Strangford (UK Parliament constituency)

Strangford (Irish: Loch Cuan, Ulster Scots: Strangfurd) is a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The seat is currently vacant due to the dissolution of parliament ahead of the 2024 United Kingdom general election.

Constituency profile

Strangford covers the settlements either side of Strangford Lough.

The seat is strongly unionist, and one of 7 areas of Northern Ireland which voted to leave the European Union.

Boundaries

The seat was created after boundary changes in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from parts of North Down. At its creation the constituency was formed from the local government district of Ards, and the Castlereagh districts of Beechill, Fourwinds, Hillfoot, Lower Braniel, Minnowburn, Moneyreagh, Newtownbreda, and Upper Braniel.

In 1995, the Commission controversially recommended abolishing the constituency and dividing it between North Down and new constituencies of Mid Down, and Castlereagh and Newtownards. This was successfully opposed in local enquiries and from the 1997 general election it was made up of parts of the districts of Ards, Castlereagh and Down.

For the 2010 general election the electoral wards which make up the constituency are:

• Ballygowan, Ballyrainey, Ballywalter, Ballyhalbert, Bradshaw's Brae, Carrowdore, Central, Comber East, Comber North, Comber West, Glen, Gregstown, Killinchy, Kircubbin, Lisbane, Loughries, Movilla, Portaferry, Portavogie, Scrabo and Whitespots, from the Ards district.
• From the Down district; Ballymaglave, Ballynahinch East, Derryboy, Killyleagh, Kilmore and Saintfield
• The Moneyreagh ward from Castlereagh district

For the 2024 general election, boundaries have changed. The current electoral wards are:

History

For the history of the equivalent constituencies prior to 1950 please see Down (UK Parliament constituency) and from 1950 until 1983, please see North Down.

The constituency has been represented by Unionist candidates since it was formed. There have not been significant votes for parties outside the traditional unionist block, although the Alliance has saved its deposit in every election.

The main interest in elections has been the contest between the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Until 2001, the UUP were clearly ahead of the DUP in the Westminster elections, but elections to regional assemblies and local government were much closer. In 2001 the sitting MP John Taylor stood down and the contest to succeed him was fierce. The seat was won by Iris Robinson for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the subsequent 2003 assembly election saw the DUP increase their vote further.

Members of Parliament

The first Member of Parliament for the seat was John Taylor of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). After the 2001 general election, he was succeeded by Iris Robinson (the wife of Peter Robinson) of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Robinson resigned in January 2010 after a scandal involving financial dealings. However, no by-election was held, as the next general election was held in May.

^* Note: Iris Robinson left the DUP shortly before taking Chiltern Hundreds to leave the Commons. The seat was vacant from 13 January 2010 until the general election on 6 May 2010.

Election results

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

Elections in the 1980s

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland

References

External links

• Politics Resources (Election results from 1922 onwards)
• Electoral Calculus (Election results from 1955 onwards)
• 2017 Election House Of Commons Library 2017 Election report
• A Vision Of Britain Through Time (Constituency elector numbers)
• Politics Resources
• Strangford UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
• Strangford UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK

1. Strangford (Assembly constituency)
2. Strangford (disambiguation)
3. South Down (UK Parliament constituency)
4. Lagan Valley (UK Parliament constituency)
5. North Down (UK Parliament constituency)
6. Constituencies of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
7. Belfast South (UK Parliament constituency)
8. Belfast East (UK Parliament constituency)
9. List of United Kingdom Parliament constituencies (2024–present) by region
10. United Kingdom constituencies
11. 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies
12. List of parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland
13. List of MPs elected in the 2005 United Kingdom general election
14. Belfast South and Mid Down (UK Parliament constituency)
15. List of MPs elected in the 2019 United Kingdom general election
16. List of United Kingdom Parliament constituencies (1983–1997)
17. Reform UK–TUV alliance
18. List of MPs for constituencies in Northern Ireland (2019–2024)
19. List of United Kingdom Parliament constituencies (1983–1997) by region
20. 2024 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland