1945 Northern Ireland general election

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1945 Northern Ireland general election
Ulster Banner.svg
  1938 14 June 1945 1949  

All 52 seats to the House of Commons of Northern Ireland
27 seats were needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
  Sir Basil Brooke, 10 February 1941.png Judge TJ Campbell.jpg
Leader Basil Brooke T. J. Campbell
Party Ulster Unionist Nationalist
Leader since1 May 194318 January 1934
Leader's seat Lisnaskea Belfast Central
Last election39 seats, 56.8%8 seats, 4.9%
Seats won33 [u 1] 10 [n 1]
Seat changeDecrease2.svg6Increase2.svg2
Popular vote180,34232,546
Percentage50.4%9.1%
SwingDecrease2.svg6.4%Increase2.svg4.2%

 Third partyFourth party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
Leader Paddy Agnew Harry Midgley
Party NI Labour Commonwealth Labour
Leader since19381942
Leader's seat South Armagh (defeated) Belfast Willowfield
Last election1 seat, 5.7%Did not stand
Seats won21
Seat changeIncrease2.svg1Increase2.svg1
Popular vote66,05328,079
Percentage18.5%7.8%
SwingIncrease2.svg12.8%New party

1945 Northern Ireland Assembly Election Results Map.svg
Percentage of seats gained by each of the party

Prime Minister before election

Basil Brooke
Ulster Unionist

Prime Minister after election

Basil Brooke
Ulster Unionist

The 1945 Northern Ireland general election was held on 14 June 1945. The election saw significant losses for the Ulster Unionist Party, though they retained their majority.

Contents

20 MPs were elected unopposed (38%), the vast majority of whom were Ulster Unionists. Four MPs affiliated with the labour movement were elected, a new record that would not be surpassed until 1958. [nb 1]

Results

3310225
UUPNationalistLIUOth
1945 Northern Ireland general election
Northern Irish general election 1945.svg
PartyCandidatesVotes
StoodElectedGainedUnseatedNet % of total %No.Net %
  Ulster Unionist 413306-663.550.4180,342-6.4
  NI Labour 1522 1 +13.818.566,053+12.8
  Nationalist 111020+219.29.132,546+4.2
  Commonwealth Labour 6 1 1 0+11.97.828,079N/A
  Ind. Unionist 52 1 1 03.85.017,906-1.8
  Communist (NI) 300003.512,456N/A
  Independent Labour 2 1 0001.92.89,872+1.1
  Socialist Republican 2 1 1 0+11.91.55,497N/A
  Federation of Labour 1 00001.13,912N/A
  Independent 2220+23.80.31,219-1.9

Electorate: 845,964 (509,098 in contested seats); Turnout: 70.3% (357,882).

Votes summary

Popular vote
Ulster Unionist
50.39%
Labour
18.46%
Nationalist Party
9.09%
Commonwealth Labour
7.85%
Independent Unionist
5.00%
Communist
3.48%
Independent Labour
2.76%
Socialist Republican
1.54%
Federation of Labour
1.09%
Independent
0.34%

Seats summary

Parliamentary seats
Ulster Unionist
63.46%
Nationalist Party
19.23%
Independent Unionist
3.85%
Labour
3.85%
Independent Labour
1.92%
Commonwealth Labour
1.92%
Socialist Republican
1.92%
Independent
3.85%

Contested seats

Only 32 of the 52 seats (62%) were actually contested.

1945 Northern Ireland general election (contested seats)
PartyPopular voteCandidates
Votes%StoodElected%
Ulster Unionist 180,34250.4282062.5
Labour 66,05318.51526.3
Nationalist 32,5469.15412.5
Commonwealth Labour 28,0797.8613.1
Ind. Unionist 17,9065.0413.1
Communist 12,4563.530
Ind. Labour 9,8722.8213.1
Socialist Republican 5,4971.521
Federation of Labour 3,9121.110
Independent 1,2190.3226.3
Total357,88270.36832

Uncontested seats

In 20 of the 52 seats (38%), only one candidate stood and they were elected unopposed without any votes cast. The vast majority of the MPs elected without a contest were Ulster Unionists.

1945 Northern Ireland general election (uncontested seats)
Party Popular vote Candidates
Votes % Stood Elected %
Ulster Unionist Unopposed131365.0
Nationalist Unopposed6 6 30.0
Ind. Unionist Unopposed1 1 5.0
Total 20 20 100

Footnotes

  1. 2 seats for the Northern Ireland Labour Party, one seat for the Commonwealth Labour Party and one Independent Labour MP.

See also

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References

    1. Includes 13 members elected unopposed.
    1. Includes 6 members elected unopposed.