Social Democratic and Labour Party election results

This article lists the Social Democratic and Labour Party's election results in UK parliamentary elections.

Summary of general election performance

Year	Number of Candidates	Total votes	Average votes per candidate	% UK vote	% NI vote	Change (percentage points)	Saved deposits	Number of MPs (out of NI total)
1974 Feb	12	160,137	13,345	0.5	22.4	N/A	8	1 / 12
1974 Oct	9	154,193	17,133	0.6	22.0	+0.1	8	1 / 12
1979	9	126,325	14,036	0.4	19.7	-0.2	6	1 / 12
1983	17	137,012	8,060	0.4	18.1	0.0	10	1 / 17
1987	13	154,067	11,851	0.5	21.1	+0.1	13	3 / 17
1992	13	184,445	14,118	0.5	23.5	0.0	13	4 / 17
1997	18	190,814	10,601	0.6	24.1	+0.1	15	3 / 18
2001	18	169,865	9,437	0.6	21.0	0.0	16	3 / 18
2005	18	125,626	6,979	0.5	17.5	-0.1	16	3 / 18
2010	18	110,970	6,165	0.4	16.5	-0.1	16	3 / 18
2015	18	99,809	5,545	0.3	13.9	-0.1	15	3 / 18
2017	18	95,419	5,301	0.3	11.7	-0.1	13	0 / 18
2019	15	118,737	7,916	0.3	14.9	0.0	13	2 / 18
2024	18	86,861	4,826	0.3	11.1	0.0	8	2 / 18

February 1974 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Armagh	Paddy O'Hanlon	18,090	29.3	2
Belfast East	Desmond Gillespie	1,502	2.6	4
Belfast North	Thomas Donnelly	12,003	24.4	3
Belfast South	Ben Caraher	4,149	8.0	4
Belfast West	Gerry Fitt	19,554	41.0	1
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	Denis Haughey	15,410	25.0	3
Londonderry	Hugh Logue	23,670	37.7	2
Mid Ulster	Ivan Cooper	19,372	29.1	2
North Antrim	Mary McAlister	10,056	15.5	3
North Down	Dermot Curran	2,376	3.8	3
South Antrim	Patrick Rowan	8,769	12.3	3
South Down	Sean Hollywood	25,486	42.8	2

October 1974 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Armagh	Seamus Mallon	19,855	31.8	2
Belfast North	Thomas Donnelly	11,400	24.1	2
Belfast South	Ben Caraher	2,390	4.7	4
Belfast West	Gerry Fitt	21,821	49.0	1
Londonderry	John Hume	26,118	40.4	2
Mid Ulster	Ivan Cooper	25,885	40.1	2
North Antrim	Mary McAlister	7,616	12.8	3
South Antrim	Patrick Rowan	9,061	13.2	3
South Down	Sean Hollywood	30,047	45.4	2

1979 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Armagh	Seamus Mallon	23,545	36.1	2
Belfast North	Paschal O'Hare	7,823	18.5	3
Belfast South	Alasdair McDonnell	3,694	7.9	3
Belfast West	Gerry Fitt	16,480	49.5	1
Londonderry	Hugh Logue	19,185	30.2	2
Mid Ulster	Paddy Duffy	19,266	29.4	2
North Antrim	Sean Farren	4,867	7.4	4
South Antrim	Patrick Rowan	7,432	10.1	3
South Down	Eddie McGrady	24,033	37.3	2

By-elections, 1979–1983

Election	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
1982 Belfast South by-election	Alasdair McDonnell	3,839	8.8	4

1983 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Belfast East	Peter Prendiville	519	1.3	6
Belfast North	Brian Feeney	5,944	14.0	3
Belfast South	Alasdair McDonnell	3,216	8.6	4
Belfast West	Joe Hendron	10,934	24.6	2
East Antrim	Michael O'Cleary	1,047	2.7	4
East Londonderry	Arthur Doherty	9,397	18.3	3
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	Rosemary Flanagan	9,923	16.5	3
Foyle	John Hume	24,071	46.0	1
Lagan Valley	Cormac Boomer	2,603	6.4	4
Mid Ulster	Denis Haughey	12,044	22.4	3
Newry and Armagh	Seamus Mallon	17,434	36.8	2
North Antrim	Sean Farren	6,193	14.0	3
North Down	Cathal O'Baioll	645	1.6	4
South Antrim	Alban Maginness	3,377	8.7	4
South Down	Eddie McGrady	20,145	39.3	2
Strangford	James Curry	1,713	4.4	4
Upper Bann	James McDonald	7,807	17.9	2

By-elections, 1983–1987

Election	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
1986 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election	Austin Currie	12,081	21.5	3
1986 Mid Ulster by-election	Adrian Colton	13,021	25.3	3
1986 Newry and Armagh by-election	Seamus Mallon	22,694	45.5	1
1986 South Down by-election	Eddie McGrady	23,121	44.8	2

1987 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Belfast North	Alban Maginness	5,795	15.7	2
Belfast South	Alasdair McDonnell	4,268	13.1	3
Belfast West	Joe Hendron	14,641	35.7	2
East Londonderry	Arthur Doherty	9,375	19.2	2
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	Rosemary Flanagan	10,581	19.1	3
Foyle	John Hume	23,743	48.8	1
Lagan Valley	Billy McDonnell	2,888	6.9	3
Mid Ulster	Denis Haughey	13,644	26.2	2
Newry and Armagh	Seamus Mallon	25,137	48.1	1
North Antrim	Sean Farren	5,149	12.5	2
South Antrim	Donovan McClelland	3,611	9.9	3
South Down	Eddie McGrady	26,579	47.0	1
Upper Bann	Bríd Rodgers	8,676	20.5	2

By-elections, 1987–1992

Election	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
1990 Upper Bann by-election	Bríd Rodgers	6,698	18.9	2

1992 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Belfast North	Alban Maginness	7,615	21.2	2
Belfast South	Alasdair McDonnell	6,266	18.7	2
Belfast West	Joe Hendron	17,415	43.6	1
East Londonderry	Arthur Doherty	11,843	22.4	2
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	Tommy Gallagher	12,810	23.2	2
Foyle	John Hume	26,710	51.5	1
Mid Ulster	Denis Haughey	16,994	31.0	2
Newry and Armagh	Seamus Mallon	26,073	49.6	1
North Antrim	Sean Farren	6,512	14.3	3
South Antrim	Donovan McClelland	5,397	12.8	2
South Down	Eddie McGrady	31,523	51.2	1
Upper Bann	Bríd Rodgers	10,661	23.4	2

1997 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Belfast East	Patricia Lewsley	629	1.6	6
Belfast North	Alban Maginness	8,454	20.4	2
Belfast South	Alasdair McDonnell	9,601	24.3	2
Belfast West	Joe Hendron	17,753	38.7	2
East Antrim	Danny O'Connor	1,576	4.6	6
East Londonderry	Arthur Doherty	8,273	22.0	3
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	Tommy Gallagher	11,060	22.9	3
Foyle	John Hume	25,109	52.5	1
Lagan Valley	Dolores Kelly	3,436	7.8	4
Mid Ulster	Denis Haughey	11,205	22.1	3
Newry and Armagh	Seamus Mallon	22,904	43.0	1
North Antrim	Sean Farren	7,333	15.9	3
North Down	Marietta Farrell	1,602	4.4	5
South Antrim	Donovan McClelland	6,497	16.2	2
South Down	Eddie McGrady	26,181	52.9	1
Strangford	Peter O'Reilly	2,775	6.7	4
Upper Bann	Bríd Rodgers	11,584	24.2	2
West Tyrone	Joe Byrne	14,842	32.1	2

By-elections, 1997–2001

Election	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
2000 South Antrim by-election	Donovan McClelland	3,496	11.4	3

2001 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Belfast East	Ciara Farren	880	2.4	6
Belfast North	Alban Maginness	8,592	21.0	3
Belfast South	Alasdair McDonnell	11,609	30.6	2
Belfast West	Alex Attwood	7,754	18.9	2
East Antrim	Danny O'Connor	2,641	7.3	4
East Londonderry	John Dallat	8,298	20.8	3
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	Tommy Gallagher	9,706	18.7	3
Foyle	John Hume	24,538	50.2	1
Lagan Valley	Patricia Lewsley	3,462	7.5	4
Mid Ulster	Eilish Haughey	8,376	16.8	3
Newry and Armagh	Seamus Mallon	20,784	37.4	1
North Antrim	Sean Farren	8,283	16.8	3
North Down	Marietta Farrell	1,275	3.4	3
South Antrim	Sean McKee	5,336	12.1	3
South Down	Eddie McGrady	24,136	46.3	1
Strangford	Danny McCarthy	2,646	6.1	4
Upper Bann	Dolores Kelly	7,607	14.9	4
West Tyrone	Bríd Rodgers	13,942	28.7	3

2005 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Belfast East	Mary Muldoon	844	2.7	5
Belfast North	Alban Maginness	4,950	16.2	3
Belfast South	Alasdair McDonnell	10,339	32.3	1
Belfast West	Alex Attwood	5,033	14.6	2
East Antrim	Danny O'Connor	1,695	5.3	4
East Londonderry	John Dallat	6,077	17.1	3
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	Tommy Gallagher	7,230	14.8	4
Foyle	Mark Durkan	21,119	46.3	1
Lagan Valley	Patricia Lewsley	2,598	6.1	5
Mid Ulster	Patsy McGlone	7,922	17.4	3
Newry and Armagh	Dominic Bradley	12,770	25.2	2
North Antrim	Sean Farren	5,585	12.2	3
North Down	Liam Logan	1,009	3.1	4
South Antrim	Noreen McClelland	4,706	12.4	3
South Down	Eddie McGrady	21,557	44.7	1
Strangford	Joe Boyle	2,496	6.7	4
Upper Bann	Dolores Kelly	5,747	13.0	4
West Tyrone	Eugene McMenamin	3,949	9.1	4

2010 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Belfast East	Mary Muldoon	365	1.1	6
Belfast North	Alban Maginness	4,544	12.3	3
Belfast South	Alasdair McDonnell	14,026	41.0	1
Belfast West	Alex Attwood	5,261	16.4	2
East Antrim	Justin McCamphill	2,019	6.6	5
East Londonderry	Thomas Conway	5,399	15.4	4
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	Fearghal McKinney	3,574	7.6	3
Foyle	Mark Durkan	16,922	44.7	1
Lagan Valley	Brian Heading	1,835	5.0	5
Mid Ulster	Tony Quinn	5,826	14.3	3
Newry and Armagh	Dominic Bradley	10,526	23.4	2
North Antrim	Declan O'Loan	3,738	8.8	5
North Down	Liam Logan	680	2.0	6
South Antrim	Michelle Byrne	2,955	8.7	4
South Down	Margaret Ritchie	20,648	48.5	1
Strangford	Claire Hanna	2,164	6.7	4
Upper Bann	Dolores Kelly	5,276	12.8	4
West Tyrone	Joe Byrne	5,212	14.0	4

By-elections, 2010–2015

Election	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
2011 Belfast West by-election	Alex Attwood	3,088	13.5	2
2013 Mid Ulster by-election	Patsy McGlone	6,478	17.4	3

2015 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Belfast East	Mary Muldoon	127	0.3	6
Belfast North	Alban Maginness	3,338	8.2	3
Belfast South	Alasdair McDonnell	9,560	24.5	1
Belfast West	Alex Attwood	3,475	9.8	3
East Antrim	Margaret McKillop	1,639	4.9	7
East Londonderry	Gerry Mullan	4,268	12.3	4
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	John Coyle	2,732	5.4	3
Foyle	Mark Durkan	17,725	47.9	1
Lagan Valley	Pat Catney	2,500	6.3	4
Mid Ulster	Malachy Quinn	5,055	12.4	4
Newry and Armagh	Justin McNulty	12,026	24.1	3
North Antrim	Declan O'Loan	2,920	7.0	5
North Down	Tom Woolley	355	1.0	8
South Antrim	Roisin Lynch	2,990	8.2	5
South Down	Margaret Ritchie	18,077	42.3	1
Strangford	Joe Boyle	2,335	6.9	4
Upper Bann	Dolores Kelly	4,238	9.0	4
West Tyrone	Daniel McCrossan	6,444	16.7	3

2017 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Belfast East	Séamas de Faoite	167	0.4	7
Belfast North	Martin McAuley	2,058	4.5	4
Belfast South	Alasdair McDonnell	11,303	25.9	2
Belfast West	Tim Attwood	2,860	7.0	4
East Antrim	Margaret McKillop	1,278	3.4	5
East Londonderry	Stephanie Quigley	4,423	10.8	3
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	Mary Garrity	2,587	4.8	3
Foyle	Mark Durkan	18,087	39.3	2
Lagan Valley	Pat Catney	3,384	7.5	4
Mid Ulster	Malachy Quinn	4,563	9.8	3
Newry and Armagh	Justin McNulty	9,055	16.9	3
North Antrim	Declan O'Loan	2,574	5.3	6
North Down	Caoímhe McNeill	400	1.0	7
South Antrim	Roisin Lynch	2,362	5.5	5
South Down	Margaret Ritchie	17,882	35.1	2
Strangford	Joe Boyle	2,404	6.2	4
Upper Bann	Declan McAlinden	4,397	8.6	4
West Tyrone	Daniel McCrossan	5,635	13.0	3

2019 general election

The SDLP did not stand candidates in Belfast East, Belfast North or North Down in order to aid anti-Brexit and anti-Democratic Unionist Party candidates in those constituencies. ^[1]

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Belfast South	Claire Hanna	27,079	57.2	1
Belfast West	Paul Doherty	2,985	7.7	4
East Antrim	Angela Mulholland	902	2.4	6
East Londonderry	Cara Hunter	6,158	15.7	2
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	Adam Gannon	3,446	6.8	3
Foyle	Colum Eastwood	26,881	57.0	1
Lagan Valley	Ally Haydock	1,758	3.9	4
Mid Ulster	Denise Johnston	6,384	14.3	3
Newry and Armagh	Pete Byrne	9,449	18.6	3
North Antrim	Margaret McKillop	2,943	6.7	5
South Antrim	Roisin Lynch	2,288	5.3	5
South Down	Michael Savage	14,517	29.2	2
Strangford	Joe Boyle	1,994	5.3	4
Upper Bann	Dolores Kelly	4,623	9.2	5
West Tyrone	Daniel McCrossan	7,330	17.8	3

2024 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Belfast East	Séamas de Faoite	619	1.4	6
Belfast North	Carl Whyte	1,413	3.5	5
Belfast South and Mid Down	Claire Hanna	21,345	49.1	1
Belfast West	Paul Doherty	4,318	10.9	3
East Antrim	Margaret McKillop	892	2.2	6
East Londonderry	Cara Hunter	5,260	12.7	3
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	Paul Blake	2,386	4.7	4
Foyle	Colum Eastwood	15,647	40.8	1
Lagan Valley	Simon Lee	1,028	2.1	5
Mid Ulster	Denise Johnston	3,722	8.2	3
Newry and Armagh	Pete Byrne	6,806	14.8	2
North Antrim	Helen Maher	1,661	4.0	6
North Down	Déirdre Vaughan	657	1.5	5
South Antrim	Roisin Lynch	1,589	3.7	6
South Down	Colin McGrath	10,418	23.0	2
Strangford	Will Polland	1,783	4.6	6
Upper Bann	Malachy Quinn	1,496	3.2	5
West Tyrone	Daniel McCrossan	5,821	13.3	3

References

1. Rory Carroll (4 November 2019). "Sinn Féin to stand aside for remain candidates in three constituencies". The Guardian . Retrieved 8 November 2019.

• F. W. S. Craig, Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833-1987
• UK General election results February 1974, Richard Kimber's Political Resources
• UK General election results October 1974, Richard Kimber's Political Resources
• UK General election results May 1979, Richard Kimber's Political Resources