is a
Parliamentary Constituency in the
House Of Commons and also an Assembly constituency in the
Northern Ireland Assembly .
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 district of
Lisburn .
At the time of writing the
Boundary Commission has proposed alterations for the boundaries of constituencies in Northern Ireland. Belfast West currently has one of the smallest electorates of any constituency in Northern Ireland and it is proposed to expand it further into
Lisburn , taking in areas currently contained in
Lagan Valley .
Not included in the proposals is a common suggestion to reunite the five wards centred on the
Shankill Road which are currently split between Belfast West and
Belfast North . At the boundary commission hearings in September 2005, the issue of transferring the Crumlin and Woodvale wards to West Belfast to unite the Greater Shankill was raised by Alliance and a private individual but was vociferously opposed by the DUP led by local MP Nigel Dodds and to a lesser extent by the Ulster Unionists. Both the SDLP and Sinn Fein had little to say on the latter issue and neither opposed nor supported it. Additionally while the Belfast DUP, represented at the enquiry by Nigel Dodds MP, supported the retention of the status quo, Jeffrey Donaldson MP for Lagan Valley as well as numerous local residents (in a petition submitted to the Commission) opposed the addition of the Dunmurry and Seymour Hill areas.
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
John 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 indeed 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. This 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 Westminster seat. Few expect Sinn Féin to lose the seat again for many years.
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 .
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
| |
Alex Attwood
|
| |
5,033
|
| |
146
|
| |
-43
|
|
| |
Democratic Unionist Party
|
| |
Diane Dodds
|
| |
3,652
|
| |
106
|
| |
+42
|
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
| |
Chris McGimpsey
|
| |
779
|
| |
23
|
| |
-39
|
|
| |
Workers Party (Ireland)
|
| |
John Lowry
|
| |
432
|
| |
13
|
| |
-05
|
|
| |
Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket
|
| |
Lynda Gilby
|
| |
154
|
| |
04
|
| |
+02
|
|
| |
Independent
|
| |
Liam Kennedy
|
| |
147
|
| |
04
|
| |
+04
|
|
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
| |
Alex Attwood
|
| |
7,754
|
| |
189
|
| |
-198
|
|
| |
Democratic Unionist Party
|
| |
Eric Smyth
|
| |
2,641
|
| |
64
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
| |
Chris McGimpsey
|
| |
2,541
|
| |
62
|
| |
+28
|
|
| |
Workers Party (Ireland)
|
| |
John Lowry
|
| |
736
|
| |
18
|
| |
+02
|
|
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
| |
Joe Hendron
|
| |
17,753
|
| |
387
|
| |
- 49
|
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
| |
Fred Parkinson
|
| |
1,556
|
| |
34
|
|
| |
Workers Party (Ireland)
|
| |
John Lowry
|
| |
721
|
| |
16
|
| |
- 03
|
|
| |
Human Rights
|
| |
Liam Kennedy
|
| |
102
|
| |
02
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Natural Law Party
|
| |
Mary Daly
|
| |
91
|
| |
02
|
| |
- 03
|
|
| |
Sinn Féin
|
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
|
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
| |
Joe Hendron
|
| |
17,415
|
| |
436
|
| |
+ 79
|
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
| |
J Cobain
|
| |
4,766
|
|
| |
Workers Party (Ireland)
|
| |
John Lowry
|
| |
750
|
| |
19
|
| |
- 25
|
|
| |
Natural Law Party
|
| |
M Kennedy
|
| |
213
|
| |
05
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
| |
Sinn Féin
|
|
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
| |
Joe Hendron
|
| |
14,641
|
| |
357
|
| |
+ 94
|
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
| |
F Miller
|
| |
7,646
|
| |
187
|
| |
+ 129
|
|
| |
Workers Party (Ireland)
|
| |
John Lowry
|
| |
1,819
|
| |
44
|
| |
- 01
|
|
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
| |
Joe Hendron
|
| |
10,934
|
| |
261
|
| |
- 144
|
|
| |
Independent Socialist
|
| |
Gerry Fitt
|
| |
10,326
|
| |
246
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Workers Party (Ireland)
|
| |
M McMahon
|
| |
1,893
|
| |
45
|
| |
- 24
|
|
| |
Sinn Féin
|
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
|
Following the 1979 election, Fitt became increasingly at odds with the SDLP and left it, continuing to sit as an independent socialist.
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
| |
Gerry Fitt
|
| |
16,480
|
| |
405
|
| |
- 85
|
|
| |
Democratic Unionist Party
|
| |
W Dickson
|
| |
3,716
|
| |
112
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Republican Clubs
|
| |
B Brennan
|
| |
2,284
|
| |
69
|
| |
- 11
|
|
| |
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
|
| |
J Cousins
|
| |
2,024
|
| |
61
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Northern Ireland Labour Party
|
| |
D Peters
|
| |
540
|
| |
16
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
|
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
| |
Gerry Fitt
|
| |
21,821
|
| |
490
|
| |
+ 80
|
|
| |
Republican Clubs
|
| |
K O'Kane
|
| |
3,547
|
| |
80
|
| |
+ 15
|
|
| |
Communist Party of Ireland (Marxist-Leninist)
|
| |
P Kerins
|
| |
203
|
| |
05
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
|
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
| |
Gerry Fitt
|
| |
19,554
|
| |
410
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Republican Clubs
|
| |
J Brady
|
| |
3,088
|
| |
65
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Northern Ireland Labour Party
|
| |
W Boyd
|
| |
1,989
|
| |
42
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Social Democratic and Labour Party
|
| |
Republican Labour Party
|
|
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.
| |
Republican Labour Party
|
| |
Gerry Fitt
|
| |
30,649
|
| |
528
|
| |
+ 08
|
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
| |
B McRoberts
|
| |
27,451
|
| |
473
|
| |
- 07
|
|
| |
Republican Labour Party
|
| |
Gerry Fitt
|
| |
26,292
|
| |
520
|
| |
+ 237
|
|
| |
Republican Labour Party
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
|
| |
Northern Ireland Labour Party
|
| |
W Boyd
|
| |
12,579
|
| |
243
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Sinn Féin
|
| |
T Heenan
|
| |
4,416
|
| |
83
|
| |
- 61
|
|
| |
Sinn Féin
|
| |
E Boyce
|
| |
8,447
|
| |
144
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
| |
Irish Labour Party
|
|
| |
Irish Labour Party
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
|
| |
Sinn Féin
|
| |
J Steele
|
| |
1,482
|
| |
22
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
| |
Independent (politican)
|
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
| |
S K Cunningham
|
| |
26,729
|
| |
465
|
| |
- 161
|
|
| |
Independent (politican)
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
|
| |
Northern Ireland Labour Party
|
| |
Jack Beattie
|
| |
19,936
|
| |
462
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
| |
S K Cunningham
|
| |
14,426
|
| |
334
|
| |
- 292
|
|
| |
UIUA
|
| |
W M Milton
|
| |
7,551
|
| |
175
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Northern Ireland Labour Party
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
|
''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.
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
| |
WED Allen
|
| |
33,274
|
| |
579
|
| |
+ 34
|
|
| |
Independent Republican
|
| |
F MacDermot
|
| |
24,177
|
| |
421
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
| |
R J Lynn
|
| |
28,435
|
| |
545
|
| |
+ 16
|
|
| |
Sinn Féin
|
| |
P Nash
|
| |
2,688
|
| |
51
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
| |
Ulster Unionist Party
|
| |
R J Lynn
|
| |
24,975
|
| |
529
|
| |
''N/A''
|
|
In the
1922 General Election ,
R. J. Lynn was elected unopposed.
The six MLAs for the constituency elected in the
2003 Election are:
In the
1998 Election the six MLAs elected were:
In the
1996 election to the Northern Ireland Peace Forum, 5 Forum members were elected from North Belfast. They were as follows:
In
1982 elections were held for an Assembly for Northern Ireland to hold the
Secretary Of State to account, in the hope that this would be the first step towards restoring devolution. West Belfast elected 4 members as follows:
In
1975 elections were held to a Constitutional Convention which sought (unsuccessfully) to generate a consensus on the future of the province. The six members elected from West Belfast were:
In
1973 elections were held to the Assembly set up under the
Sunningdale Agreement . The six members elected from West Belfast were:
