down to the south-east and south and Lough Neagh and the borders with County Londonderry to the west. How far north the constituency extended and whether it reached the sea and a land border with County Londonderry depended on the number of divisions into which Antrim was split.

This constituency was one of seven county divisions in Antrim from 1929, so it was smaller than the UK Parliament seat. From 1969 there were nine county divisions in Antrim. The changes in the vicinity of Belfast affected the boundaries of this division.

It comprised (in terms of then local government units) part of the Rural District of Lisburn and the whole of the Urban District of Lisburn. In 1969 the part of the Rural District closest to Belfast became the new seat of Antrim Larkfield.

Antrim South returned one member of Parliament from 1929 until the Northern Ireland Parliament was prorogued in 1972 and formally abolished 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 South has not been an exception.

From the Northern Ireland general election of 1929 the Antrim South division was an extremely safe Unionist seat for the rest of the existence of the Northern Ireland Parliament.

Members of Parliament

"Note: Beattie joined the Democratic Unionist Party in 1971."

Elections

"The elections in this constituency took place using the first past the post electoral system."

Election box begin
title=General Election 22 May 1929: Antrim SouthElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = John Milne Barbour
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box gain with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
loser = new seat
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 30 November 1933: Antrim SouthElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = John Milne Barbour
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 9 February 1938: Antrim SouthElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = John Milne Barbour
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 14 June 1945: Antrim SouthElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = John Milne Barbour
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 10 February 1949: Antrim SouthElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = John Milne Barbour
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

* "Death of Barbour"

Election box begin
title=South Antrim by-election, 1951Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Brian McConnell
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 22 October 1953: Antrim SouthElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Brian McConnell
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 20 March 1958: Antrim SouthElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Brian McConnell
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 31 May 1962: Antrim SouthElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Brian McConnell
votes = Unopposed
percentage = "N/A"
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 25 November 1965: Antrim SouthElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Brian McConnell
votes = 14,491
percentage = 77.89
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Northern Ireland Labour Party
candidate = S. A. Stewart
votes = 4,113
percentage = 22.11
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 10,378
percentage = 55.78
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 34,419
percentage = 54.05
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

* "Resignation of McConnell"

Election box begin
title=South Antrim by-election, 1968Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Richard Ferguson
votes = 16,288
percentage = 85.12
change = +7.23Election box candidate with party link
party = Northern Ireland Labour Party
candidate = J. Coulthard
votes = 2,848
percentage = 14.88
change = -7.23Election box majority
votes = 13,440
percentage = 70.23
change = +14.45Election box turnout
votes = 38,672
percentage = 49.48
change = -4.57Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

* "Boundary change"

Election box begin
title=General Election 24 February 1969: Antrim SouthElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Richard Ferguson
votes = 10,761
percentage = 66.74
change = -18.38Election box candidate with party link
party = Protestant Unionist Party
candidate = William Beattie
votes = 5,362
percentage = 33.26
change = +33.26Election box majority
votes = 5,399
percentage = 33.49
change = -36.74Election box turnout
votes = 24,693
percentage = 65.29
change = +15.81Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

* "Resignation of Ferguson"

Election box begin
title=South Antrim by-election, 1970Election box candidate with party link
party = Protestant Unionist Party
candidate = William Beattie
votes = 7,137
percentage = 35.16
change = +1.90Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = W. J. Morgan
votes = 6,179
percentage = 30.44
change = -36.30Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = D. Corkey
votes = 5,212
percentage = 25.67
change = +25.67Election box candidate with party link
party = Northern Ireland Labour Party
candidate = A. Whitby
votes = 1,773
percentage = 8.73
change = +8.73Election box majority
votes = 958
percentage = 4.72
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 28,633
percentage = 70.90
change = +5.61Election box gain with party link
winner = Protestant Unionist Party
loser = Ulster Unionist Party
swing = "N/A"

* "Parliament prorogued 30 March 1972 and abolished 18 July 1973"

References

* "Northern Ireland Parliamentary Election Results 1921-1972", compiled and edited by Sydney Elliott (Political Reference Publications 1973)

External links

* http://www.oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=0
* http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/en.toc.dail.html
* "For more information about the Northern Ireland House of Commons see" http://www.election.demon.co.uk/stormont/stormont.html