1951 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland

On 25 October 1951, the 1951 United Kingdom general election was held in Northern Ireland, to elect all 625 members of the House of Commons, including the 12 Northern Ireland seats in single-seat constituencies using first-past-the-post.

The Ulster Unionists lost one seat to Jack Beattie, formerly an Independent Labour MP but now standing for the Irish Labour Party. Four Ulster Unionist candidates were returned unopposed, the last UK general election in which any candidates were so returned. The Nationalists also lost one seat to retirement. It was gained by Michael O'Neill, an independent Nationalist.F. W. S. Craig. British Parliamentary Election Results: 1950-1970. p. 686.

In the election as a whole, the Labour Party government led by Clement Attlee, which had won with a narrow majority in the previous election, lost out to the Conservative Party, which included the Ulster Unionists, led by Sir Winston Churchill, who returned as Prime Minister.

Candidates

Affiliation CandidatesUlster Unionist Party 12Northern Ireland Labour Party 4Irish Labour 1Independent Nationalist 1Nationalist 1Independent Republican (Ireland) 1Total 20

Results

+PartySeatsAggregate votes Total Gains Losses Net Of all (%) Total Of all (%) Difference 9 0 1 1 75.0 274,928 59.4 3.4 1 1 0 1 8.3 33,174 7.2 2.2 1 colspan="2" 1 8.3 33,097 7.1 1 0 1 1 8.3 32,714 7.1 4.5 0 0 0 — 62,324 13.5 1.4 0 0 0 — 26,976 5.8 1.9 Total 12 0 100.0 463,213 100.0 0.0 Registered voters, and turnout 871,905 79.9 2.5

MPs elected Constituency Party MPAntrim NorthUlster UnionistHugh O'NeillAntrim SouthUlster UnionistDouglas SavoryArmaghUlster UnionistRichard HardenBelfast EastUlster UnionistAlan McKibbinBelfast NorthUlster UnionistH. Montgomery HydeBelfast SouthUlster UnionistConolly GageBelfast WestIrish LabourJack BeattieDown NorthUlster UnionistWalter SmilesDown SouthUlster UnionistLawrence OrrFermanagh and South TyroneNationalistCahir HealyLondonderryUlster UnionistWilliam WellwoodUlster MidInd. NationalistMichael O'Neill

Notes

See also 1951 United Kingdom general election in England 1951 United Kingdom general election in Scotland 1951 United Kingdom general election in Wales

References