Belfast West (UK Parliament constituency)

UK constituency infobox alt
Name = Belfast West


Type = Borough
Entity = Northern Ireland
DivisionType = Districts
Division = Belfast, Lisburn
Year = 1885, 1922
MP = Gerry Adams
Party = Sinn Féin
EP = Northern Ireland

:"For other constituencies of the same name, see Belfast West."

Belfast West is a Parliamentary Constituency in the UK House of Commons.

Boundaries

The seat was created in 1922 when as part of the establishment of the devolved Stormont Parliament for Northern Ireland, the number of MPs in the Westminster Parliament was drastically cut. The seat is centred on the west section of Belfast, though between 1983 and 1996/7 it included the area around the Docks on the north east side of the Lagan Estuary. Belfast West also contains part of the city of Lisburn.

Boundary changes

Initially the Boundary Commission proposed alterations for the boundaries of constituencies in Northern Ireland, with Belfast West set as one of the smallest electorates of any constituency in Northern Ireland.

The Commission's revised recommendations, published in May 2006, added the Dunmurry ward and the Northern part of Derriaghy ward. Following public consultation, the proposals were passed through Parliament via the [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/draft/ukdsi_9780110813172_en_1 Northern Ireland Parliamentary Constituencies Order] . In an unprecedented move by a Boundary Commission, an electoral ward will be split between constituencies following disquiet in parts of Derryaghy. This ward will be split between Belfast West and Lagan Valley.

The constituency will be fought at the next UK general election with the following electoral areas;

*From the Belfast district; Andersonstown, Beechmount, Clonard, Falls, Falls Park, Glencairn, Glencolin, Glen Road, Highfield, Ladybrook, Shankill, Upper Springfield, and Whiterock
*From Lisburn city district; Collin Glen, Dunmurry, Kilwee, Poleglass, and Twinbrook. The ward of Derryaghy will be split so that which lies to the north of its boundary with Lagmore will be in this seat.

History

Belfast West has historically been the most nationalist of Belfast's four constituencies, though it is only in the last few decades that the votes for unionist parties have plunged to tiny levels. The constituency is largely made of a long, slender, belt along the Falls Road and its suburban extensions, with three of the five wards from the staunchly unionist Shankill area now something of a bolt-on, with a several kilometre long Peace Line dividing them from the rest of the constituency. There is also a smaller Protestant enclave at Suffolk.

Unsurprisingly, the tenor of the constituency is largely working class and in the 1991 census it was one of only twenty constituencies where the majority of housing was still council owned. Although there are now large pockets of middle-class housing in Andersonstown and other suburban parts of the seat. Closer to the centre public-sector terraced housing, both Victorian and high quality modern housing, predominates, while in the suburbs, leafy pockets are scattered among post-War housing estates such as Lenadoon and Twinbrook.

The Westminster constituency was consistently held by the Ulster Unionist Party but always had strong Labour movement sympathies. In the UK general election, 1923, the Belfast Labour Party came within 1,000 votes of taking the seat. A by-election in 1943 was won by Jack Beattie, standing for the Northern Ireland Labour Party. For the next twenty-three years the seat would regularly change from unionist to nationalist/labour, with the latter represented by a variety of parties.

In the 1966 general election the seat was won by Gerry Fitt of the Republican Labour Party. Later in 1970 he left that party to become a founder and first leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party. In the February 1974 general election, Belfast West was the only constituency in Northern Ireland to elect an MP supporting the Sunningdale Agreement. Fitt's majority was a narrow 2180 votes in February 1974 primarily due to the candidature of Albert Price the father of the Price sisters who were in prison in England for PIRA related offences. However the candidacy of a UVF backed candidate in October 1974 and a declining Unionist vote in 1979 led to him increasing his majorities in subsequent years. He retained the seat for the next nine years but increasingly distanced himself from nationalist groups and in late 1979 he left the SDLP altogether. He sat as an independent socialist but lost his seat in the 1983 when it was won by Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin. The Unionist vote which had still been at 30% in the 1982 Assembly elections was cut to 20% as a result of the 1983 boundary changes which, while adding the loyalist Glencairn area, removed the Donegall Road, Sandy Row and added the Nationalist Lenadoon area.

Adams' share of the vote, at 37%, was short of a majority and he achieved victory only due to Fitt and the SDLP candidate splitting the non-Sinn Féin vote. In the 1987 Adams narrowly held his seat, but lost it in the 1992 general election amidst a strong tactical voting campaign in favour of Joe Hendron of the Social Democratic and Labour Party by unionists in the Shankill Road area of the constituency. Hendron and his election agent were found guilty in an election court of having performed "corrupt and illegal practices" during the election by accepting advertising in the Irish News at less than the market rate, but the court upheld the election result.

In the mid 1990s the Boundary Commission originally suggested removing the Shankill wards from the constituency and replacing them with about half of the Belfast South constituency namely the 6 wards of the Balmoral Electoral Area and the Shaftesbury ward, effectively transforming the seat into a Belfast South West constituency.

The subsequent local enquiries were bitterly contested with the SDLP favouring the commission's original proposals which would add an area where Sinn Féin had little support (and aside from the Shaftesbury ward, had not contested in council elections), while Sinn Féin argued instead for adding the mostly republican Twinbrook and Poleglass estates (where they were outpolling the SDLP in council elections by a margin of 3 to 1.) With all parties except the SDLP supporting an option of retaining four seats in Belfast the latter option became the commissions final proposals and the Shankill wards remained in the constituency.

The boundary changes, coupled with the IRA ceasefire, meant that support for Sinn Féin in the constituency soared to new levels and in all elections held in the seat since 1996 they have taken over 50% of the vote. In 1997 Adams regained the seat and held it in 2001 and 2005.

Members of Parliament

The Member of Parliament since the 1997 general election is Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin. He previously held the seat between 1983 and 1992 when he lost it to Joe Hendron of the Social Democratic and Labour Party but regained it in 1997.

¹The Nationalists split into two opposing factions (pro- and anti-Charles Stewart Parnell) in December 1890. They re-merged in February 1900.

Election results

Elections in the 2000s

Election box begin
title=General Election 2005: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Sinn Féin
candidate = Gerry Adams
votes = 24,348
percentage = 70.5
change = +4.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic and Labour Party
candidate = Alex Attwood
votes = 5,033
percentage = 14.6
change = -4.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Unionist Party
candidate = Diane Dodds
votes = 3,652
percentage = 10.6
change = +4.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Chris McGimpsey
votes = 779
percentage = 2.3
change = -3.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Workers Party of Ireland
candidate = John Lowry
votes = 432
percentage = 1.3
change = -0.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket
candidate = Lynda Gilby
votes = 154
percentage = 0.4
change = +0.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent (politician)
candidate = Liam Kennedy
votes = 147
percentage = 0.4
change = +0.4Election box majority
votes = 19,315
percentage = 55.9
change = +8.7Election box turnout
votes = 34,545
percentage = 64.2
change = -4.5Election box hold with party link
winner = Sinn Féin
swing = +4.4%

Election box begin
title=General Election 2001: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Sinn Féin
candidate = Gerry Adams
votes = 27,096
percentage = 66.1
change = +10.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic and Labour Party
candidate = Alex Attwood
votes = 7,754
percentage = 18.9
change = -19.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Unionist Party
candidate = Eric Smyth
votes = 2,641
percentage = 6.4
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Chris McGimpsey
votes = 2,541
percentage = 6.2
change = +2.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Workers Party of Ireland
candidate = John Lowry
votes = 736
percentage = 1.8
change = +0.2Election box candidate
party = Third Way
candidate = David Kerr
votes = 116
percentage = 0.3
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket
candidate = Rainbow George Weiss
votes = 98
percentage = 0.2
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 19,342
percentage = 47.2
change = Election box turnout
votes = 40,982
percentage = 68.7
change = -5.5Election box hold with party link
winner = Sinn Féin
swing =

Elections in the 1990s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1997: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Sinn Féin
candidate = Gerry Adams
votes = 25,662
percentage = 55.9
change = + 13.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic and Labour Party
candidate = Joe Hendron
votes = 17,753
percentage = 38.7
change = - 5.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Fred Parkinson
votes = 1,556
percentage = 3.4
change = -8.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Workers Party of Ireland
candidate = John Lowry
votes = 721
percentage = 1.6
change = "N/A"Election box candidate
party = Human Rights
candidate = Liam Kennedy
votes = 102
percentage = 0.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Natural Law Party
candidate = Mary Daly
votes = 91
percentage = 0.2
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 7,909
percentage = 17.2
change = + 15.5Election box turnout
votes = 45,885
percentage =
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Sinn Féin
loser = Social Democratic and Labour Party
swing =

1997 Changes are compared to the 1992 notional results shown below [http://www.bbc.co.uk/election97/constituencies/45.htm] .

Election box begin
title=Notional 1992 UK General Election Result : Belfast West Election box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic and Labour Party
votes = 20,045
candidate = "N/A"
percentage = 44.2
change = N/aElection box candidate with party link
party = Sinn Féin
votes = 19,027
candidate = "N/A"
percentage = 42.0
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
votes = 5,275
candidate = "N/A"
percentage = 11.6
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Others
votes = 975
candidate = "N/A"
percentage = 2.2
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 1,018
percentage = 2.3
change = "N/A"

Election box begin
title=General Election 1992: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic and Labour Party
candidate = Joe Hendron
votes = 17,415
percentage = 43.6
change = + 7.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Sinn Féin
candidate = Gerry Adams
votes = 16,826
percentage = 42.1
change = + 1.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Fred Cobain
votes = 4,766
percentage = 11.9
change = - 6.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Workers Party of Ireland
candidate = John Lowry
votes = 750
percentage = 1.9
change = - 2.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Natural Law Party
candidate = Michael Kennedy
votes = 213
percentage = 0.5
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 589
percentage = 1.7
change = - 3.7Election box turnout
votes = 34,545
percentage = 73.2
change = + 4.1Election box gain with party link
winner = Social Democratic and Labour Party
loser = Sinn Féin
swing =

Elections in the 1980s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1987: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Sinn Féin
candidate = Gerry Adams
votes = 16,862
percentage = 41.1
change = + 2.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic and Labour Party
candidate = Joe Hendron
votes = 14,641
percentage = 35.7
change = + 9.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Frank Millar
votes = 7,646
percentage = 18.7
change = + 12.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Workers Party of Ireland
candidate = Mary McMahon
votes = 1,819
percentage = 4.4
change = - 0.1Election box majority
votes = 2,221
percentage = 5.4
change = - 7.6Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 69.1
change = - 1.1Election box hold with party link
winner = Sinn Féin
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1983: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Sinn Féin
candidate = Gerry Adams
votes = 16,379
percentage = 39.0
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic and Labour Party
candidate = Joe Hendron
votes = 10,934
percentage = 26.1
change = - 14.4Election box candidate
party = Independent Socialist
candidate = Gerry Fitt
votes = 10,326
percentage = 24.6
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Thomas Passmore
votes = 2,435
percentage = 5.8
change = - 19.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Workers Party of Ireland
candidate = Mary McMahon
votes = 1,893
percentage = 4.5
change = - 2.4Election box majority
votes = 5,445
percentage = 13.0
change = - 11.7Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 70.2
change = + 13.7Election box gain with party link
winner = Sinn Féin
loser = Social Democratic and Labour Party
swing =

Following the 1979 election, Fitt became increasingly at odds with the SDLP and left it, continuing to sit as an independent socialist.

Elections in the 1970s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1979: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic and Labour Party
candidate = Gerry Fitt
votes = 16,480
percentage = 40.5
change = - 8.5Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Thomas Passmore
votes = 8,245
percentage = 24.8
change = - 11.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Unionist Party
candidate = William Dickson
votes = 3,716
percentage = 11.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Clubs
candidate = Brian Brennan
votes = 2,284
percentage = 6.9
change = - 1.1Election box candidate with party link
party = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
candidate = John Cousins
votes = 2,024
percentage = 6.1
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Northern Ireland Labour Party
candidate = Derek Peters
votes = 540
percentage = 1.6
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 8,235
percentage = 24.7
change = + 12.2Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 56.5
change = - 10.7Election box hold with party link
winner = Social Democratic and Labour Party
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election October 1974: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic and Labour Party
candidate = Gerry Fitt
votes = 21,821
percentage = 49.0
change = + 8.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Unionist Party
candidate = John McQuade
votes = 16,265
percentage = 36.5
change = 0.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Clubs
candidate = Kitty O'Kane
votes = 3,547
percentage = 8.0
change = + 1.5Election box candidate
party = Volunteer Political Party
candidate = Ken Gibson
votes = 2,690
percentage = 6.0
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Communist Party of Ireland (Marxist-Leninist)
candidate = Peter Kerins
votes = 203
percentage = 0.5
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 5,556
percentage = 12.5
change = + 8.3Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 67.2
change = - 4.3Election box hold with party link
winner = Social Democratic and Labour Party
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election February 1974: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Social Democratic and Labour Party
candidate = Gerry Fitt
votes = 19,554
percentage = 41.0
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Unionist Party
candidate = John McQuade
votes = 17,374
percentage = 36.5
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Republican (Ireland)
candidate = Albert Price
votes = 5,662
percentage = 11.9
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Clubs
candidate = John Brady
votes = 3,088
percentage = 6.5
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Northern Ireland Labour Party
candidate = Billy Boyd
votes = 1,989
percentage = 4.2
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 2,180
percentage = 4.6
change = - 0.9Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 71.5
change = - 13.0Election box gain with party link
winner = Social Democratic and Labour Party
loser = Republican Labour Party
swing =

After the 1970 election Fitt left the Republican Labour Party to cofound the Social Democratic & Labour Party. The remains of Republican Labour had disintegrated by 1974.

Election box begin
title=General Election 1970: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Republican Labour Party
candidate = Gerry Fitt
votes = 30,649
percentage = 52.8
change = + 0.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Brian McRoberts
votes = 27,451
percentage = 47.3
change = - 0.7Election box majority
votes = 3,198
percentage = 5.5
change = + 1.4Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 84.5
change = + 9.7Election box hold with party link
winner = Republican Labour Party
swing =

Elections in the 1960s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1966: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Republican Labour Party
candidate = Gerry Fitt
votes = 26,292
percentage = 52.0
change = + 23.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = James Kilfedder
votes = 24,281
percentage = 48.0
change = + 6.8Election box majority
votes = 2,011
percentage = 4.1
change = - 8.7Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 74.8
change = + 0.1Election box gain with party link
winner = Republican Labour Party
loser = Ulster Unionist Party
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1964: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = James Kilfedder
votes = 21,337
percentage = 41.2
change = - 12.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Labour Party
candidate = Harry Diamond
votes = 14,678
percentage = 28.3
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Northern Ireland Labour Party
candidate = Billy Boyd
votes = 12,579
percentage = 24.3
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Republican (Ireland)
candidate = Billy McMillen
votes = 3,256
percentage = 6.3
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 6,659
percentage = 12.8
change = - 3.8Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 74.7
change = + 2.0Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing =

Elections in the 1950s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1959: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Patricia McLaughlin
votes = 28,898
percentage = 54.1
change = - 4.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Labour Group
candidate = John Joseph Brennan
votes = 20,062
percentage = 37.6
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Sinn Féin
candidate = Thomas Heenan
votes = 4,416
percentage = 8.3
change = - 6.1Election box majority
votes = 8,836
percentage = 16.6
change = - 14.3Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 72.7
change = - 2.0Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1955: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Patricia McLaughlin
votes = 34,191
percentage = 58.3
change = + 8.3Election box candidate with party link
party = Irish Labour Party
candidate = Jack Beattie
votes = 20,062
percentage = 27.4
change = - 22.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Sinn Féin
candidate = Eamonn Boyce
votes = 8,447
percentage = 14.4
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 18,141
percentage = 30.9
change = + 30.9Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 74.7
change = - 9.4Election box gain with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
loser = Irish Labour Party
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1951: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Irish Labour Party
candidate = Jack Beattie
votes = 33,174
percentage = 50.0
change = + 3.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Thomas Teevan
votes = 33,149
percentage = 50.0
change = - 1.5Election box majority
votes = 25
percentage = 0.0
change = - 5.2Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 84.1
change = + 0.5Election box gain with party link
winner = Irish Labour Party
loser = Ulster Unionist Party
swing =

Election box begin
title=Belfast West by-election, 1950Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Thomas Teevan
votes = 31,796
percentage = 50.8
change = - 0.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Irish Labour Party
candidate = Jack Beattie
votes = 30,833
percentage = 49.2
change = + 2.9Election box majority
votes = 913
percentage = 1.5
change = - 4.0Election box turnout
votes = 62,629
percentage =
change = Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1950: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = James Godfrey MacManaway
votes = 33,917
percentage = 51.5
change = + 5.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Irish Labour Party
candidate = Jack Beattie
votes = 30,539
percentage = 46.3
change = - 7.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Sinn Féin
candidate = Jimmy Steele
votes = 1,482
percentage = 2.2
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 3,378
percentage = 5.2
change = - 1.8Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 83.6
change = + 10.5Election box gain with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
loser = Independent (politician)
swing =

Elections in the 1940s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1945: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Independent Labour
candidate = Jack Beattie
votes = 30,787
percentage = 53.5
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Knox Cunningham
votes = 26,729
percentage = 46.5
change = - 16.1Election box majority
votes = 4,058
percentage = 7.0
change = - 18.2Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 73.1
change = + 5.1Election box gain with party link
winner = Independent Labour
loser = Ulster Unionist Party
swing =

Election box begin
title=Belfast West by-election, 1943Election box candidate with party link
party = Northern Ireland Labour Party
candidate = Jack Beattie
votes = 19,936
percentage = 46.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Knox Cunningham
votes = 14,426
percentage = 33.4
change = - 29.2Election box candidate
party = UIUA
candidate = W. M. Milton
votes = 7,551
percentage = 17.5
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Republican (Ireland)
candidate = H. C. Corvin
votes = 1,250
percentage = 2.9
change = - 34.5Election box majority
votes = 5,510
percentage = 12.8
change = - 12.4Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 54.8
change = - 13.2Election box gain with party link
winner = Northern Ireland Labour Party
loser = Ulster Unionist Party
swing =

Elections in the 1930s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1935: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Alexander Browne
votes = 34,060
percentage = 62.6
change = + 4.0Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Republican (Ireland)
candidate = Charles Leddy
votes = 20,313
percentage = 37.4
change = - 4.0Election box majority
votes = 13,747
percentage = 25.2
change = + 8.0Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 68.0
change = - 0.1Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1931: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Alexander Browne
votes = 31,113
percentage = 58.6
change = + 0.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
candidate = Thomas Joseph Campbell
votes = 22,006
percentage = 41.4
change = - 0.7Election box majority
votes = 9,107
percentage = 17.2
change = + 1.4Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 68.1
change = - 5.8Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing =

"Note:" The sitting MP, W.E.D. Allen, had joined the New Party earlier in 1931 but did not contest the seat at the general election.

Elections in the 1920s

Election box begin
title=General Election 1929: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = W. E. D. Allen
votes = 33,274
percentage = 57.9
change = + 3.4Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Republican (Ireland)
candidate = Frank MacDermot
votes = 24,177
percentage = 42.1
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 9,097
percentage = 15.8
change = + 1.7Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 73.9
change = - 5.2Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1924: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Robert Lynn
votes = 28,435
percentage = 54.5
change = + 1.6Election box candidate with party link
party = Northern Ireland Labour Party
candidate = Harry Midgley
votes = 21,122
percentage = 40.4
change = - 3.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Sinn Féin
candidate = Patrick Nash
votes = 2,688
percentage = 5.1
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 7,313
percentage = 14.1
change = + 8.3Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 79.1
change = + 8.8Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing =

Election box begin
title=General Election 1923: Belfast WestElection box candidate with party link
party = Ulster Unionist Party
candidate = Robert Lynn
votes = 24,975
percentage = 52.9
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Belfast Labour Party
candidate = Harry Midgley
votes = 22,255
percentage = 47.1
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 2,720
percentage = 5.8
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes =
percentage = 70.3
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Ulster Unionist Party
swing =

In the 1922 General Election, Robert Lynn was elected unopposed.

Elections in the 1910s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Irish Parliamentary Party
candidate = Joseph Devlin
votes = 4,543
percentage = 52.7
change = -0.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist Party
candidate = J. Boyd Carpenter
votes = 4,080
percentage = 47.3
change = +1.1Election box majority
votes = 463
percentage = 5.4
change = -1.3Election box turnout
votes = 8,623
percentage = 93.4
change = -1.8Election box hold with party link
winner = Irish Parliamentary Party
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Irish Parliamentary Party
candidate = Joseph Devlin
votes = 4,651
percentage = 52.9
change = +3.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist Party
candidate = J. Boyd Carpenter
votes = 4,064
percentage = 46.2
change = -2.8Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Nationalist
candidate = P. J. Magee
votes = 75
percentage = 0.9
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 587
percentage = 6.7
change = +6.5Election box turnout
votes = 8,790
percentage = 95.2
change = +0.6Election box hold with party link
winner = Irish Parliamentary Party
swing =

Elections in the 1900s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Irish Parliamentary Party
candidate = Joseph Devlin
votes = 4,138
percentage = 49.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist Party
candidate = J. R. Smiley
votes = 4,122
percentage = 49.0
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Independent Liberal Unionist
candidate = Alexander Carlisle
votes = 153
percentage = 1.8
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 16
percentage = 0.2
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 8,413
percentage = 94.6
change = "N/A"Election box gain with party link
winner = Irish Parliamentary Party
loser = Liberal Unionist Party
swing =

:At the United Kingdom general election, 1900 and the Belfast West by-election, 1903, Hugh Oakeley Arnold-Forster was elected unopposed.

Elections in the 1890s

:At the United Kingdom general election, 1895, Hugh Oakeley Arnold-Forster was elected unopposed.

Election box candidate with party link
party = Liberal Unionist Party
candidate = Hugh Oakeley Arnold-Forster
votes = 4,266
percentage = 55.5
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Irish National Federation
candidate = Thomas Sexton
votes = 3,427
percentage = 44.5
change = -6.2Election box majority
votes = 839
percentage = 10.9
change = +9.6Election box turnout
votes = 7,693
percentage =
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Liberal Unionist Party
loser = Irish Parliamentary Party
swing =

Elections in the 1880s

Election box candidate with party link
party = Irish Parliamentary Party
candidate = Thomas Sexton
votes = 3,832
percentage = 50.7
change = +0.9Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = James Horner Haslett
votes = 3,729
percentage = 49.3
change = -0.9Election box majority
votes = 103
percentage = 1.3
change = +0.8Election box turnout
votes = 7,561
percentage =
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Irish Parliamentary Party
loser = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

Election box candidate with party link
party = Conservative Party (UK)
candidate = James Horner Haslett
votes = 3,778
percentage = 50.2
change = "N/A"Election box candidate with party link
party = Irish Parliamentary Party
candidate = Thomas Sexton
votes = 3,743
percentage = 49.8
change = "N/A"Election box majority
votes = 35
percentage = 0.5
change = "N/A"Election box turnout
votes = 7,521
percentage =
change = "N/A"Election box hold with party link
winner = Conservative Party (UK)
swing =

ources

* [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/hoc/constituency/history/0,9571,-1281,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics] (Election results from 1992 to the present)
*http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/ (Election results from 1951 to the present)
* [http://www.angeltowns.com/town/peerage/hcommons3.htm Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page] (Complete list of MPs)
*F. W. S. Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Results 1918 - 1949"
*F. W. S. Craig, "British Parliamentary Election Results 1950 - 1970"
*"The Liberal Year Book For 1917", Liberal Publication Department
*"The Constitutional Year Book For 1912", Conservative Central Office
*"The Constitutional Year Book For 1894", Conservative Central Office

References

See also

* List of Parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland