1965 Northern Ireland general election

The 1965 Northern Ireland general election was held on 25 November 1965. Like all previous elections to the Parliament of Northern Ireland, it produced a large majority for the Ulster Unionist Party. This was the last election in Northern Ireland in which one party won a majority of the vote. The Ulster Unionists increased their vote share largely due to a reduction in the number of uncontested seats, but also picked up two additional seats. Similarly, the Nationalist vote share decreased largely due to more of the seats in which they stood candidates being contested.

1965 Northern Ireland general election

← 1962 25 November 1965 1969 →

All 52 seats to the House of Commons of Northern Ireland
27 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank
Leader Terence O'Neill Eddie McAteer Tom Boyd
Party Ulster Unionist Nationalist NI Labour
Leader since 25 March 1963 2 June 1964 1958
Leader's seat Bannside Foyle Belfast Pottinger
Last election 34 seats, 48.8% 9 seats, 15.1% 4 seats, 25.4%
Seats won 36 9 2
Seat change Increase2 Steady Decrease2
Popular vote 191,896 26,748 66,323
Percentage 59.1% 8.2% 20.4%
Swing Increase10.3% Decrease6.9% Decrease5.0%

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Gerry Fitt Gerry Quigley Albert McElroy
Party Republican Labour National Democratic Ulster Liberal
Leader since 1964 1965 1956
Leader's seat Belfast Dock None Enniskillen (Lost)
Last election Did not stand Did not stand 1 seat, 3.6%
Seats won 2 1 1
Seat change Increase2 Increase1 Steady
Popular vote 3,326 15,206 12,618
Percentage 1.0% 4.7% 3.9%
Swing New party New party Increase 0.3%

Election results by constituency

Prime Minister before election

Terence O'Neill
Ulster Unionist

Prime Minister after election

Terence O'Neill
Ulster Unionist

Results edit

36 9 2 2 3
UUP Nationalist L R Oth
1965 Northern Ireland general election
 
Party Candidates Votes
Stood Elected Gained Unseated Net % of total % No. Net %
  Ulster Unionist 41 36 2 0 +2 69.2 59.1 191,896 +10.3
  NI Labour 17 2 0 2 -2 3.8 20.4 66,323 -5.0
  Nationalist 9 9 0 0 0 17.3 8.2 26,748 -6.9
  National Democratic 1 1 1 0 +1 1.9 4.7 15,206 N/A
  Ulster Liberal 4 1 0 0 0 1.9 3.9 12,618 +0.3
  Independent Labour 1 0 0 0 0 1.4 4,371 -1.7
  Republican Labour 2 2 1 0 +1 3.8 1.0 3,326 N/A
  New Ireland Movement 1 0 0 0 0 1.0 3,111 N/A
  Independent Republican 1 0 0 0 0 0.2 682 N/A
  Communist (NI) 1 0 0 0 0 0.1 308 N/A
  Independent 1 1 0 0 0 1.9 0.0 0 -0.4

All parties shown. The only independent candidate was elected unopposed. Electorate: 907,667 (563,252 in contested seats); Turnout: 57.6% (324,589).

Votes summary edit

Popular vote
Ulster Unionist
59.12%
Labour
20.43%
Nationalist
8.24%
National Democratic
4.68%
Ulster Liberal
3.89%
Independent Labour
1.35%
Republican Labour
1.02%
New Ireland Movement
0.96%
Independent Republican
0.21%
Communist
0.09%

Seats summary edit

Parliamentary seats
Ulster Unionist
69.23%
Nationalist
17.31%
Labour
3.85%
Republican Labour
3.85%
National Democratic
1.92%
Independent
1.92%

See also edit

References edit