West Tyrone (UK Parliament constituency)

Constituency profile

The seat is rural and includes the towns of Strabane and Omagh.

Boundaries

Since the constituency's creation in 1997, it has consisted of the territory of the former Districts of Omagh and Strabane. There were major local government boundary changes in 2015, but the constituency boundaries remained unchanged.

The seat was created in a boundary review conducted in 1995 and was predominantly made out of the western half of the old Mid Ulster constituency – indeed it contains more of the old Mid Ulster than the current seat of that name. It also contains parts of the old Foyle constituency.

• Artigarvan; Ballycolman; Castlederg; Dunnamanagh; Finn; Glenderg; Glenelly Valley; Newtownstewart; Sion Mills; Slievekirk; Strabane North; Strabane West from Derry City and Strabane District Council
• Beragh; Camowen; Coolnagard; Dergmoney; Dromore; Drumnakilly; Drumquin; Fairy Water; Fintona; Gortin; Gortrush; Killyclogher; Newtownsaville; Owenkillew; Sixmilecross; Strule; Termon; Trillick from Fermanagh and Omagh District Council
• Pomeroy from Mid Ulster District Council

History

For the history of the equivalent seat prior to 1997, see Mid Ulster.

The seat is overwhelmingly nationalist, with nationalist parties winning over 50% of the vote since the seat was created. However, the nationalist vote has traditionally been split between the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and Sinn Féin, whilst the unionist parties have been more willing to make pacts to increase their chances of victory.

When the seat was created it was nominally held by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), based on mapping the 1992 general election results onto the new boundaries, but this was because the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) had not contested the equivalent area. In the 1996 Forum elections the UUP outpolled the DUP and it was agreed that the DUP would not contest the seat. As a result, William Thompson of the UUP won in 1997 with a narrow majority over the SDLP, with Sinn Féin coming third on a large vote.

During the Parliament that followed, the Omagh bombing took place in the constituency, killing 29 people.

In the 2001 general election the SDLP and Sinn Féin both targeted the constituency heavily, in the hope that a shift in the vote from one nationalist party to the other would enable them to outpoll the Ulster Unionists. In the event Sinn Féin's Pat Doherty won.

In 1998 both Sinn Féin and the SDLP won two seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly, with the UUP and DUP winning one each. However, there was much speculation that an increase in Sinn Féin's vote at the SDLP's expense would result in Sinn Féin taking a seat from its nationalist rival at the next assembly election. However, the election was complicated by the intervention of the independent candidate Dr. Kieran Deeny, campaigning on the sole issue of the retention of the hospital in Omagh. In a result that shocked commentators he took one of the SDLP's assembly seats.

Deeny stood again in the 2005 general election and asked most parties to withdraw to support him. Many local activists and voters appeared to agree with this, with some making their support public, but in the end the UUP, DUP and SDLP all fielded candidates. Doherty held the seat for Sinn Féin, but with Deeny polling strongly in second place.

Members of Parliament

West Tyrone's first MP upon its 1997 creation was William Thompson of the Ulster Unionist Party. He was defeated in 2001 by Pat Doherty of Sinn Féin, who held the seat until his retirement at the 2017 general election. He was succeeded by Barry McElduff, also of Sinn Féin, who was MP for just over half a year before he announced his resignation on 15 January 2018, following widespread backlash against a video he posted on Twitter that appeared to mock victims of the Kingsmill massacre. This triggered a by-election won by Sinn Féin's Órfhlaith Begley, who has remained the MP for West Tyrone to the present day.

Elections

Elections in the 2020s

|reg. electors =74,269

Elections in the 2010s

|reg. electors = 66,215 |reg. electors = 64,101 |reg. electors = 64,009 |reg. electors = 63,856 |reg. electors = 61,148

Elections in the 2000s

|reg. electors = 59,842

|reg. electors = 60,739

Elections in the 1990s

|reg. electors = 58,428

References

References

1. (15 November 2023). "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023 (Statutory Instrument 2023 no. 1230)". The Stationery Office.
2. McDonald, Henry. (15 January 2018). "Sinn Féin MP Barry McElduff resigns after Kingsmill row". The Guardian.
3. {{Rayment-hc. t. 2. (March 2012)
4. (2024-06-07). "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll".
5. "West Tyrone Parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
6. (4 May 2018). "SF's Begley wins West Tyrone by-election". BBC News.
7. (11 May 2017). "Election of a Member of Parliament for the WEST TYRONE Constituency – Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll". Electoral Office of Northern Ireland.
8. "Election 2017 Results – Election Polling".
9. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
10. "The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland – EONI".
11. (18 December 2014). "Environmental activist to stand for Green Party in West Tyrone".
12. (16 March 2015). "Cannabis reform party announce West Tyrone election candidate".
13. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
14. "Statement of Persons Nominated".
15. "Election Data 2005". [[Electoral Calculus]].
16. "Election Data 2001". [[Electoral Calculus]].
17. "Election Data 1997". [[Electoral Calculus]].