The 1997 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland was held on 1 May with 18 MPs elected in single-seat constituencies using first-past-the-post as part of the wider general election in the United Kingdom. This was an increase of one seat in Northern Ireland, where the House of Commons as a whole had increased from 650 to 659 seats.

Quick Facts 18 seats in Northern Ireland of the 659 seats in the House of Commons, Turnout ...

1997 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland

← 1992 1 May 1997 2001 →
18 seats in Northern Ireland of the 659 seats in the House of Commons
Turnout	67.4% ()
First party Second party   Leader David Trimble John Hume Party Ulster Unionist Social Democratic and Labour Party Leader since 28 August 1995 6 May 1979 Leader's seat Upper Bann Foyle Seats won 10 3 Seat change 1 1 Popular vote 258,439 190,844 Percentage 32.7% 24.1%   Third party Fourth party   Leader Gerry Adams Ian Paisley Party Sinn Féin DUP Leader since 1983 30 September 1971 Leader's seat Belfast West North Antrim Seats won 2 2 Seat change 2 1 Popular vote 126,921 107,348 Percentage 16.1% 13.6%

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1,177,969 people were eligible to vote, up 53,069 from the 1992 general election. 67.39% of eligible voters turned out, down 2.6 percentage points from the last general election.^[1]

The Labour Party led by Tony Blair won a large majority with 418 of 659 seats, returning to office after 18 years of Conservative Party government. In Northern Ireland, Sinn Féin gained two seats, beginning a steady growth in support in elections to the House of Commons.

Less than a year after this election, on 10 April 1998, the Good Friday Agreement was signed, providing for a Northern Ireland Assembly and devolved government through the Northern Ireland Executive.

More information Party, MPs ...

Results^[2][3]

Party		MPs		Votes
		No.	Change	No.	%	Change
	Ulster Unionist	10	1	258,439	32.7%	1.8
	SDLP	3	1	190,844	24.1%	0.6
	Sinn Féin	2	2	126,921	16.1%	6.1
	DUP	2	1	107,348	13.6%	0.5
	UK Unionist	1	1	12,817	1.6%	1.6
	Alliance	0		62,972	8.0%	0.7
	PUP	0		10,934	1.4%	1.4
	NI Conservatives	0		9,858	1.2%	4.5
	NI Women's Coalition	0	New	3,024	0.4%	New
	Workers' Party	0		2,766	0.3%	0.2
	Natural Law	0		2,210	0.3%	0.1
	Green (NI)	0		539	0.1%
	National Democrats	0	New	81		New
	Independent	0		2,136	0.3%	0.5
Total		18	1	790,889	100

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