94:
490:, who had been their sole Assembly candidate the last time, in the hope of increasing his profile and building up their local organisation in preparation for a shot at the next election. The battle between McClelland and Meehan attracted much attention as it would indicate the movement of votes within the nationalist community between the two parties, though most agreed that it was always likely for the SDLP to come out on top in the highly middle-class constituency.
471:. With all the Unionist candidates opposed to the Good Friday Agreement to some degree, Ford hoped to gain the support of pro Agreement unionist voters. However, with the Unionist parties fighting fiercely, Ford faced the difficult task of convincing voters that a vote for the Alliance was not wasted, especially when many who supported the Agreement argued that the best realistic result for maintaining it would be for Burnside to win the seat.
27:
311:
300:
202:
191:
236:
513:
and it was always clear that the real contest was between the two
Unionist parties. Away from these two, interest was piqued by the advance of Sinn Féin, overtaking the Alliance in the number of votes won. Many believed that this heralded the former party subsequently taking the latter's Assembly
412:
was selected as the new Ulster
Unionist Party candidate. Burnside claimed to have supported the Agreement at the time of its negotiation but to have since turned against the way in which it was being implemented. However this was at odds with his party's policy. This was seized upon by the
1999:
1138:
1726:
509:
With delays over the selection and the summer holiday intervening, polling day in the by-election was held off until 21 September, allowing extensive campaigning. The constituency is strongly
1131:
561:
422:
351:
109:
400:, with prisoner releases having started, but before the pro-agreement parties had reached an agreement on the shape of a devolved government. After a disputatious selection contest, the
510:
1968:
1683:
1124:
2019:
1719:
1963:
1958:
1953:
1948:
1943:
1938:
1933:
1928:
1923:
1918:
1913:
1908:
1903:
1745:
1678:
1673:
1668:
1663:
1658:
1653:
1648:
1643:
1638:
1633:
1628:
1623:
1618:
1432:
1426:
1286:
1756:
1738:
1712:
2004:
482:. With the constituency overwhelmingly Protestant the SDLP had no chance of winning and much of the spotlight on them concerned their electoral battle with
2009:
1487:
379:
1704:
93:
1830:
515:
418:
2014:
1156:
1749:
1257:
1251:
375:
1871:
1216:
1148:
778:
468:
51:
41:
1881:
1026:
448:). However, during the campaign Boyd withdrew, urging voters not to divide the anti-agreement vote, and supported McCrea. Although the
1978:
1693:
1443:
1222:
1205:
1199:
863:
840:
657:
611:
475:
456:
266:
142:
1512:
1497:
1177:
1072:
1228:
1116:
639:
487:
246:
1819:
433:
1105:
1807:
1785:
1472:
1467:
1438:
1391:
1344:
1973:
1887:
1688:
1574:
1492:
1462:
1457:
1447:
1374:
1338:
1326:
1292:
1280:
1152:
445:
1586:
1452:
1332:
1234:
1847:
1790:
1580:
1540:
1534:
1517:
1507:
1502:
1482:
1477:
1397:
1368:
1362:
1350:
1182:
1172:
498:
1859:
1813:
1780:
1211:
1193:
886:
449:
1774:
1188:
747:
554:
464:
441:
414:
355:
132:
1876:
1853:
1356:
1309:
1297:
868:
662:
460:
251:
1824:
1303:
1263:
999:
808:
754:
588:
397:
372:
340:
137:
501:. This was to be one of the last occasions that the party would fight an election in Northern Ireland.
452:
had secured 8.7% of the vote at the previous general election, they did not stand on this occasion.
1076:
983:
845:
731:
616:
479:
121:
932:
815:
680:
494:
368:
336:
1007:
759:
405:
315:
304:
206:
195:
486:
as a prelude to forthcoming
Assembly elections. Sinn Féin had no Assembly members but ran
1080:
593:
409:
115:
1993:
967:
715:
2000:
By-elections to the
Parliament of the United Kingdom in County Antrim constituencies
911:
634:
483:
426:
261:
437:
384:
235:
1047:
891:
1106:
British
Parliamentary By Elections: Campaign literature from the by-election
425:
in campaigning. McCrea campaigned on a policy of refusal to co-operate with
798:
544:
1110:
401:
1708:
1120:
467:
for the area and who had previously fought the seat in the
1048:"Results of Byelections in the 1997–2002 Parliament"
429:
in the absence of progress on arms decommissioning.
1839:
1799:
1766:
1595:
1566:
1549:
1526:
1418:
1406:
1383:
1318:
1272:
1243:
1164:
478:also ran their local assembly member, in this case
388:was held in the constituency on 21 September 2000.
62:
327:
1720:
1132:
8:
18:
2020:September 2000 events in the United Kingdom
1727:
1713:
1705:
1139:
1125:
1117:
776:
525:
518:, but in the event Ford narrowly held on.
17:
1038:
1750:52nd Parliament of the United Kingdom
1157:House of Commons of the United Kingdom
382:, died on 27 April 2000; as result, a
982:
966:
785:
730:
714:
531:
7:
2005:2000 elections in the United Kingdom
1027:List of United Kingdom by-elections
216:
73:
2010:2000 elections in Northern Ireland
457:Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
14:
1111:A Vision Of Britain Through Time
928:
907:
882:
859:
836:
803:
676:
653:
630:
607:
584:
549:
440:, who was a local member of the
310:
309:
299:
298:
234:
201:
200:
190:
189:
92:
25:
1052:United Kingdom Election Results
434:Northern Ireland Unionist Party
1113:(Constituency elector numbers)
527:2000 South Antrim by-election
1:
2015:20th century in County Antrim
1287:Queen's University of Belfast
773:General Election result, 1997
446:United Kingdom Unionist Party
396:The election arose after the
19:2000 South Antrim by-election
444:(elected as a member of the
2036:
1488:Fermanagh and South Tyrone
1433:Fermanagh and South Tyrone
1427:Fermanagh and South Tyrone
463:, who was a member of the
450:Progressive Unionist Party
1896:
1611:
998:
952:
797:
794:
791:
788:
746:
698:
543:
540:
537:
534:
465:Northern Ireland Assembly
442:Northern Ireland Assembly
415:Democratic Unionist Party
325:
212:
70:
35:
23:
1900:Lists of UK by-elections
1615:Lists of UK by-elections
1831:Kensington and Chelsea
516:next assembly election
1556:September 2000:
779:General election 1997
469:1997 general election
398:Good Friday Agreement
373:Ulster Unionist Party
1355:November 1954:
1343:November 1952:
1325:November 1950:
1291:February 1943:
1285:November 1940:
1279:February 1940:
1258:Fermanagh and Tyrone
1252:Fermanagh and Tyrone
1210:February 1922:
1073:"Election Data 1997"
376:Member of Parliament
1390:October 1963:
1337:October 1952:
1233:January 1929:
1204:January 1922:
984:Registered electors
782:
732:Registered electors
528:
436:initially selected
423:Rev. William McCrea
20:
1882:West Bromwich West
1872:Glasgow Anniesland
1361:August 1955:
1198:August 1921:
1083:on 15 October 2011
1077:Electoral Calculus
1046:Boothroyd, David.
937:Barbara A. Briggs
846:Donovan McClelland
777:
617:Donovan McClelland
526:
480:Donovan McClelland
417:candidate, former
332:MP before election
273:Popular vote
149:Popular vote
122:Donovan McClelland
1987:
1986:
1702:
1701:
1579:March 2013:
1444:January 1986
1437:March 1982:
1396:April 1969:
1373:March 1959:
1349:April 1953:
1308:March 1948:
1250:March 1931:
1223:North Londonderry
1206:South Londonderry
1200:South Londonderry
1018:
1017:
816:Clifford Forsythe
770:
769:
685:David H. Collins
495:Natural Law Party
369:Clifford Forsythe
366:
365:
362:
361:
337:Clifford Forsythe
321:
320:
58:
57:
47:21 September 2000
2027:
1979:Hereditary peers
1974:Northern Ireland
1761:
1752:
1743:
1729:
1722:
1715:
1706:
1694:Hereditary peers
1689:Northern Ireland
1573:June 2011:
1539:June 1995:
1513:Newry and Armagh
1498:East Londonderry
1302:June 1946:
1256:June 1934:
1227:July 1922:
1221:June 1922:
1187:July 1921:
1178:Belfast Duncairn
1171:June 1921:
1159:
1153:Northern Ireland
1141:
1134:
1127:
1118:
1093:
1092:
1090:
1088:
1079:. Archived from
1069:
1063:
1062:
1060:
1058:
1043:
800:
783:
546:
529:
493:In addition the
474:The nationalist
406:public relations
328:
313:
312:
302:
301:
238:
204:
203:
193:
192:
124:
96:
72:
71:
37:
36:
30:
29:
28:
21:
2035:
2034:
2030:
2029:
2028:
2026:
2025:
2024:
1990:
1989:
1988:
1983:
1892:
1835:
1795:
1762:
1757:53rd Parliament
1753:
1744:
1739:51st Parliament
1735:
1733:
1703:
1698:
1607:
1591:
1585:May 2018:
1562:
1545:
1533:May 1990:
1522:
1414:
1402:
1379:
1367:May 1956:
1331:May 1951:
1314:
1268:
1262:May 1939:
1239:
1160:
1147:
1145:
1102:
1097:
1096:
1086:
1084:
1071:
1070:
1066:
1056:
1054:
1045:
1044:
1040:
1035:
1023:
916:Henry Cushinan
781:: South Antrim
775:
524:
507:
394:
354:
349:
339:
334:
326:
213:
120:
31:
26:
24:
12:
11:
5:
2033:
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1897:
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1890:
1884:
1879:
1874:
1868:
1862:
1856:
1850:
1843:
1841:
1837:
1836:
1834:
1833:
1827:
1822:
1820:Hamilton South
1816:
1810:
1803:
1801:
1797:
1796:
1794:
1793:
1788:
1783:
1777:
1770:
1768:
1764:
1763:
1734:
1732:
1731:
1724:
1717:
1709:
1700:
1699:
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1422:
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1410:
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1403:
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1400:
1394:
1387:
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1381:
1380:
1378:
1377:
1371:
1365:
1359:
1353:
1347:
1341:
1335:
1329:
1322:
1320:
1316:
1315:
1313:
1312:
1306:
1300:
1295:
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1283:
1276:
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1270:
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1266:
1260:
1254:
1247:
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1241:
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1225:
1219:
1214:
1208:
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1191:
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1166:
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1439:Belfast South
1436:
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1431:August 1981:
1430:
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1424:
1423:
1421:
1417:
1413:
1409:
1405:
1399:
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1392:Belfast South
1389:
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576:
574:
571:
569:
566:
564:
563:
559:
557:
556:
552:
550:
530:
521:
519:
517:
512:
504:
502:
500:
499:David Collins
496:
491:
489:
488:Martin Meehan
485:
481:
477:
472:
470:
466:
462:
458:
453:
451:
447:
443:
439:
435:
430:
428:
424:
420:
416:
411:
407:
403:
399:
391:
389:
387:
386:
381:
377:
374:
370:
358:
357:
353:
348:
345:
343:
342:
338:
333:
330:
329:
324:
317:
308:
306:
297:
294:
293:
289:
286:
283:
282:
278:
275:
272:
271:
268:
265:
263:
260:
257:
256:
253:
250:
248:
247:Martin Meehan
245:
242:
241:
237:
233:
231:
228:
227:
223:
221:Fourth party
220:
217:
211:
208:
199:
197:
188:
186:
183:
180:
179:
175:
172:
170:
167:
164:
163:
159:
156:
154:
151:
148:
147:
144:
141:
139:
136:
134:
131:
128:
127:
123:
119:
117:
114:
112:
111:
107:
104:
103:
100:
98:
95:
91:
88:
87:
83:
81:Second party
80:
77:
74:
69:
65:
61:
54: →
53:
50:
48:
45:
43:
40:←
39:
38:
34:
22:
16:
1969:2010–present
1888:Falkirk West
1866:South Antrim
1865:
1755:
1746:By-elections
1737:
1684:2010–present
1603:None to date
1602:
1575:Belfast West
1558:South Antrim
1557:
1493:Lagan Valley
1463:Belfast East
1458:Antrim South
1448:Antrim North
1425:April 1981:
1411:
1375:Belfast East
1339:North Antrim
1327:Belfast West
1293:Belfast West
1281:Belfast East
1149:By-elections
1085:. Retrieved
1081:the original
1067:
1055:. Retrieved
1051:
1041:
1002:
946:
902:
831:
826:
821:
814:
807:
750:
708:
578:
577:
572:
567:
560:
553:
514:seat in the
508:
492:
473:
454:
431:
395:
383:
380:South Antrim
367:
350:
346:
335:
331:
224:Fifth party
184:
168:
152:
108:
84:Third party
78:First party
46:
15:
1886:December:
1864:September:
1818:September:
1587:West Tyrone
1453:Antrim East
1333:Londonderry
1235:Londonderry
933:Natural Law
681:Natural Law
438:Norman Boyd
385:by-election
284:Percentage
165:Percentage
1994:Categories
1870:November:
1848:Ceredigion
1846:February:
1829:November:
1791:Winchester
1779:November:
1581:Mid Ulster
1541:North Down
1535:Upper Bann
1518:Upper Bann
1508:Strangford
1503:Mid Ulster
1483:Down South
1478:Down North
1398:Mid Ulster
1369:Mid Ulster
1363:Mid Ulster
1351:North Down
1229:North Down
1217:North Down
1183:North Down
1173:Mid Armagh
1087:18 October
1033:References
892:Hugh Smyth
869:David Ford
789:Candidate
663:David Ford
535:Candidate
511:Protestant
461:David Ford
419:Mid-Ulster
408:executive
392:Candidates
347:Elected MP
252:David Ford
243:Candidate
105:Candidate
1964:1979–2010
1959:1950–1979
1954:1931–1950
1949:1918–1931
1944:1900–1918
1939:1885–1900
1934:1868–1885
1929:1857–1868
1924:1847–1857
1919:1832–1847
1914:1818–1832
1909:1806–1818
1904:1801–1806
1860:Tottenham
1814:Eddisbury
1781:Beckenham
1679:1979–2010
1674:1950–1979
1669:1931–1950
1664:1918–1931
1659:1900–1918
1654:1885–1900
1649:1868–1885
1644:1857–1868
1639:1847–1857
1634:1832–1847
1629:1818–1832
1624:1806–1818
1619:1801–1806
1212:West Down
1194:West Down
1057:5 October
953:Majority
912:Sinn Féin
699:Majority
635:Sinn Féin
497:selected
484:Sinn Féin
459:selected
427:Sinn Féin
262:Sinn Féin
1775:Uxbridge
1189:Mid Down
1021:See also
864:Alliance
658:Alliance
505:Campaign
267:Alliance
1877:Preston
1754:»
1748:to the
1736:«
1155:to the
988:69,512
972:40,195
968:Turnout
956:16,611
822:23,108
736:71,047
720:30,567
716:Turnout
598:10,779
568:11,601
522:Results
404:-based
229:
218:
157:10,779
89:
75:
63:Turnout
1858:June:
1854:Romsey
1812:July:
1806:June:
1773:July:
1760:»
1742:«
1357:Armagh
1310:Armagh
1298:Antrim
962:−16.8
919:2,229
896:3,490
873:4,668
850:6,497
832:−13.9
792:Votes
786:Party
726:−14.8
667:2,031
644:2,611
621:3,496
604:−22.2
538:Votes
532:Party
402:London
371:, the
295:Swing
279:2,031
276:2,611
258:Party
181:Swing
176:11.4%
173:35.3%
160:3,496
153:11,601
129:Party
1852:May:
1825:Wigan
1596:2020s
1567:2010s
1550:2000s
1527:1990s
1419:1980s
1407:1970s
1384:1960s
1319:1950s
1273:1920s
1244:1930s
1165:1920s
1012:-8.2
1008:Swing
978:−5.1
975:57.8
959:41.3
925:+2.5
879:+0.7
876:11.6
856:+3.4
853:16.2
827:57.5
764:-5.7
760:Swing
753:from
723:43.0
694:−0.3
673:−5.0
650:+3.0
627:−4.7
624:11.4
601:35.3
573:38.0
290:6.6%
287:8.5%
169:38.0%
1840:2000
1800:1999
1767:1997
1412:None
1304:Down
1264:Down
1089:2015
1059:2015
1003:hold
943:0.5
940:203
922:5.5
899:9.0
841:SDLP
751:gain
705:2.7
702:822
691:0.2
670:6.6
647:8.5
612:SDLP
476:SDLP
455:The
432:The
378:for
194:22.2
143:SDLP
52:2001
42:1997
1151:in
1000:UUP
947:New
903:New
887:PUP
809:UUP
755:UUP
748:DUP
709:N/A
688:49
589:UUP
579:New
555:DUP
421:MP
356:DUP
341:UUP
314:5.0
303:3.0
205:4.7
185:New
138:UUP
133:DUP
66:43%
1996::
1446::
1075:.
1050:.
799:±%
795:%
545:±%
541:%
316:pp
305:pp
207:pp
196:pp
1728:e
1721:t
1714:v
1140:e
1133:t
1126:v
1091:.
1061:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
