2011 Belfast West by-election
{{Short description|2011 UK parliamentary by-election}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 2011 Belfast West by-election
| type = parliamentary
| country = United Kingdom
| seats_for_election =
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 2010 United Kingdom general election
| previous_year = 2010
| next_election = 2015 United Kingdom general election
| next_year = 2015
| election_date = 9 June 2011
| candidate1 = Paul Maskey
| image1 = 150x150px
| party1 = Sinn Féin
| last_election1 =
| popular_vote1 = 16,211
| percentage1 = 70.6%
| swing1 = {{decrease}}0.5%
| candidate2 = Alex Attwood
| image2 = 150x150px
| party2 = Social Democratic and Labour Party
| last_election2 =
| popular_vote2 = 3,088
| percentage2 = 13.5%
| swing2 = {{decrease}}2.9%
| candidate4 = Gerry Carroll
| image4 = 130x130px
| party4 = People Before Profit Alliance
| last_election4 =
| popular_vote4 = 1,751
| percentage4 = 7.6%
| swing4 = New party
| candidate5 = Brian Kingston
| image5 = 130x130px
| party5 = Democratic Unionist Party
| last_election5 =
| popular_vote5 = 1,393
| percentage5 = 6.1%
| swing5 = {{decrease}}1.5%
| map_image =
| map_size =
| map_caption =
| title = MP
| posttitle = Subsequent MP
| before_election = Gerry Adams
| before_party = Sinn Féin
| after_election = Paul Maskey
| after_party = Sinn Féin
}}
On 9 June 2011, a by-election was held for the United Kingdom constituency of Belfast West. The by-election was prompted by the resignation of the constituency's Member of Parliament, Gerry Adams{{cite web
|url=http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/press_08_11.htm
|title=Manor of Northstead
|date=26 January 2011
|work=HM Treasury
|accessdate=26 January 2011
}}
in advance of his candidacy in the 2011 general election in the Republic of Ireland.
Background
Gerry Adams had held Belfast West for Sinn Féin from 1983 to 1992, and continuously since 1997.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12246725 Gerry Adams resigns as West Belfast MP] BBC News At the 1992 UK general election and in the 1974 and 1979 elections, the seat was won instead by the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), an Irish nationalist party, but by the 2010 general election, they were a long way behind Adams, the seat being the safest in Northern Ireland and the fourth safest anywhere in the UK.{{cite web |url=http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge10/maj.htm |title=Constituencies in order of % Majority after the 2010 general election |publisher=Politicsresources.net |date=13 January 2011 |accessdate=20 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218000522/http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge10/maj.htm |archive-date=18 December 2010 |url-status=dead }} A constituency of the same name, with boundaries identical to the Westminster constituency which existed before the 2010 election, was contested at the 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election, using the single transferable vote method of election. Sinn Féin candidates won five of the six seats and the SDLP the other.[http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/07wb.htm West Belfast 2007], Northern Ireland Elections
In 2010, the two main unionist parties, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), both stood candidates in the seat, but took only 10.7% of the vote between them. The DUP did hold one of the six Assembly seats until 2007.[http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/awb.htm West Belfast], Northern Ireland Elections Although the UUP have not held their deposit in recent years, they held the Parliamentary seat until 1966.[http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/dwb.htm West Belfast 1950–1970], Northern Ireland Elections
Vacation of the seat
Members of the House of Commons, whether or not they have taken their seats, cannot resign in form, but a legal fiction has grown up to allow Members to resign in effect. Under Section 4 of the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975, if an MP wishes to vacate their seat, they can request appointment to either of two 'offices of profit under the Crown' which disqualify them from membership. As an Irish republican, Gerry Adams considered a British Crown appointment politically unacceptable, and therefore submitted a letter resigning his seat to the Speaker of the House of Commons on 20 January 2011;{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0126/breaking42.html?via=mr|title=Adams 'becomes baron'|date=26 January 2011|work=The Irish Times|accessdate=26 January 2011| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110127040850/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0126/breaking42.html?via=mr| archivedate= 27 January 2011 | url-status= live}} he maintained that by doing so he had simply resigned.[http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/19972 Adams comments on Cameron claims] Sinnfein.ie Notwithstanding that he had not requested it, Adams was on 26 January appointed as Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead, a Treasury spokesperson explaining that this appointment had been made "consistent with long-standing precedent". Although David Cameron said during Prime Minister's Questions that Adams had "accepted an office for profit under the Crown", Adams denied this and received an apology from the Prime Minister's Office for not informing him of the procedure and for stating that he had applied for the "post".{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12292896|title=Downing Street apology for Gerry Adams|date=26 January 2011|work=BBC Online|accessdate=26 January 2011| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110201133240/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12292896| archivedate= 1 February 2011 | url-status= live}}
Calling the by-election
In order for a by-election to take place, an MP makes a motion in the House of Commons to the Speaker to issue a warrant to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, who then issues the writ ordering that the election take place. Traditionally, the MP comes from the same party as the member that has stood down.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-information-office/m07.pdf |title=Microsoft Word - M07 - Parliamentary Elections.doc |accessdate=28 May 2011| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110605103824/http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-information-office/m07.pdf| archivedate= 5 June 2011 | url-status= live}} However, because Sinn Féin MPs do not take their seats in the Commons, the writ was moved by the Government Chief Whip, Conservative Patrick McLoughlin MP on 16 May 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/goahead-given-for-belfast-poll-16000680.html |title=Go-ahead given for Belfast poll – Northern Ireland, Local & National |publisher=Belfasttelegraph.co.uk |date=16 May 2011 |accessdate=28 May 2011}}
Candidates
Alex Attwood, the Environment Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive, and the Social Democratic and Labour Party's candidate for the seat at the 2010 general election was the SDLP candidate for the by-election.{{cite web|url=http://www.belfastmedia.com/home_article.php?ID=2370 |title=(Andersonstown News) – The Candidate |publisher=Belfast Media |date=24 March 2011 |accessdate=28 May 2011}}
Brian Kingston was the Democratic Unionist Party candidate.[http://www.dup.org.uk/articles.asp?ArticleNewsID=3474 – DUP Nomination for West Belfast by-election], 24 May 2011
Paul Maskey, a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, won the Sinn Féin nomination.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13369583 |title=Paul Maskey 'wants to run for West Belfast' |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=11 May 2011 |accessdate=28 May 2011| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110512140726/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13369583| archivedate= 12 May 2011 | url-status= live}} Danny Morrison, the former publicity director of Sinn Féin, had suggested that the party should stand aside and instead back a candidacy for former Respect Party MP George Galloway.Martina Purdy, "[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12255189 Galloway to run for West Belfast?]", BBC News, 21 January 2011
Results
=By-election=
{{Election box begin | title=2011 Belfast West by-election[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13718129 Sinn Fein's Paul Maskey wins West Belfast by-election], BBC News, 10 June 2011[http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/awb.htm Northern Ireland Elections], Northern Ireland Elections, 6 May 2018
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Sinn Féin
|candidate = Paul Maskey
|votes = 16,211
|percentage = 70.6
|change = −0.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Social Democratic and Labour Party
|candidate = Alex Attwood
|votes = 3,088
|percentage = 13.5
|change = −2.9
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = People Before Profit Alliance
|candidate = Gerry Carroll
|votes = 1,751
|percentage = 7.6
|change = New
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Unionist Party
|candidate = Brian Kingston
|votes = 1,393
|percentage = 6.1
|change = −1.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Ulster Unionist Party
|candidate = Bill Manwaring
|votes = 386
|percentage = 1.7
|change = −1.4
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
|candidate = Aaron McIntyre
|votes = 122
|percentage = 0.5
|change = −1.4
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 13,123
|percentage = 57.1
|change = +2.4
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 22,951
|percentage = 37.5
|change = −16.5
}}
{{Election box registered electors|
|reg. electors = 61,441
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Sinn Féin
|swing = +1.2
}}
{{Election box end}}
=Previous General Election=
{{Election box begin | title=General election 2010: Belfast West{{cite web|title=Election Data 2010|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|accessdate=17 October 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726162034/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2010.txt|archivedate=26 July 2013 }}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Sinn Féin
|candidate = Gerry Adams
|votes = 22,840
|percentage = 71.1
|change = +2.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Social Democratic and Labour Party
|candidate = Alex Attwood
|votes = 5,261
|percentage = 16.4
|change = +0.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Unionist Party
|candidate = William Humphrey
|votes = 2,436
|percentage = 7.6
|change = −3.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Ulster Conservatives and Unionists
|candidate = Bill Manwaring
|votes = 1,000
|percentage = 3.1
|change = +0.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
|candidate = Máire Hendron
|votes = 596
|percentage = 1.9
|change = +1.8
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 17,579
|percentage = 54.7
|change = −1.2
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 32,133
|percentage = 54.0
|change = −13.5
}}
{{Election box registered electors|
|reg. electors = 59,522
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
|winner = Sinn Féin
|swing = +1.1
}}
{{Election box end}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/ A Vision Of Britain Through Time] (Constituency elector numbers)
- [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/awb.htm Northern Ireland Elections]
{{Westminster by-elections in Northern Ireland}}
{{By-elections to the 55th UK Parliament}}
{{Northern Ireland topics}}