1986 Northern Ireland by-elections

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1986 Northern Ireland by-elections

| flag_image =

| type = parliamentary

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1983 United Kingdom general election

| previous_year = 1983

| previous_mps =

| elected_mps =

| next_election = 1987 United Kingdom general election

| next_year = 1987

| next_mps =

| seats_for_election = 15 of 17 Northern Irish seats
in the United Kingdom Parliament

| election_date = 23 January 1986

| image1 =

| leader1 =

| leader_since1 =

| party1 = Ulster Unionist Party

| leaders_seat1 =

| last_election1 =

| seats1 = 10

| seat_change1 = {{decrease}}1

| popular_vote1 = 302,198

| percentage1 = 51.7%

| swing1 = {{increase}}13.1%

| image2 =

| leader2 =

| leader_since2 =

| party2 = Democratic Unionist Party

| leaders_seat2 =

| last_election2 =

| seats2 = 3

| seat_change2 = {{nochange}}

| popular_vote2 = 85,239

| percentage2 = 23.0%

| swing2 = {{decrease}}5.5%

| image4 =

| leader4 =

| leader_since4 =

| party4 = Social Democratic and Labour Party

| leaders_seat4 =

| last_election4 =

| seats4 = 1

| seat_change4 = {{increase}}1

| popular_vote4 = 70,917

| percentage4 = 12.1%

| swing4 = {{decrease}}3.1%

| image5 =

| leader5 =

| leader_since5 =

| party5 = Ulster Popular Unionist Party

| leaders_seat5 =

| last_election5 =

| seats5 = 1

| seat_change5 = {{nochange}}

| popular_vote5 = 30,793

| percentage5 = 5.3%

| swing5 = {{increase}}1.9%

| map_image = Map of the 1986 Northern Ireland by-elections.svg

| map_size = 400px

| map_caption = Left map shows the % of the vote received by resigning unionist anti-agreement candidates.
Right map shows the % of the vote received by pro-agreement candidates.
Bottom map shows the winning party by constituency - in all constituencies but Armagh and Newry, resigning unionist candidates were re-elected.

| title =

| before_election =

| after_election =

}}

The 1986 Northern Ireland by-elections were fifteen by-elections held on 23 January 1986, to fill vacancies in the Parliament of the United Kingdom caused by the resignation in December 1985 of all sitting Unionist Members of Parliament (MPs). The MPs, from the Ulster Unionist Party, Democratic Unionist Party and Ulster Popular Unionist Party, did this to highlight their opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement, signed the month before.

Each of the Unionist parties agreed not to contest seats previously held by the others, and each outgoing MP stood for re-election. 14 of the 15 were re-elected, often with large margins. The sole exception was in the Newry and Armagh by-election, where Seamus Mallon of the Social Democratic and Labour Party unseated Jim Nicholson (UUP).

Other candidates

Of the two Northern Ireland seats not held by unionists, Foyle was held by the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), while Belfast West was held by the republican party Sinn Féin. These MPs did not resign and their seats were not contested.

The SDLP and Sinn Féin regarded the resignations as a publicity stunt, and were reluctant to take part in the resulting by-elections. In the event, they contested only the seats which they believed to have an anti-unionist majority.

The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland instructed its branches to nominate a candidate for each by-election, but many were reluctant, and ultimately, the party stood in only five seats. The small Workers' Party stood in nine seats.

It appeared that the incumbent would be the only candidate in four constituencies. This would have produced the first uncontested elections for the House of Commons since the Armagh by-election of 1954. In order to ensure that there was a contest and that the Unionists would be able to demonstrate their point, Wesley Robert Williamson changed his name by deed poll to "Peter Barry", Peter Barry being Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ireland. "Peter Barry" stood in these four constituencies under the label "For the Anglo-Irish Agreement", allowing a contest, but did not campaign.

The unusual circumstances led this to be the greatest number of UK parliamentary by-elections held on a single day.

Results

=Aggregate results=

The aggregated results for all constituencies are shown below. Changes are compared to those for the 15 constituencies in the 1983 general election.

{{election table|title=Results of the 1986 Northern Ireland by-elections

|sortable=yes}}

|-

|- style="text-align:center; background-color:#F2F2F2;"

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Political party

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" rowspan=2 | Leader

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" rowspan=2 | Position

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" rowspan=2 | Candidates

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" colspan=5 | MPs

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" colspan=3 | Votes

|- style="text-align:center; background-color:#F2F2F2;"

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Total

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Gained

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Lost

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Net

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Of total
(%)

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Total

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Of total
(%)

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Change
(%)

|-

| data-sort-value="Ulster Unionist Party" {{party color cell|Ulster Unionist Party|5px}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" scope="row" | {{party shortname linked|Ulster Unionist Party}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" | {{sortname|James|Molyneaux}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Anti-agreement

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 11

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 10

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 1

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{decrease}}1

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 66.7

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 302,198

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 51.7

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{increase}}13.1

|-

| data-sort-value="Democratic Unionist Party" {{party color cell|Democratic Unionist Party|5px}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" scope="row" | {{party shortname linked|Democratic Unionist Party}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" | {{sortname|Ian|Paisley}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Anti-agreement

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 3

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{nochange}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 20.0

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 85,239

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 14.6

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{decrease}}5.5

|-

| data-sort-value="Social Democratic and Labour Party" {{party color cell|Social Democratic and Labour Party|5px}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" scope="row" | {{party shortname linked|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" | {{sortname|John|Hume}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Pro-agreement

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 4

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 1

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{increase}}1

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 6.7

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 70,917

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 12.1

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{decrease}}3.1

|-

| data-sort-value="Sinn Féin" {{party color cell|Sinn Féin|5px}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" scope="row" | {{party shortname linked|Sinn Féin}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" | {{sortname|Gerry|Adams}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Anti-agreement

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 4

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{nochange}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0.0

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 38,848

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 6.6

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{decrease}}4.7

|-

| data-sort-value="Alliance Party of Northern Ireland" {{party color cell|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland|5px}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" scope="row" | {{party shortname linked|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" | {{sortname|John|Cushnahan}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Pro-agreement

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 5

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{nochange}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0.0

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 32,095

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 5.5

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{decrease}}3.5

|-

| data-sort-value="Ulster Popular Unionist Party" {{party color cell|Ulster Popular Unionist Party|5px}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" scope="row" | {{party shortname linked|Ulster Popular Unionist Party}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" | {{sortname|James|Kilfedder}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Anti-agreement

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 1

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{nochange}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 6.7

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 30,793

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 5.3

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{increase}}1.3

|-

| data-sort-value="Workers' Party (Ireland)" {{party color cell|Workers' Party (Ireland)|5px}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" scope="row" | {{party shortname linked|Workers' Party (Ireland)}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" | {{sortname|Tomás|Mac Giolla}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Pro-agreement{{cite web|url=https://www.leftarchive.ie/document/425/|title=The Socialist Perspective on Northern Ireland and the Anglo-Irish Agreement|publisher=Irish Left Archive|access-date=21 June 2021}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 9

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{nochange}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0.0

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 18,148

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 3.1

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{increase}}1.3

|-

|

| For the Anglo-Irish Agreement

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa; text-align: left;" | Wesley Robert Williamson running as 'Peter Barry'

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | Pro-agreement

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 4

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | {{nochange}}

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0.0

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 6,379

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 1.1

| style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | N/A

|-

|- class="unsortable"

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" colspan=4 | Blank and invalid votes

!colspan=6 |

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" |

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | —

|- class="unsortable" style="background-color:#F2F2F2

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" colspan=4 | Total

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 41

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 15

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" |

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 100

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 584,617

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 100

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 0.0

|- class="unsortable"

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" colspan=4 | Registered voters, and turnout

!colspan=6 |

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 951,571

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" | 61.44

! style="border: 1px solid #aaa;" |

|}

{{bar box

| title=Vote share by party position on Anglo-Irish Agreement

| titlebar=#ddd

| width=600px

| barwidth=410px

| bars=

{{bar percent border|Anti-Agreement Unionists|#FF0000|border=darkgray|71.6}}

{{bar percent|Anti-Agreement Republicans (Sinn Féin)|{{party color|Sinn Fein}}|6.6}}

}}

All but one of the Unionists were re-elected, many with extremely large majorities. The largest of all went to Ian Paisley in North Antrim. He won 97.4% of the vote, the highest percentage polled by any candidate in a UK by-election since the 1940 Middleton and Prestwich by-election.

The sole exception to this pattern was the Newry and Armagh by-election, where Seamus Mallon of the SDLP was able to take the seat. Former Cabinet Minister Enoch Powell was able to narrowly survive a strong challenge from the SDLP in South Down and was subsequently defeated at the following year's general election. In the western constituencies of Mid Ulster and Fermanagh and South Tyrone, the Unionist candidates were able to survive with less than 50% of the vote due to a split Nationalist vote. Both seats were gained by Sinn Féin in later elections.

The results of the fifteen by-elections were cited by Unionists as a rejection of the Agreement by the Northern Irish electorate, but did not succeed in repealing it.

=Antrim=

{{Election box begin | title=1986 East Antrim by-election[http://www.election.demon.co.uk/by1983.html Results of Byelections in the 1983-87 Parliament] in the [http://www.election.demon.co.uk/election.html United Kingdom Election Results website] maintained by David Boothroyd}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Roy Beggs

|votes = 30,386

|percentage = 84.9

|change = +47.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

|candidate = Seán Neeson

|votes = 5,405

|percentage = 15.1

|change = −4.9

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 24,981

|percentage = 69.8

|change = +68.9

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 24,981

|percentage = 59.2

|change = −5.9

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Unionist Party

|candidate = Ian Paisley

|votes = 33,937

|percentage = 97.4

|change = +43.2

}}

{{Election box candidate|

|party = For the Anglo-Irish Agreement

|candidate = Peter Barry

|votes = 515

|percentage = 2.6

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 33,024

|percentage = 94.8

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 34,452

|percentage = 54.7

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Democratic Unionist Party

|swing = N/A

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Clifford Forsythe

|votes = 30,087

|percentage = 94.1

|change = +48.4

}}

{{Election box candidate|

|party = For the Anglo-Irish Agreement

|candidate = Peter Barry

|votes = 1,870

|percentage = 5.9

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 28,217

|percentage = 88.3

|change = +70.8

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 31,957

|percentage = 53.5

|change = −12.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing = N/A

}}

=Belfast=

{{Election box begin |

|title=1986 Belfast East by-election}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Unionist Party

|candidate = Peter Robinson

|votes = 27,607

|percentage = 81.0

|change = +35.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

|candidate = Oliver Napier

|votes = 5,917

|percentage = 17.4

|change = −6.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Workers' Party (Ireland)

|candidate = Frank Cullen

|votes = 578

|percentage = 1.7

|change = +0.6

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 21,690

|percentage = 63.6

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 34,102

|percentage = 60.2

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Democratic Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=1986 Belfast North by-election}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Cecil Walker

|votes = 21,649

|percentage = 71.5

|change = +35.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

|candidate = Paul Maguire

|votes = 5,072

|percentage = 16.7

|change = +7.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Workers' Party (Ireland)

|candidate = Seamus Lynch

|votes = 3,563

|percentage = 11.8

|change = +6.1

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 16,577

|percentage = 54.8

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 30,284

|percentage = 51.5

|change = −17.9

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=1986 Belfast South by-election}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Martin Smyth

|votes = 21,771

|percentage = 71.3

|change = +21.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

|candidate = David Cook

|votes = 7,635

|percentage = 25.0

|change = +1.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Workers' Party (Ireland)

|candidate = Gerry Carr

|votes = 1,109

|percentage = 3.6

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 14,136

|percentage = 46.3

|change = +1.3

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 30,515

|percentage = 56.9

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

=Down=

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Popular Unionist Party

|candidate = James Kilfedder

|votes = 30,793

|percentage = 79.2

|change = +23.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

|candidate = John Cushnahan

|votes = 8,066

|percentage = 20.8

|change = −1.3

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 22,727

|percentage = 58.4

|change = +24.4

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 38,859

|percentage = 62.8

|change = −3.4

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Ulster Popular Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Enoch Powell

|votes = 24,963

|percentage = 48.4

|change = +8.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Social Democratic and Labour Party

|candidate = Eddie McGrady

|votes = 23,121

|percentage = 44.8

|change = +5.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Sinn Féin

|candidate = Hugh McDowell

|votes = 2,963

|percentage = 5.7

|change = −2.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Workers' Party (Ireland)

|candidate = Sean Magee

|votes = 522

|percentage = 1.0

|change = −0.7

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 1,842

|percentage = 3.6

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 51,569

|percentage = 73.8

|change = −3.9

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

=Newry and Armagh=

{{Election box begin |

|title=1986 Newry and Armagh by-election}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Social Democratic and Labour Party

|candidate = Seamus Mallon

|votes = 22,694

|percentage = 45.5

|change = +8.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Jim Nicholson

|votes = 20,111

|percentage = 40.3

|change = +0.2

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Sinn Féin

|candidate = Jim McAllister

|votes = 6,609

|percentage = 13.2

|change = −7.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Workers' Party (Ireland)

|candidate = Patrick McCusker

|votes = 515

|percentage = 1.0

|change = −1.2

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 2,583

|percentage = 5.2

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 49,929

|percentage = 76.9

|change = +0.9

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 65,142

}}

{{Election box gain with party link|

|winner = Social Democratic and Labour Party

|loser = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

=Other constituencies=

{{Election box begin | title=1986 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Ken Maginnis

|votes = 27,857

|percentage = 49.7

|change = +2.1

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Sinn Féin

|candidate = Owen Carron

|votes = 15,278

|percentage = 27.2

|change = −7.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Social Democratic and Labour Party

|candidate = Austin Currie

|votes = 12,081

|percentage = 21.5

|change = +5.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Workers' Party (Ireland)

|candidate = David Kettyles

|votes = 864

|percentage = 1.5

|change = -0.4

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 12,579

|percentage = 22.5

|change = +9.7

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 56,080

|percentage = 80.4

|change = −8.2

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Jim Molyneaux

|votes = 32,514

|percentage = 90.7

|change = +31.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Workers' Party (Ireland)

|candidate = John Lowry

|votes = 3,328

|percentage = 9.3

|change = +7.0

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 29,186

|percentage = 81.4

|change = +39.0

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 35,842

|percentage = 57.8

|change = −9.8

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = William Ross

|votes = 30,922

|percentage = 93.9

|change = +56.0

}}

{{Election box candidate|

|party = For the Anglo-Irish Agreement

|candidate = Peter Barry

|votes = 2,001

|percentage = 6.1

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 28,921

|percentage = 87.8

|change = +73.7

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 32,923

|percentage = 46.8

|change = –29.5

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Democratic Unionist Party

|candidate = William McCrea

|votes = 23,695

|percentage = 46.1

|change = +16.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Sinn Féin

|candidate = Danny Morrison

|votes = 13,998

|percentage = 27.2

|change = −2.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Social Democratic and Labour Party

|candidate = Adrian Colton

|votes = 13,021

|percentage = 25.3

|change = +2.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Workers' Party (Ireland)

|candidate = Thomas Owens

|votes = 691

|percentage = 1.3

|change = ±0.0

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 6,967

|percentage = 19.3

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 51,405

|percentage = 77.6

|change = −6.7

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Democratic Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = John David Taylor

|votes = 32,627

|percentage = 94.2

|change = +45.4

}}

{{Election box candidate|

|party = For the Anglo-Irish Agreement

|candidate = Peter Barry

|votes = 1,993

|percentage = 5.8

|change = N/A

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 30,634

|percentage = 88.5

|change = +69.7

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 34,620

|percentage = 55.0

|change = −9.9

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 62,854

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

{{Election box begin |

|title=1986 Upper Bann by-election}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Ulster Unionist Party

|candidate = Harold McCusker

|votes = 29,311

|percentage = 80.8

|change = +23.9

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Workers' Party (Ireland)

|candidate = Tom French

|votes = 6,978

|percentage = 19.2

|change = +13.7

}}

{{Election box majority|

|votes = 22,333

|percentage = 61.4

|change = +20.4

}}

{{Election box turnout|

|votes = 36,861

|percentage = 57.2

|change = −14.8

}}

{{Election box registered electors|

|reg. electors = 63,4854

}}

{{Election box hold with party link|

|winner = Ulster Unionist Party

|swing =

}}

References

[http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/politics/election/rw1986.htm CAIN: Westminster By-Elections (NI) - Thursday 23 January 1986]
[http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/fw86.htm Northern Ireland Elections: Westminster by-elections 1986]

Category:1986 elections in the United Kingdom

Category:1986 elections in Northern Ireland

Category:January 1986 in the United Kingdom

1986 Northern Ireland by-elections

Other candidates

Results

=Aggregate results=

=Antrim=

=Belfast=

=Down=

=Newry and Armagh=

=Other constituencies=

See also

References