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East Londonderry (UK Parliament constituency)

From Wikipedia - Reading time: 10 min

For other constituencies of the same name, see East Londonderry (disambiguation).

East Londonderry
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Boundary within Northern Ireland
Districts of Northern IrelandCauseway Coast and Glens (part), Derry and Strabane (part)[1]
Electorate63,491 (December 2019)
Major settlementsColeraine, Limavady and Dungiven
Current constituency
Created1983
Member of ParliamentGregory Campbell (DUP)
Seats1
Created fromLondonderry, Mid Ulster and North Antrim[2]

East Londonderry (also known as East Derry)[3][4][5] is a constituency in Northern Ireland represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. Its current Member of Parliament (MP) has been Gregory Campbell of the DUP since 2001.

Constituency profile

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This is a mostly rural constituency stretching from the hill country of the Sperrin Mountains in the south to the Atlantic coast in the north; and from the suburbs of Derry city in the west to the River Bann in the east. The constituency's two main towns are Limavady and Coleraine; other urban areas include the upland town of Dungiven; and the coastal resorts of Portstewart and Portrush (the latter in fact lies in Country Antrim).

Boundaries

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The seat was created in boundary changes in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from the old Londonderry constituency, minus the area around the city of Derry/Londonderry itself which formed the new Foyle constituency.

From further revisions in 1995 (when it lost parts of the district of Magherafelt to the Mid Ulster constituency), and until the 2008 revision, it covered exactly the same area as the districts of Coleraine and Limavady. The inclusion of all of Coleraine Borough means that part of the East Londonderry constituency is actually in County Antrim.

For the 2010 general election the East Londonderry constituency was formed by the following local government areas, as confirmed by the Northern Ireland Parliamentary Constituencies Order.[6]

  • The entire local government districts of Limavady and Coleraine.
  • Banagher, and Claudy, from the Londonderry district.

Prior to the 2024 general election, the following additions were made to the East Londonderry constituency:[7][1]

  • The entire ward of Eglinton is transferred from Foyle.
  • The entire ward of Claudy, which was split between Foyle and East Londonderry, is assigned to East Londonderry.

History

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The constituency has a Unionist majority although, in many elections, nationalists have polled close to 35% of the vote, and the middle-of-the-road Alliance Party sometimes above 10%. The main interest in elections has been the contest between the Ulster Unionist Party and the Democratic Unionist Party. The UUP were normally ahead of the DUP until the 2001 general election, when the DUP finally overtook them.

The 2001 election was seen at a province-wide level as a battle over the Belfast Agreement, with the DUP opposed to it and most of the UUP in favour. However, that situation was seemingly reversed in East Londonderry, in which the sitting Ulster Unionist MP, William Ross, was completely opposed to all involvement with the Agreement and its institutions, whilst the DUP candidate, Gregory Campbell, was a minister in the executive set up by the agreement. Many commentators joked that the DUP's gain meant that East Londonderry now had a more pro-agreement MP than before.[citation needed]

For the history of the equivalent constituency prior to 1983, see Londonderry.

In the 2016 EU referendum 21,098 people in the constituency voted to remain in the European Union, 19,455 voted to leave, and 10 votes were rejected.

The seat had a considerable swing to Sinn Fein in the 2024 General Election of over 12%, but the DUP still just retained the constituency, albeit with a very narrow majority of 179 votes, now making it a highly marginal contest between them and Sinn Fein.

Members of Parliament

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The Member of Parliament since the 2001 general election is Gregory Campbell of the Democratic Unionist Party. In that election he defeated William Ross of the Ulster Unionist Party who had represented East Londonderry since 1983 and its predecessor seat of Londonderry between 1974 and 1983.

Election Member[8] Party
1983 William Ross UUP
2001 Gregory Campbell DUP

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: East Londonderry[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Gregory Campbell 11,506 27.9 −12.1
Sinn Féin Kathleen McGurk 11,327 27.4 +12.0
SDLP Cara Hunter 5,260 12.7 −3.7
TUV Allister Kyle 4,363 10.6 New
Alliance Richard Stewart 3,734 9.0 −5.5
UUP Glen Miller 3,412 8.3 −0.8
Aontú Gemma Brolly 1,043 2.5 −1.8
Green (NI) Jen McCahon 445 1.1 New
NI Conservatives Claire Scull 187 0.5 New
Majority 179 0.5 −23.9
Turnout 41,277 54.5 −2.3
Registered electors 75,707
DUP hold Swing −12.1

Elections in the 2010s

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General election 2019: East Londonderry[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Gregory Campbell 15,765 40.1 −8.0
SDLP Cara Hunter 6,158 15.7 +4.9
Sinn Féin Dermot Nicholl 6,128 15.6 −10.9
Alliance Chris McCaw 5,921 15.1 +8.9
UUP Richard Holmes 3,599 9.2 +1.6
Aontú Seán McNicholl 1,731 4.4 New
Majority 9,607 24.4 +2.8
Turnout 39,302 56.8 −4.4
Registered electors 69,194
DUP hold Swing −6.5
General election 2017: East Londonderry[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Gregory Campbell 19,723 48.1 +5.9
Sinn Féin Dermot Nicholl 10,881 26.5 +6.7
SDLP Stephanie Quigley 4,423 10.8 −1.5
UUP Richard Holmes 3,135 7.6 −7.8
Alliance Chris McCaw 2,538 6.2 −1.4
NI Conservatives Liz St Clair-Legge 330 0.8 −0.4
Majority 8,842 21.6 −0.8
Turnout 40,580 61.2 +9.3
Registered electors 67,038
DUP hold Swing -0.5
General election 2015: East Londonderry[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Gregory Campbell 14,663 42.2 +7.6
Sinn Féin Caoimhe Archibald 6,859 19.8 +0.5
UUP William McCandless[15] 5,333 15.4 −2.4
SDLP Gerry Mullan 4,268 12.3 −3.1
Alliance Yvonne Boyle 2,642 7.6 +2.1
CISTA Neil Paine 527 1.5 New
NI Conservatives Liz St Clair-Legge 422 1.2 New
Majority 7,804 22.4 +7.1
Turnout 34,714 51.9 −3.4
Registered electors 66,926
DUP hold Swing +3.5
General election 2010: East Londonderry[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Gregory Campbell 12,097 34.6 −6.3
Sinn Féin Cathal Ó hOisín 6,742 19.3 +1.9
UCU-NF Lesley Macaulay 6,218 17.8 −1.9
SDLP Thomas Conway 5,399 15.4 −3.9
TUV William Ross 2,572 7.4 New
Alliance Barney Fitzpatrick 1,922 5.5 +3.1
Majority 5,355 15.3 −6.5
Turnout 34,950 55.3 −8.4
Registered electors 63,220
DUP hold Swing −5.7

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: East Londonderry[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Gregory Campbell 15,225 42.9 +10.8
UUP David McClarty 7,498 21.1 −6.3
SDLP John Dallat 6,077 17.1 −3.7
Sinn Féin Billy Leonard 5,709 16.1 +0.5
Alliance Yvonne Boyle 924 2.6 −1.5
Independent Malcolm Harry Samuel 71 0.2 New
Majority 7,727 21.8 +17.1
Turnout 35,504 60.3 −5.9
Registered electors 58,461
DUP hold Swing +8.5
General election 2001: East Londonderry[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DUP Gregory Campbell 12,813 32.1 +6.1
UUP William Ross 10,912 27.4 −8.6
SDLP John Dallat 8,298 20.8 −1.2
Sinn Féin Francie Brolly 6,221 15.6 +6.6
Alliance Yvonne Boyle 1,625 4.1 −1.9
Majority 1,901 4.7 N/A
Turnout 39,869 66.2 +1.4
Registered electors 60,215
DUP gain from UUP Swing −7.4

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: East Londonderry[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP William Ross 13,558 36.0 −29.1
DUP Gregory Campbell 9,767 26.0 New
SDLP Arthur Doherty 8,273 22.0 +1.9
Sinn Féin Malachy O'Kane 3,463 9.0 +5.5
Alliance Yvonne Boyle 2,427 6.0 −1.3
NI Conservatives James Holmes 436 1.0 −3.4
Natural Law Clare Gallen 100 0.3 New
National Democrats Ian Anderson 81 0.2 New
Majority 3,794 10.0 −25.2
Turnout 38,102 64.8 −5.0
Registered electors 58,938
UUP hold Swing −23.8

1997 changes are compared to the notional figures from 1992.[20]

Notional 1992 UK General Election Result : East Londonderry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP N/A 23,287 64.9 N/A
SDLP N/A 7,134 19.9 N/A
Alliance N/A 2,634 7.3 N/A
NI Conservatives N/A 1,589 4.4 N/A
Sinn Féin N/A 1,261 3.5 N/A
Registered electors N/A
Majority 16,153 45.0 N/A
General election 1992: East Londonderry[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP William Ross 30,370 57.6 −2.9
SDLP Arthur Doherty 11,843 22.4 +3.2
Sinn Féin Pauline Davey-Kennedy 5,320 10.1 −1.1
Alliance Patrick McGowan 3,613 6.8 +0.2
NI Conservatives Allan Elder 1,589 3.0 New
Majority 18,527 35.2 0.0
Turnout 52,735 69.8 +1.1
Registered electors 75,587
UUP hold Swing

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: East Londonderry[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP William Ross 29,532 60.5 +22.6
SDLP Arthur Doherty 9,375 19.2 +0.9
Sinn Féin John Davey 5,464 11.2 −2.6
Alliance Patrick McGowan 3,237 6.6 +1.9
Workers' Party Francie Donnelly 935 1.9 +0.3
Green Malcolm Samuel 281 0.6 New
Majority 20,157 35.2 +21.1
Turnout 48,824 68.7 −9.6
Registered electors 71,031
UUP hold Swing
By-election 1986: East Londonderry[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP William Ross 30,922 93.9 +56.0
"For the Anglo-Irish Agreement" "Peter Barry" (Wesley Robert Williamson)[24] 2,001 6.1 New
Majority 28,921 87.8 +73.7
Turnout 32,923 46.8 −29.5
Registered electors 70,038
UUP hold Swing N/A
General election 1983: East Londonderry[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UUP William Ross 19,469 37.9
DUP James McClure 12,207 23.8
SDLP Arthur Doherty 9,397 18.3
Sinn Féin John Davey 7,073 13.8
Alliance Martha McGrath 2,401 4.7
Workers' Party Francie Donnelly 819 1.6
Majority 7,262 14.1
Turnout 51,366 76.3
Registered electors 67,306
UUP win (new seat)

Demographics

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On Census day 2021 there were 103,285 people living in the East Londonderry parliamentary constituency.[26] Of these:

  • 42.5% (43,869) belong to or were brought up in the Catholic Christian faith and 48.7% (50,342) belong to or were brought up in various 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' denominations. 0.8% (871) belong to other religions and 7.9% (8,203) had no religious background.
  • 36.6% (37,829) indicated that they had a British only identity, 22.9% (23,639) had an Irish only identity and 23.3% (24,083) had a Northern Irish only identity (respondents could indicate more than one national identity).[27]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Final Recommendations Report of the 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies.PDF" (PDF). 23 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  2. ^ "'Londonderry East', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  3. ^ "East Derry constituency report: DUP's Gregory Campbell retains seat but Sinn Féin make big gains". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Gregory Campbell retains East Derry seat by narrow margin after recount". The Irish News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  5. ^ Kearney, Vincent (1 July 2024). "East Londonderry – Outsider to record breaker?". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies (Northern Ireland) Order 2008". www.legislation.gov.uk.
  7. ^ "Boundary Commission publish their 2023 Review of Parliamentary Consitutencies – Northern Ireland Elects". nielects.com. 2 July 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  8. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 4)
  9. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Electoral Office for Northern Ireland. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  10. ^ "East Londonderry Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  11. ^ "Election of a Member of Parliament for the EAST LONDONDERRY Constituency – Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Electoral Office of Northern Ireland. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  12. ^ "UK Parliamentary Election Result 2017 – East Londonderry". Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  13. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  14. ^ "The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland – EONI". www.eoni.org.uk.
  15. ^ "Cllr William McCandless selected as Ulster Unionist Westminster candidate for East Londonderry". Ulster Unionist Party. 23 February 2015. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  16. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ^ "BBC Election '97". bbc.co.uk. 1997. Archived from the original on 5 December 2004.
  21. ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  23. ^ "By-election Result". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  24. ^ Nicholas Whyte (13 May 2003). "Westminster by-elections, 23 January 1986". Northern Ireland Social and Political Archive. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  25. ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  26. ^ "Parliamentary Constituency 2024". NISRA. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  27. ^ "National identity (person based) – basic detail (classification 1)". NISRA. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
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54°56′46″N 6°57′11″W / 54.946°N 6.953°W / 54.946; -6.953

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