1986 South Antrim by-election

The 1986 South Antrim by-election was one of the fifteen 1986 Northern Ireland by-elections held on 23 January 1986, to fill vacancies in the Parliament of the United Kingdom caused by the resignation in December 1985 of all sitting Unionist Members of Parliament (MPs). The MPs, from the Ulster Unionist Party, Democratic Unionist Party and Ulster Popular Unionist Party, did this to highlight their opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Each of their parties agreed not to contest seats previously held by the others, and each outgoing MP stood for re-election.

1986 South Antrim by-election

← 1983 23 Jan 1986 1987 →

Constituency of South Antrim
Turnout53.5% (Decrease 12.0%)
  First party Second party
 
FTAIA
Candidate Clifford Forsythe "Peter Barry"
Party UUP "For the Anglo-Irish Agreement"
Popular vote 30,087 1,870
Percentage 94.1% 5.9%
Swing Increase 48.4% New

MP before election

Clifford Forsythe
UUP

Subsequent MP

Clifford Forsythe
UUP

1986 South Antrim by-election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP Clifford Forsythe 30,087 94.1 +48.4
"For the Anglo-Irish Agreement" "Peter Barry" (Wesley Robert Williamson)[2] 1,870 5.9 N/A
Majority 28,217 88.2 +70.8
Turnout 31,957 53.5 −12.0
Registered electors 60,780
UUP hold Swing

References

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  1. ^ Results of Byelections in the 1983-87 Parliament Archived 5 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine in the United Kingdom Election Results website Archived 7 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine maintained by David Boothroyd
  2. ^ Nicholas Whyte (13 May 2003). "Westminster by-elections, 23 January 1986". Northern Ireland Social and Political Archive. Retrieved 31 December 2016.

Other References

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