The October 1974 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland was held on 10 October with 12 MPs elected in single-seat constituencies using first-past-the-post as part of the wider general election in the United Kingdom.

Quick Facts 12 seats in Northern Ireland of the 635 seats in the House of Commons, First party ...

October 1974 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland

← Feb. 1974 10 October 1974 1979 →
12 seats in Northern Ireland of the 635 seats in the House of Commons
First party Second party   Leader Harry West William Craig Party Ulster Unionist Vanguard Leader since Jan. 1974 1973 Leader's seat Fermanagh and South Tyrone (defeated) Belfast East Seats won 6 3 Seat change 1 Popular vote 256,053 92,622 Percentage 36.5% 13.1%   Third party Fourth party   Leader Gerry Fitt Ian Paisley Party Social Democratic and Labour Party DUP Leader since 1970 1971 Leader's seat Belfast West Antrim North Seats won 1 1 Seat change Popular vote 154,193 59,451 Percentage 22.4% 8.5%

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This was the second general election to take place in 1974, as Harold Wilson who was leading a minority government sought to secure a majority for the Labour Party. He was successful, but only by a very narrow margin, which dissipated over the course of the parliament.

In Northern Ireland, the United Ulster Unionist Council continued to support an arrangement between the Ulster Unionist Party, the Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party and the Democratic Unionist Party not to contest against each other in their joint opposition to the Sunningdale Agreement, while former Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Brian Faulkner led the new Unionist Party of Northern Ireland in favour of a coalition-based executive under the Agreement. Enoch Powell, formerly an MP for Wolverhampton South West from 1959 to February 1974, was elected for Down South. Powell had left the Conservative Party in opposition to the accession of the United Kingdom to the European Communities.

On the nationalist side, the SDLP held its seat in Belfast West, and stood aside in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, allowing for the defeat of UUP leader Harry West by Independent Nationalist Frank Maguire.

More information Party, MPs ...

Results^[1][2][3]

Party		MPs		Votes
		No.	Change	No.	%	Change
	Ulster Unionist	6	1	256,053	36.5%	4.2
	Vanguard	3		92,622	13.1%	2.5
	SDLP	1	1	154,193	22.4%
	DUP	1		59,451	8.5%	0.3
	Independent Nationalist	1	1	32,795	4.7%	4.7
	Alliance	0		44,644	6.4%	3.2
	Republican Clubs	0		21,633	3.1%	1.0
	Unionist Party NI	0		20,454	3.1%	10.0[a 1]
	NI Labour	0		11,539	1.6%	0.6
	Ind. Unionist	0		4,982	0.7%	0.7
	Marxist–Leninist (Ireland)	0		540	0.1%	0.1
	Independent	0		3536	0.5%	3.1
Total		12		703,042	100

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