Lagan Valley (UK Parliament constituency)

Last updated

Lagan Valley
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Lagan Valley (UK Parliament constituency)
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
LaganValley2024Constituency.svg
Location within Northern Ireland
Districts of Northern Ireland
Major settlements Lisburn
Current constituency
Created 1983
Member of Parliament Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance)
Seats1
Created from

Lagan Valley is a Northern Ireland parliamentary constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom covering the area of the Lagan Valley including the south part of County Antrim and the north-west part of County Down.

Contents

Its MP since the 2024 general election is Sorcha Eastwood of the Alliance Party. [2] This was the first time since its creation it did not elect a unionist MP.

Lagan Valley (UK Parliament constituency)
Map of boundaries 2010–2024

Boundaries

The seat was created in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from parts of South Antrim and North Down in the area of the River Lagan. In their original proposals, in January 1980, the boundary commission proposed calling it "Lagan". In further revisions in 1995 it lost some areas to both Belfast West and Strangford.

1983–1997The district of Lisburn, and in the borough of Castlereagh the ward of Carryduff. [3]
1997–2010In the district of Lisburn, the wards of Ballinderry, Ballymacash, Ballymacbrennan, Ballymacoss, Blaris, Derryaghy, Dromara, Drumbo, Dunmurry, Glenavy, Harmony Hill, Hilden, Hillhall, Hillsborough, Knockmore, Lagan Valley, Lambeg, Lisnagarvey, Maghaberry, Magheralave, Maze, Moira, Old Warren, Seymour Hill, Tonagh, and Wallace Park;

and in the district of Banbridge, the wards of Dromore North, Dromore South, Gransha, and Quilly. [4]

2010–2024In the district of Banbridge, the wards of Dromore North, Dromore South, Gransha, and Quilly and the Ballynahatty and Edenderry parts of the Belvoir ward of the City of Belfast; and

in the city of Lisburn, the wards of Ballinderry, Ballymacash, Ballymacbrennan, Ballymacoss, Blaris, Dromara, Drumbo, Harmony Hill, Hilden, Hillhall, Hillsborough, Knockmore, Lagan Valley, Lambeg, Lisnagarvey, Maghaberry, Magheralave, Maze, Moira, Old Warren, Seymour Hill, Tonagh, Wallace Park, and that part of Derryaghy ward lying to the south and east of the Derryaghy and Lagmore townland boundary. [5]

2024–In the district of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, the wards of Aghagallon, the part of the Donaghcloney ward to the east of the western boundary of the 2010–2024 Lagan Valley constituency, Dromore, the part of the Gransha ward to the north of the southern boundary of the 2010–2024 Lagan Valley constituency, Magheralin, and Quilly; and

in the district of Lisburn and Castlereagh, the wards of Ballinderry, Ballymacash, Ballymacbrennan, Ballymacoss, Blaris, Dromara, Harmony Hill, Hilden, Hillhall, Hillsborough, Knockmore, Lagan, Lagan Valley, Lambeg, Lisnagarvey, Maghaberry, Magheralave, Maze, Moira, Old Warren, Ravernet, Wallace Park, and White Mountain. [6]

Members of Parliament

MPs from Lagan Valley have included two party leaders: James Molyneaux, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party from 1979 to 1995 (having represented South Antrim from 1970 to 1979), and Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party from 2021 to 2024, when he resigned as party leader and was suspended as a party member. [7]

ElectionMP [8] Party
1983 James Molyneaux [a] UUP
1986 b
1987
1992
1997 Jeffrey Donaldson [b] UUP
2001
2004 DUP
2005
2010
2015
2017
2019
2024 Ind. Unionist [9]
2024 Sorcha Eastwood Alliance
  1. Knighted in 1996.
  2. Knighted in 2016.

Elections

Lagan Valley Parliamentary.png

Elections in the 2020s

2024 general election: Lagan Valley [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Alliance Sorcha Eastwood 18,618 37.9 +10.8
DUP Jonathan Buckley 15,65931.9−11.5
UUP Robbie Butler 11,15722.7+4.2
TUV Lorna Smyth2,1864.5New
SDLP Simon Lee1,0282.1−2.0
Green (NI) Patricia Denvir4330.9New
Majority 2,9596.0N/A
Turnout 49,08160.0−0.2
Registered electors 82,201
Alliance gain from DUP Swing +11.15

Elections in the 2010s

2019 general election: Lagan Valley [15] [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DUP Jeffrey Donaldson 19,586 43.1 −16.5
Alliance Sorcha Eastwood 13,08728.8+17.7
UUP Robbie Butler 8,60619.0+2.2
SDLP Ally Haydock1,7583.9−3.6
Sinn Féin Gary McCleave1,0982.4−1.1
NI Conservatives Gary Hynds9552.1+1.1
UKIP Alan Love3150.7New
Majority 6,49914.3−28.5
Turnout 45,40560.0−2.2
Registered electors 75,675
DUP hold Swing −17.1

This seat saw a swing towards the Alliance Party of over 17%, and the largest decrease in vote share for the DUP at the 2019 general election. [16]

2017 general election: Lagan Valley [17] [18] [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DUP Jeffrey Donaldson 26,762 59.6 +11.7
UUP Robbie Butler 7,53316.8+1.6
Alliance Aaron McIntyre4,99611.1−2.8
SDLP Pat Catney 3,3847.5+1.2
Sinn Féin Jacqui Russell1,5673.5+0.6
NI Conservatives Ian Nickels4621.0−0.6
Independent Jonny Orr2220.5−1.4
Majority 19,22942.8+10.1
Turnout 45,04462.2+6.3
Registered electors 72,380
DUP hold Swing +5.1
2015 general election: Lagan Valley [20] [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DUP Jeffrey Donaldson 19,055 47.9 −1.9
UUP Alexander Redpath6,05515.2−5.9
Alliance Trevor Lunn 5,54413.9+2.5
SDLP Pat Catney 2,5006.3+1.3
UKIP Alan Love2,2005.5New
TUV Samuel Morrison1,8874.7−3.9
Sinn Féin Jacqui McGeough1,1442.9−1.1
Independent Jonny Orr7561.9New
NI Conservatives Helen Osborne6541.6New
Majority 13,00032.7+4.0
Turnout 39,79555.9−0.1
Registered electors 71,152
DUP hold Swing +2.0
2010 general election: Lagan Valley [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DUP Jeffrey Donaldson 18,199 49.8 −8.5
UCU-NF Daphne Trimble 7,71321.1−1.8
Alliance Trevor Lunn 4,17411.4+0.5
TUV Keith Harbinson3,1548.6+8.6
SDLP Brian Heading1,8355.0−1.1
Sinn Féin Paul Butler 1,4654.0−3.5
Majority 10,48628.7−4.5
Turnout 36,54056.0−4.2
Registered electors 65,257
DUP hold Swing −3.4

Elections in the 2000s

2005 general election: Lagan Valley [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
DUP Jeffrey Donaldson 23,289 54.7 +41.3
UUP Basil McCrea 9,17221.5−35.0
Alliance Seamus Close 4,31610.1−6.5
Sinn Féin Paul Butler 3,1977.5+1.6
SDLP Patricia Lewsley 2,5986.1−1.4
Majority 14,11733.2N/A
Turnout 42,57260.2−3.0
Registered electors 70,238
DUP gain from UUP Swing +38.1
2001 general election: Lagan Valley [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UUP Jeffrey Donaldson 25,966 56.5 +1.1
Alliance Seamus Close 7,62416.6−0.6
DUP Edwin Poots 6,16413.4−0.2
SDLP Patricia Lewsley 3,4627.5−0.3
Sinn Féin Paul Butler 2,7255.9+3.4
Majority 18,34239.9−1.7
Turnout 45,94163.2+1.1
Registered electors 72,671
UUP hold Swing +0.9

Elections in the 1990s

1997 general election: Lagan Valley [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UUP Jeffrey Donaldson 24,560 55.4 −5.4
Alliance Seamus Close 7,63517.2+4.5
DUP Edwin Poots 6,00513.6New
SDLP Dolores Kelly 3,4367.8−1.7
NI Conservatives Stuart E. Sexton1,2122.7−6.3
Sinn Féin Sue Ramsey 1,1102.5+0.4
Workers' Party Frances McCarthy2030.5−0.7
Natural Law Hugh Finlay1490.3New
Majority 16,92538.2−9.9
Turnout 44,31062.1−5.2
Registered electors 71,341
UUP hold Swing −8.5
1992 general election: Lagan Valley [26]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UUP James Molyneaux 29,772 60.8 −9.2
Alliance Seamus Close 6,20712.7−1.1
SDLP Hugh Lewsley4,6269.5+2.6
NI Conservatives Timothy R. Coleridge4,4239.0New
Sinn Féin Patrick Joseph Rice3,3466.8+0.4
Workers' Party Ann Marie Lowry5821.2−1.7
Majority 23,56548.1−8.1
Turnout 48,95667.3+2.9
Registered electors 72,645
UUP hold Swing

Elections in the 1980s

1987 general election: Lagan Valley [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UUP James Molyneaux 29,101 70.0 +10.8
Alliance Seamus Close 5,72813.8+2.5
SDLP Billy McDonnell2,8886.9+0.5
Sinn Féin Patrick Joseph Rice2,6566.4+2.1
Workers' Party John Lowry 1,2152.9+0.9
Majority 23,37356.2+13.8
Turnout 41,58864.4−3.2
Registered electors 64,873
UUP hold Swing
1986 Lagan Valley by-election [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UUP James Molyneaux 32,514 90.7 +31.5
Workers' Party John Lowry 3,3289.3+7.3
Majority 29,18681.4+39.0
Turnout 35,84257.8−9.8
Registered electors 63,244
UUP hold Swing
1983 general election: Lagan Valley [29]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
UUP James Molyneaux 24,017 59.2
DUP William John Beattie 6,80116.8
Alliance Seamus Close 4,59311.3
SDLP Cormac Joseph Boomer2,6036.4
Sinn Féin Richard McAuley1,7514.3
Workers' Party Gerard Loughlin8092.0
Majority 17,21642.4
Turnout 40,57467.6
Registered electors 60,051
UUP win (new seat)

References

  1. "'Lagan Valley', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  2. "Sorcha Eastwood". UK Parliament.
  3. Schedule (a) County constituencies, "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Northern Ireland) Order 1982 (No. 1838)" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk . The National Archives. 22 December 1982.
  4. "Parliamentary Constituencies (Northern Ireland) Order 1995: Schedule", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 23 November 1995, SI 1995/2992 (sch.)
  5. "Parliamentary Constituencies (Northern Ireland) Order 2008: Schedule", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 11 June 2008, SI 2008/1486 (sch.)
  6. "Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023: Schedule 2", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 15 November 2023, SI 2023/1230 (sch.2)
  7. Carroll, Rory. "Donaldson's downfall raises questions over Stormont power sharing". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  8. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 5)
  9. "Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson". UK Parliament. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  10. "General election for the constituency of Lagan Valley on 4 July 2024". UK Parliament.
  11. "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Electoral Office for Northern Ireland. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  12. "Lagan Valley: Seat Details". Electoral Calculus .
  13. "General election for the constituency of Lagan Valley on 4 July 2024". UK Parliament.
  14. "Lagan Valley - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  15. "Lagan Valley Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 9 January 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  16. 1 2 "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. 2019 General Election: results and analysis" (PDF). London: House of Commons Library. 28 January 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  17. "Election of a Member of Parliament for the LAGAN VALLEY Constituency – Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Electoral Office of Northern Ireland. 11 May 2017. Archived from the original on 21 April 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  18. "Lagan Valley parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC. Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  19. "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. 2017 General Election: results and analysis" (PDF) (Second ed.). House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [7 April 2018]. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2019.
  20. "The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland – EONI". eoni.org.uk. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  21. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  22. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  23. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  24. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  25. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  27. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  28. "By-election Result". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  29. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

54°30′32″N6°02′49″W / 54.509°N 6.047°W / 54.509; -6.047