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Electoral history of the Ulster Unionist Party

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The Ulster Unionist Party held the majority of Northern Ireland seats in most elections for the Westminster Parliament between 1922 and 2001. Since then its representation has been low or non-existent, having been eclipsed by the Democratic Unionist Party. It always had an absolute majority in the Stormont Parliament (1921–1972); since that Parliament was replaced by the Northern Ireland Assembly it has had a substantial minority representation there. Its share of the vote in Northern Ireland local government elections has tended to diminish, so that there too it is no longer the largest party. Finally, the party has always held one of the three Northern Ireland seats in the European Parliament. Its share of the Northern Ireland vote in the most recent elections to these bodies has been between 10.5% (Westminster 2017) and 16.1% (local government, 2014).

Westminster

Election House of Commons Share of votes Seats +/-
1922 32nd 51.9% 11 / 13 Steady
1923 33rd 48.4% 11 / 13 Steady
1924 34th 86.9% 13 / 13 Increase 2
1929 35th 69.5% 11 / 13 Decrease 2
1931 36th 53.0% 11 / 13 Steady
1935 37th 64.9% 11 / 13 Steady
1945 38th 54.6% 9 / 13 Decrease 2
1950 39th 62.8% 10 / 12 Increase 1
1951 40th 59.4% 9 / 12 Decrease 1
1955 41st 68.5% 10 / 12 Increase 1
1959 42nd 77.2% 12 / 12 Increase 2
1964 43rd 63.2% 12 / 12 Steady
1966 44th 61.8% 9 / 12 Decrease 3
1970 45th 54.2% 8 / 12 Decrease 1
1974 (Feb) 46th 32.3% 7 / 12 Decrease 1
1974 (Oct) 47th 36.5% 6 / 12 Decrease 1
1979 48th 36.6% 5 / 12 Decrease 1
1983 49th 34.0% 11 / 17 Increase 6
1987 50th 37.8% 9 / 17 Decrease 2
1992 51st 34.5% 9 / 17 Steady
1997 52nd 32.7% 10 / 18 Increase 1
2001 53rd 26.7% 6 / 18 Decrease 4
2005 54th 17.7% 1 / 18 Decrease 5
2010 55th 15.2% 0 / 18 Decrease 1
2015 56th 16.0% 2 / 18 Increase 2
2017 57th 10.5% 0 / 18 Decrease 2
2019 58th 11.7% 0 / 18 Steady
2024 59th 12.2% 1 / 18 Increase 1

Stormont

Election Body First Preference Vote Vote % Seats +/-
1921 1st Parliament 343,347 66.9% 40 / 52
1925 2nd Parliament 211,662 55.0% 32 / 52 Decrease 8
1929 3rd Parliament 148,579 50.8% 37 / 52 Increase 5
1933 4th Parliament 73,791 43.5% 36 / 52 Decrease 1
1938 5th Parliament 187,684 56.8% 39 / 52 Increase 3
1945 6th Parliament 180,342 50.4% 33 / 52 Decrease 6
1949 7th Parliament 237,411 62.7% 37 / 52 Increase 4
1953 8th Parliament 125,379 48.6% 38 / 52 Increase 1
1958 9th Parliament 106,177 44.0% 37 / 52 Decrease 1
1962 10th Parliament 147,629 48.8% 34 / 52 Decrease 3
1965 11th Parliament 191,896 59.1% 36 / 52 Increase 2
1969 12th Parliament 269,501 48.2% 36 / 52 Steady
1973 1973 Assembly 258,790 35.8% 31 / 78 Decrease 5
1975 Constitutional Convention 167,214 25.4% 19 / 78 Decrease 12
1982 1982 Assembly 188,277 29.7% 26 / 78 Increase 7
1996 Forum 181,829 24.2% 30 / 110
1998 1st Assembly 172,225 21.3% 28 / 108 Decrease 2
2003 2nd Assembly 156,931 22.7% 27 / 108 Decrease 1
2007 3rd Assembly 103,145 14.9% 18 / 108 Decrease 9
2011 4th Assembly 87,531 13.2% 16 / 108 Decrease 2
2016 5th Assembly 87,302 12.6% 16 / 108 Steady
2017 6th Assembly 103,314 12.9% 10 / 90 Decrease 6
2022 7th Assembly 96,390 11.2% 9 / 90 Decrease 1

Local government

Election First Preference Vote Vote % Seats
1973 255,187 17.0% 194 / 517
1977 166,971 30.0% 176 / 526
1981 175,965 26.4% 151 / 526
1985 188,497 29.5% 189 / 565
1989 193,064 31.3% 194 / 565
1993 184,082 29.0% 197 / 582
1997 175,036 28.0% 185 / 575
2001 181,336 23.0% 154 / 582
2005 126,317 18.0% 115 / 582
2011 100,643 15.2% 99 / 583
2014 101,385 16.1% 88 / 462
2019 95,320 14.1% 75 / 462
2023 81,282 10.9% 54 / 462

European Parliament

Election First Preference Vote Vote % Seats
1979 125,169 21.9% 1 / 3
1984 147,169 21.5% 1 / 3
1989 118,785 22.2% 1 / 3
1994 133,459 23.8% 1 / 3
1999 119,507 17.6% 1 / 3
2004 91,164 16.6% 1 / 3
2009 82,893 17.1% 1 / 3
2014 83,438 13.3% 1 / 3
2019 53,052 9.3% 0 / 3

References

  1. Sproule, Luke (11 May 2022). "NI election 2022: How UUP and SDLP lost their place as Northern Ireland's top parties". Retrieved 13 February 2024. The DUP said this showed Sinn Féin was unfit to be involved in government and at the 2005 general election the more hardline unionists replaced the UUP as Northern Ireland's biggest party at Westminster.
  2. Albrecht, Annekathrin (10 March 2008). The breakout of "the troubles" - Inter-communal violence in Northern Ireland. GRIN Verlag. ISBN 9783638036092. The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) dominated Northern Irish politics from partition in 1921 until its collapse in 2005 which means that all governments form 1921 to 1972 were formed by the UUP.
  3. "Letter: The Ulster Unionist Party cannot recover, so after 10 years I am quitting it". newsletter.co.uk. 20 May 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2024. I stood for the UUP in the 2019 council election for Comber DEA for Ards and North Down Borough Council, during which the UUP also declined as it appears to be declining again in the 2023 council election. This will now be the sixth election in a row since 2017 (Assembly: 2017, 2022; Council: 2019, 2023; Euro: 2019; Westminster: 2017) the UUP has declined, in which the party didn't decline in the 2019 Westminster election as they had no seats anyway.
  4. ^ "2017 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 83,280 10.3% -5.7%
  5. ^ "The 2014 Local Government Elections in Northern Ireland". ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Ulster Unionist Party 88 101,386 16.1 77 +11 +1.1%
  6. "1922 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 107,972 51.9% 11 MPs (Antrim (2 seats), Armagh, East Belfast, North Belfast, South Belfast, West Belfast, Down (2 Seats), Londonderry and Queens University
  7. "1923 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 117,161 48.4% 11 MPs (Antrim (2 seats), Armagh, East Belfast, North Belfast, South Belfast, West Belfast, Down (2 Seats), Londonderry and Queens University.
  8. "1924 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 451,278 86.9% 13 MPs (Antrim (2 seats), Armagh, East Belfast, North Belfast, South Belfast, West Belfast, Down (2 Seats), Fermanagh & Tyrone (2 seats), Londonderry and Queens University.
  9. "1929 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 354,657 69.5% 11 MPs (Antrim (2 seats), Armagh, East Belfast, North Belfast, South Belfast, West Belfast, Down (2 Seats), Londonderry and Queens University.
  10. "1931 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 149,566 53.0% 11 MPs (Antrim (2 seats), Armagh, East Belfast, North Belfast, South Belfast, West Belfast, Down (2 Seats), Londonderry and Queens University.
  11. "1935 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 292,840 64.9% 11 MPs (Antrim (2 seats), Armagh, East Belfast, North Belfast, South Belfast, West Belfast, Down (2 Seats), Londonderry and Queens University.
  12. "1945 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 394,373 54.6% 9 MPs (Antrim (2 seats), Armagh, East Belfast, North Belfast, South Belfast, Down (1 of 2 seats), Londonderry and Queens University.
  13. "1950 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 352,334 62.8% 10 MPs (Armagh , East Belfast, Londonderry, North Antrim, North Belfast, North Down, South Antrim, South Belfast, South Down and West Belfast)
  14. "1951 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 274,928 59.4% 9 MPs (Armagh , East Belfast, Londonderry, North Antrim, North Belfast, North Down, South Antrim, South Belfast and South Down)
  15. "1955 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 442,647 68.5% 10 MPs (Armagh , East Belfast, Londonderry, North Antrim, North Belfast, North Down, South Antrim, South Belfast, South Down and West Belfast)
  16. "1959 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 445,013 77.2% 12 MPs (Armagh , East Belfast, Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Londonderry, Mid Ulster, North Antrim, North Belfast, North Down, South Antrim, South Belfast, South Down and West Belfast)
  17. "1964 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 401,897 63.2% 12 MPs (Armagh , East Belfast, Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Londonderry, Mid Ulster, North Antrim, North Belfast, North Down, South Antrim, South Belfast, South Down and West Belfast)
  18. "1966 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 368,629 61.8% 11 MPs (Armagh , East Belfast, Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Londonderry, Mid Ulster, North Antrim, North Belfast, North Down, South Antrim, South Belfast and South Down)
  19. "1970 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Unionist 422,041 54.2% 8 MPs (Armagh , East Belfast, Londonderry, North Belfast, North Down, South Antrim, South Belfast and South Down)
  20. "Westminster election February 1974". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 232,103 votes 32.3% 7 MPs (North Belfast, South Antrim, Armagh, North Down, South Down, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, and Londonderry)
  21. "Westminster election October 1974". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 256,0653 votes 36.5% 6 MPs (North Belfast, South Antrim, Armagh, North Down, South Down, and Londonderry)
  22. "Westminster election 1979". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 254,578 votes 36.6% 5 MPs (South Belfast, South Antrim, Armagh, South Down, and Londonderry)
  23. "Westminster election 1983". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 259,952 votes 34.0% 11 MPs (North Belfast, South Belfast, East Antrim, South Antrim, South Down, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Lagan Valley, East Londonderry, Newry and Armagh, Strangford, and Upper Bann)
  24. "Westminster election 1987". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 276,230 votes 37.8% 10 MPs (North Belfast, South Belfast, East Antrim, South Antrim, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Lagan Valley, East Londonderry, Strangford, and Upper Bann)
  25. "Westminster election 1992". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 271,049 votes 34.5% 9 MPs (North Belfast, South Belfast, East Antrim, South Antrim, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Lagan Valley, East Londonderry, Strangford, and Upper Bann)
  26. "1997 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 258,439 votes 32.7% 10 MPs (North Belfast, South Belfast, East Antrim, South Antrim, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Lagan Valley, East Londonderry, Strangford, West Tyrone, Upper Bann)
  27. "2001 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 216,839 26.8% 6 MPs (South Belfast, East Antrim, South Antrim, North Down, Lagan Valley, and Upper Bann)
  28. "2005 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 127,314 17.7% 1 MP (North Down)
  29. "2010 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UCUNF 102,631 15.2%
  30. "2015 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 114,935 16.0% +0.8% 2 MPs (South Antrim and Fermanagh and South Tyrone)
  31. "2019 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 93,123 11.7% +1.4%
  32. "2024 Westminster Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 August 2024. UUP 94779 12.2% +0.5%
  33. ^ "Northern Ireland Parliamentary Election Results". election.demon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  34. "Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 1973". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP, pro-White Paper 182,696 votes 25.3% 24 seats
  35. "Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 1973". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP, anti-White Paper 76,094 votes 10.5% 7 seats
  36. "Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention Elections 1975". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP-UUUC 167,214 votes 25.4% +14.9% 19 seats +10
  37. "Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 1982". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 188,277 votes 29.7% +3.9% 26 seats +7
  38. "The 1996 Forum Elections". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 181,829 votes 24.17% 28 + 2 = 30 seats
  39. "Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 1998". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 172,225 votes 21.25% 28 seats
  40. "Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 2003". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 156931 22.7% +1.4% 27 seats -1
  41. "Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 2007". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 103145 14.9% -7.7% 18 seats -9
  42. "Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 2011". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Ulster Unionist Party 87,531 13.2% -1.70% 16 seats -2
  43. "Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 2016". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Ulster Unionist Party 87,302 12.6% (-0.6%) 16 seats -
  44. "Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 2017". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Ulster Unionist Party 103,314 12.9% (+0.3%) 10 seats (-6)
  45. "Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 2022". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Ulster Unionist Party 96,390 11.2% (-1.7%) 9 seats (-1)
  46. "Local Government Elections 1973". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 255187 17.0% 194
  47. "Local Government Elections 1977". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 166971 30.0% 176
  48. "Local Government Elections 1981". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 175965 26.4% 151
  49. "S/2008/000216: Local Government Election Results 1985". eoni.org.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  50. "CAIN: Politics: Elections: Local Government Election (NI) Wednesday 15 May 1985". cain.ulster.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) 188,497 (29.5%)
  51. "Local Government Elections 1989". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 193,064 31.3% 194
  52. "Local Government Elections 1993". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 184082 29% 197 cllrs
  53. "Local Government Elections 1997". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 175,036 28% 185 cllrs
  54. "Local Government Elections 2001". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 181336 23% 154 cllrs
  55. "Local Government Elections 2005". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 126,317 18% 115 cllrs
  56. "Local Government Elections 2011". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Ulster Unionist Party 99 -16 100,643 15.2% -2.7%
  57. "Local Government Elections 2019". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Ulster Unionist Party 75 95,350 14.1% 88 -13 -2.0%
  58. "Local Council Elections 2023". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. UUP 54 75 ⬇ 21
  59. "CBP-9798.pdf" (PDF). researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Ulster Unionist Party 10.9% -3.2% 54 -21
  60. "Local election results 2023 in Northern Ireland". BBC News. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  61. "CAIN: Politics: Elections: European Elections (NI) Thursday 7 June 1979". cain.ulster.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. John Taylor, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) 68,185 (11.9%) Harry West, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) 56,984 (10.0%)
  62. "The 1979 European Election". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Transfers: Stage 6 The UUP's weaker candidate, West, was eliminated (Kilfedder again having a crucial margin of 3,400) and his votes were distributed between Taylor and Kilfedder as follows: 57,059.00 votes (86.6%) were transferred to his running-mate Taylor, taking him to 153,466.36 and over the quota
  63. "The 1984 European Election". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Ulster Unionist Party (John Taylor MP MEP MANI) 147,169 (21.5%)
  64. "CAIN: Politics: Elections: European Election (NI) Thursday 14 June 1984". cain.ulster.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. John Taylor, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), was elected on the second count.
  65. "The 1989 European Election". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Ulster Unionist Party (Jim Nicholson) 118,785 (22.2%)
  66. "CAIN: Politics: Elections: European Election (NI) Thursday 15 June 1989". cain.ulster.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Jim Nicholson, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), was elected on the second count.
  67. "The 1994 European Election". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Ulster Unionist Party (Jim Nicholson MEP) 133,459 (23.8%)
  68. "CAIN: Politics: Elections: European Election (NI) Thursday 9 June 1994". cain.ulster.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Jim Nicholson, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), was elected on the second count.
  69. "The 1999 European Election". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Ulster Unionist Party (Jim Nicholson MEP) 119,507 (17.6%)
  70. "CAIN: Politics: Elections: European Election (NI) Thursday 10 June 1999". cain.ulster.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Jim Nicholson (Ulster Unionist Party) was elected on the third count.
  71. "The 2004 European Election". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Jim Nicholson (UUP) 91,164 (16.6%) down 1.0%.
  72. "CAIN: Politics: Elections: European Election (NI) Thursday 10 June 2004". cain.ulster.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Jim Nicholson (UUP) elected at the third stage.
  73. "The 2009 European Election". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Jim Nicholson, Ulster Conservative and Unionist - 82,893 (17.1%)
  74. "CAIN: Politics: Elections: European Election (NI) Thursday 4 June 2009". cain.ulster.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Jim Nicholson (UCUNF) and Diane Dodds (DUP) elected at the third stage; non-transferable votes 5,463.
  75. "The 2014 European Election". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Jim Nicholson (UUP) 83,438 (13.3%, -3.8%) worst UUP euro result
  76. "CAIN: Politics: Elections: European Election (NI) Thursday 22 May 2014". cain.ulster.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Jim Nicholson elected at the stage 8.
  77. "The 2019 European Election". www.ark.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Third Count - In a miserable result for the Ulster Unionist Party, Kennedy was the next to be eliminated, the first time this had happened for the UUP in a European Parliament election since 1979 (when they had two candidates).
  78. "CAIN: Politics: Elections: European Election (NI) Thursday 23 May 2019". cain.ulster.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2024. Danny Kennedy Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) 53,052 9.27
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