South Down (UK Parliament constituency)

South Down is a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP for the constituency is Chris Hazzard of Sinn Féin.

For other constituencies of the same name, see South Down (disambiguation).

South Down
county constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of South Down in Northern Ireland
Major settlementsDownpatrick
Current constituency
Created1950
Member of ParliamentChris Hazzard (Sinn Féin)
Created fromDown
1885–1922
Created fromDown
Replaced byDown

Constituency profile
The Mourne Mountains, including Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland's highest mountain

The seat covers the Mourne Mountains, and Downpatrick to the north. It has a short border with the Republic to the south. The area voted to Remain in the EU.[1]

Boundaries

The county constituency was first created in 1885 from the southern part of Down. It was defined as including 'The Baronies of – Iveagh Upper, Lower Half, Lordship of Newry, and Mourne, and so much of the Barony of Iveagh Upper, Upper Half, as comprises the Parishes of – Clonallan, Donaghmore, Drumgath, Kilbroney, and Warrenpoint.'.[2] In 1918, it was redefined as including 'The rural district of Newry No. 1; the part of the rural district of Kilkeel which is not included in the East Down Division; and the urban districts of Newcastle, Newry and Warrenpoint.'[3] From the dissolution of Parliament in 1922, it was merged back into Down. Maps showing the component units of the constituency can be seen here.

The seat was re-created in 1950 when the old Down two MP constituency was abolished as part of the final move to single member seats. Originally the seat consisted of most of the mid and southern parts of County Down, with the north included in North Down. It was defined as including '(i) The urban districts of Banbridge, Downpatrick, Dromore, Kilkeel, Newcastle, Newry and Warrenpoint; (ii) the rural districts of Banbridge, Downpatrick, Kilkeel, Moira and Newry No. 1.'[4] Of the post 1973 districts, it contained all of Down and Banbridge, together with parts of Newry and Mourne, Ards and Craigavon.

In 1983 the seat was radically cut down as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17. Significant parts of the constituency were transferred to either Upper Bann or Newry and Armagh. The composition of the seat in 1983 was the entire district of Down, the Annaclone, Ballyoolymore, Croob, Dromore, Drumadonnell, Garran, Quilly and Skeagh electoral wards of Banbridge, and the Annalong, Ballycrossan, Binnian, Clonallan, Cranfield, Donaghmore, Drumgath, Kilkeel, Lisnacree, Rathfriland, Rostrevor, Seaview, and Spelga wards from Newry and Mourne.[5][6]

In boundary changes proposed by a review in 1995, the seat was originally to be abolished and replaced by a new Mid Down constituency. This provoked a storm of protest and following a local enquiry minor changes were made with the seat losing one small section to Lagan Valley and another to Strangford. It still consists of parts of Down, Banbridge and Newry and Mourne districts.[7]

In 2005, the Boundary Commission published provisional recommendations for modifying the boundaries of constituencies in Northern Ireland. For South Down, it originally proposed to add part of Newry from Newry and Armagh and the Loughbrickland part of Banbridge district from Upper Bann, while losing some more of Down to Strangford. These changes were challenged in a round of public consultations, with the result that revised recommendations were made. Under the new proposals, the Newry area remained in Newry and Armagh and Loughbrickland in Upper Bann. This meant that only 4 wards around the town of Ballynahinch were transferred to Strangford. These changes became the final recommendations and were given legal effect in 2008.[8]

History

1885–1922

The constituency was a predominantly Nationalist area in 1918. The Unionists had significant but minority support. The Sinn Féin candidate polled poorly, probably due to the limited electoral pact to avoid seriously splitting the anti-unionist vote in seats the unionist candidate might have otherwise won.

The First Dáil

Sinn Féin contested the general election of 1918 on a platform that instead of taking up any seats they won in the United Kingdom Parliament, they would establish a revolutionary assembly in Dublin. In republican theory, every MP elected in Ireland was a potential Deputy to this assembly. In practice, only the Sinn Féin members accepted the offer and their candidate Éamon de Valera only received 0.2% of the votes in South Down, while being elected unopposed for East Clare and East Mayo; the nationalist Jeremiah McVeagh, elected as IPP MP for South Down, did not participate in the First Dáil.

In 1921, Sinn Féin decided to use the UK authorised elections for the Northern Ireland House of Commons and the House of Commons of Southern Ireland as a poll for the Irish Republic's Second Dáil. This area, in republican theory, was incorporated in a potential eight-member Dáil constituency of Down.

1950–present

When initially created, this seat had a clear unionist majority, albeit with a strong nationalist minority. However boundary changes, which have wrapped it closer around nationalist heartlands near Downpatrick and the Mournes have transformed South Down into a safe nationalist seat.

The House of Commons seat was consistently held by the Ulster Unionist Party from its creation until 1987. In the October 1974 general election the former Conservative MP Enoch Powell defended the seat for the UUP, representing a coup for them as they gained the support of a high-profile English politician, offering them a spokesperson to the United Kingdom as a whole.

Powell advocated a policy of integration for Northern Ireland whereby all forms of devolution would be wound up and the province governed as an integral part of the United Kingdom. As part of this, he campaigned for the province to have the same ratio of MPs to population as in the rest of the United Kingdom, rather than fewer, which had previously been justified due to the existence of the devolved Stormont Parliament. Powell was successful in this, but a side effect was that in his own constituency; a significant block of unionist voters were removed, resulting in a nationalist majority. Powell managed to survive for two election cycles due to a split nationalist vote, but in 1987, he narrowly lost to Eddie McGrady of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, who held the seat until he retired in 2010.

Since then, the unionist vote has declined further due to boundary changes, which excluded mainly unionist Dromore and Saintfield, and a trend for many unionists to tactically vote for the SDLP at Westminster elections to avoid the seat falling to Sinn Féin. However, in 2017, Sinn Féin gained the constituency for the first time with Chris Hazzard defeating former leader of the SDLP Margaret Ritchie as part of the SDLP's parliamentary wipeout at that year's snap general election.

The winning vote share in 2019 was the smallest of the 650 nationwide; it was just under 1⁄3 of the total votes that were cast.

Members of Parliament

The Member of Parliament since the 2017 general election has been Chris Hazzard of Sinn Féin. He succeeded SDLP MP Margaret Ritchie.

In this section by-elections are indicated by an asterisk after the date and italic type.

Election Member Party
1885 Constituency created
1885 John Francis Small Irish Parliamentary Party
1886 Michael McCartan
1892 Irish National Federation
1895
1900 Irish Parliamentary Party
1902* Jeremiah McVeagh
1906
1910 (Jan)
1910 (Dec)
1918
1922 Constituency abolished – see Down
1950 Constituency re-created from Down
1950 Lawrence Orr Ulster Unionist Party
1951
1955
1959
1964
1966
1970
1974 (Feb)
1974 (Oct) Enoch Powell
1979
1983
1987 Eddie McGrady Social Democratic and Labour Party
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010 Margaret Ritchie
2015
2017 Chris Hazzard Sinn Féin
2019

Elections
South Down Westminster Elections - 1983-2019

Elections in the 2010s
General election 2019: South Down[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Sinn Féin Chris Hazzard 16,137 32.4 ―7.5
SDLP Michael Savage 14,517 29.2 ―5.9
DUP Glyn Hanna 7,619 15.3 ―2.1
Alliance Patrick Brown 6,916 13.9 +10.3
Ulster Unionist Jill Macauley 3,307 6.6 +2.7
Aontú Paul Brady 1,266 2.5 New
Majority 1,620 3.2 ―1.6
Turnout 49,762 62.9 ―4.3
Registered electors 79,113
Sinn Féin hold Swing ―0.8

This seat saw the largest decrease in vote share for the SDLP at the 2019 general election.[10]

General election 2017: South Down[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Sinn Féin Chris Hazzard 20,328 39.9 +11.4
SDLP Margaret Ritchie 17,882 35.1 ―7.2
DUP Diane Forsythe 8,867 17.4 +9.2
Ulster Unionist Harold McKee 2,002 3.9 ―5.4
Alliance Andrew McMurray 1,814 3.6 ―0.2
Majority 2,446 4.8 N/A
Turnout 50,893 67.2 +10.4
Registered electors 75,685
Sinn Féin gain from SDLP Swing ―9.3
General election 2015: South Down[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDLP Margaret Ritchie[14] 18,077 42.3 ―6.2
Sinn Féin Chris Hazzard[14] 12,186 28.5 ―0.2
Ulster Unionist Harold McKee 3,964 9.3 +2.0
DUP Jim Wells 3,486 8.2 ―0.4
UKIP Henry Reilly[14] 3,044 7.1 New
Alliance Martyn Todd[14] 1,622 3.8 +2.5
NI Conservatives Felicity Buchan 318 0.7 New
Majority 5,891 13.8 ―6.0
Turnout 42,697 56.8 ―3.4
Registered electors 75,220
SDLP hold Swing ―2.9
General election 2010: South Down[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDLP Margaret Ritchie 20,648 48.5 +1.6
Sinn Féin Caitríona Ruane 12,236 28.7 +1.7
DUP Jim Wells 3,645 8.6 ―7.6
UCU-NF John McCallister 3,093 7.3 ―1.5
TUV Ivor McConnell 1,506 3.5 New
Green (NI) Cadogan Enright 901 2.1 New
Alliance David Griffin 560 1.3 0.0
Majority 8,412 19.8 +0.8
Turnout 42,589 60.2 ―8.5
Registered electors 70,784
SDLP hold Swing ―0.1

Elections in the 2000s
General election 2005: South Down[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDLP Eddie McGrady 21,557 44.7 ―1.6
Sinn Féin Caitríona Ruane 12,417 25.8 +6.1
DUP Jim Wells 8,815 18.3 +3.3
Ulster Unionist Dermot Nesbitt 4,775 9.9 ―7.7
Alliance Julian Crozier 613 1.3 ±0.0
Majority 9,140 18.9 ―7.7
Turnout 48,177 65.4 ―5.4
Registered electors 73,175
SDLP hold Swing ―3.8
General election 2001: South Down[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDLP Eddie McGrady 24,136 46.3 ―6.6
Sinn Féin Mick Murphy 10,278 19.7 +9.3
Ulster Unionist Dermot Nesbitt 9,173 17.6 ―15.2
DUP Jim Wells 7,802 15.0 New
Alliance Betty Campbell 685 1.3 ―2.2
Majority 13,858 26.6 +6.5
Turnout 52,074 70.8 0.0
Registered electors 73,519
SDLP hold Swing ―8.0

Elections in the 1990s
General election 1997: South Down[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDLP Eddie McGrady 26,181 52.9 +1.7
Ulster Unionist Dermot Nesbitt 16,248 32.8 −8.1
Sinn Féin Mick Murphy 5,127 10.4 +7.4
Alliance Julian Crozier 1,711 3.5 +1.0
Natural Law Rosaleen McKeon 219 0.4 New
Majority 9,933 20.1 +9.8
Turnout 49,486 70.8 -10.1
Registered electors 69,977
SDLP hold Swing −0.3
General election 1992: South Down[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDLP Eddie McGrady 31,523 51.2 +4.2
Ulster Unionist Drew Nelson 25,181 40.9 −4.8
Sinn Féin Sean Fitzpatrick 1,843 3.0 −1.2
Alliance Michael Healey 1,542 2.5 +0.6
NI Conservatives Stephanie McKenzie-Hill 1,488 2.4 New
Majority 6,342 10.3 +9.0
Turnout 61,577 80.9 +1.5
Registered electors 76,186
SDLP hold Swing

Elections in the 1980s
General election 1987: South Down[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDLP Eddie McGrady 26,579 47.0 +7.7
Ulster Unionist Enoch Powell 25,848 45.7 +5.4
Sinn Féin Geraldine Ritchie 2,363 4.2 −3.7
Alliance Siobhan Laird 1,069 1.9 −1.7
Workers' Party Des O'Hagan 675 1.2 −0.5
Majority 731 1.3 N/A
Turnout 56,534 79.4 +1.7
Registered electors 71,235
SDLP gain from Ulster Unionist Swing
By-election 1986: South Down[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Enoch Powell 24,963 48.4 +8.1
SDLP Eddie McGrady 23,121 44.8 +5.5
Sinn Féin Hugh McDowell 2,963 5.7 −2.2
Workers' Party Sean Magee 522 1.0 −0.7
Majority 1,842 3.6 +2.6
Turnout 51,569 73.8 −3.9
Registered electors 69,843
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General election 1983: South Down[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Enoch Powell 20,693 40.3 −9.7
SDLP Eddie McGrady 20,145 39.3 +2.0
Sinn Féin Patrick Fitzsimmons 4,074 7.9 New
DUP Cecil Harvey 3,743 7.3 New
Alliance Patrick Forde 1,823 3.6 −5.2
Workers' Party Margaret Magee 851 1.7 New
Majority 548 1.0 −11.7
Turnout 51,329 77.7 +5.7
Registered electors 66,923
Ulster Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1970s
General election 1979: South Down
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Enoch Powell 32,254 50.0 −0.8
SDLP Eddie McGrady 24,033 37.3 −8.1
Alliance Patrick Forde 4,407 6.8 New
Irish Independence John Markey 1,853 2.9 New
Republican Clubs Des O'Hagan 1,682 2.6 −0.9
Inter-Dependence Party Francis Rice 216 0.3 New
Reform Peter Courtney 31 0.1 New
Majority 8,221 12.7 +7.3
Turnout 64,476 72.0 −0.4
Registered electors 89,562
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General election October 1974: South Down
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Enoch Powell 33,614 50.8 −1.3
SDLP Sean Hollywood 30,047 45.4 +2.6
Republican Clubs Gerard Oliver O'Hanlon 2,327 3.5 −1.6
Marxist–Leninist (Ireland) David Vipond 152 0.2 New
Majority 3,567 5.4 −4.0
Turnout 66,140 72.4 +7.4
Registered electors 91,354
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General election February 1974: South Down
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Lawrence Orr 31,088 52.1 −2.2
SDLP Sean Hollywood 25,486 42.8 New
Republican Clubs Hugh Golding 3,046 5.1 New
Majority 5,602 9.4 −11.2
Turnout 59,620 65.0 −9.0
Registered electors 91,792
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General election 1970: South Down
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Lawrence Orr 34,894 54.3 −9.7
Unity Hugh Golding 21,676 33.7 New
Ulster Liberal John Quinn 7,747 12.1 −6.6
Majority 13,218 20.6 −24.7
Turnout 64,317 74.0 +8.2
Registered electors 87,079
Ulster Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1960s
General election 1966: South Down
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Lawrence Orr 32,876 64.0 +5.0
Ulster Liberal John Quinn 9,586 18.7 +8.6
Independent Republican George Mussen 8,917 17.4 −2.4
Majority 23,290 45.3 +6.1
Turnout 51,379 65.8 −6.3
Registered electors 78,096
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General election 1964: South Down
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Lawrence Orr 32,922 59.0 −26.4
Independent Republican George Mussen 11,031 19.8 New
NI Labour Samuel Thompson 6,260 11.2 New
Ulster Liberal Hamilton Gooding 5,610 10.1 New
Majority 21,891 39.2 −31.6
Turnout 55,823 72.1 +16.5
Registered electors 77,391
Ulster Unionist hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s
General election 1959: South Down
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Lawrence Orr 36,875 85.4 +19.5
Sinn Féin Kevin O'Rourke 6,298 14.6 −19.5
Majority 30,577 70.8 +39.0
Turnout 43,173 55.6 −18.3
Registered electors 77,627
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General election 1955: South Down
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Lawrence Orr 37,921 65.9 +7.5
Sinn Féin Kevin O'Rourke 19,624 34.1 New
Majority 18,297 31.8 +15.0
Turnout 57,545 73.9 −8.1
Registered electors 77,832
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General election 1951: South Down
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Lawrence Orr 37,789 58.4 −5.1
Independent Republican Gerald Annesley 26,976 41.6 New
Majority 10,813 16.8 −10.2
Turnout 64,765 82.0 +5.3
Registered electors 79,001
Ulster Unionist hold Swing
General election 1950: South Down
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ulster Unionist Lawrence Orr 38,508 63.5 N/A
Irish Labour Jack MacGougan 22,176 36.5 New
Majority 16,332 27.0 N/A
Turnout 60,684 76.7 N/A
Registered electors 79,125
Ulster Unionist win (new seat)

Elections in the 1910s
1918 general election: South Down
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Jeremiah McVeagh 8,756 54.7 0.0
Irish Unionist John Alexander Weir Johnston 5,573 45.3 0.0
Independent Alexander Fisher 436 2.9 New
Sinn Féin Éamon de Valera 33 0.2 New
Majority 3,183 21.4 +12.0
Turnout 14,798 86.5 0.0
Registered electors 18,708
Irish Parliamentary hold Swing +6.1
December 1910 general election: South Down[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Jeremiah McVeagh 3,668 54.7 +0.2
Irish Unionist John Alexander Weir Johnston 3,040 45.3 -0.2
Majority 635 9.4 +0.4
Turnout 6,708 86.5 -3.7
Registered electors 7,753
Irish Parliamentary hold Swing +0.2
January 1910 general election: South Down[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Jeremiah McVeagh 3,815 54.5 0.0
Irish Unionist Lynden Macassey 3,180 45.5 0.0
Majority 635 9.0 0.0
Turnout 6,995 90.2 +1.0
Registered electors 7,753
Irish Parliamentary hold Swing 0.0

Elections in the 1900s
1906 general election: South Down[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Jeremiah McVeagh 3,910 54.5 N/A
Irish Unionist Peter Kerr-Smiley 3,262 45.5 New
Majority 648 9.0 N/A
Turnout 7,172 89.2 N/A
Registered electors 8,036
Irish Parliamentary hold Swing N/A
1902 South Down by-election[23][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Jeremiah McVeagh Unopposed
Registered electors
Irish Parliamentary hold
1900 general election: South Down [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Michael McCartan Unopposed
Registered electors
Irish Parliamentary hold

Elections in the 1890s
1895 general election: South Down[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish National Federation Michael McCartan 4,057 54.6 +1.2
Liberal Unionist Thomas Rowan 3,378 45.4 -0.7
Majority 679 9.2 +1.9
Turnout 7,435 85.3 +0.9
Registered electors 8,715
Irish National Federation hold Swing +1.0
1892 general election: South Down[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish National Federation Michael McCartan 4,207 53.4 -2.2
Liberal Unionist John Walker Craig 3,636 46.1 +1.7
Irish National League Eiver Magenis 42 0.5 New
Majority 571 7.3 -3.9
Turnout 7,885 84.4 +1.2
Registered electors 9,342
Irish National Federation gain from Irish Parliamentary Swing -2.0

Elections in the 1880s
1886 general election: South Down[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary Michael McCartan 4,786 55.6 -1.6
Liberal Unionist Robert Swan Corbitt 3,816 44.4 +1.6
Majority 970 11.2 -3.2
Turnout 8,602 83.2 -1.3
Registered electors 10,335
Irish Parliamentary hold Swing -1.6
1885 general election: South Down[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Irish Parliamentary John Francis Small 4,995 57.2
Irish Conservative William Henry Kisbey 3,743 42.8
Majority 1,252 14.4
Turnout 8,738 84.5
Registered electors 10,335
Irish Parliamentary win (new seat)

See also

References
  1. "Down South: Seat Details". Electoral Calculus.
  2. Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, (Ch 23) Seventh Schedule, Part III – Ireland – County of Down
  3. Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918, (Ch 65) Fourth Schedule
  4. Representation of the People Act 1948 (Ch 65) First Schedule, Part IV – Northern Ireland – (a) County Constituencies (144/202)
  5. The Parliamentary Constituencies (Northern Ireland) Order 1982 - Schedule (4/8)
  6. Crewe, Ivor (1983). British Parliamentary Constituencies – a Statistical Compendium. faber and faber. ISBN 0-571-13236-7.
  7. The Parliamentary Constituencies (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 - Schedule
  8. The Parliamentary Constituencies (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 - Schedule
  9. "South Down Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  10. "General Election 2019: results and analysis" (PDF) (second ed.). House of Commons Library. p. 25.
  11. "Election of a Member of Parliament for the SOUTH DOWN Constituency – Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Electoral Office of Northern Ireland. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  12. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. "The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland – EONI". www.eoni.org.uk.
  14. "Candidates to be MP for South Down". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  15. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  16. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. "By-election Result". United Kingdom Election Results.
  22. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0901714127.
  24. "Election intelligence". The Times. No. 36696. London. 20 February 1902. p. 10.

Further reading
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