Mid Ulster by-election, 1969
Encyclopedia
The Mid Ulster by-election was held on 17 April 1969, following the death of Ulster Unionist Party
Member of Parliament
for Mid Ulster
, George Forrest
. The two-way contest was unusual in featuring two women candidates.
Forrest had held the seat since 1956, initially winning it as an Independent
Unionist, but joining the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) immediately on his election. The seat had been created six years earlier, and during that period had been held by two Nationalist Party
members, one Sinn Féin
member, and an Ulster Unionist.
At the 1966 UK general election, Forrest had achieved only a slim majority over former Sinn Féin MP Tom Mitchell, standing as an Independent Republican
. It was clear that the balance between nationalist and unionist voters in the constituency was very close.
Since 1966, the political situation in Northern Ireland had changed. The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
had been formed to campaign for civil rights
for nationalists. After its marches were disrupted, leading to the start of The Troubles
, more radical groups such as People's Democracy
organised. Among its leaders was radical student Bernadette Devlin, who stood against prominent unionist James Chichester-Clark
for the South Londonderry
seat in the Northern Ireland general election, 1969
in February.
A Convention of nationalists selected Devlin as their candidate to contest the Mid Ulster by-election. She was chosen as a compromise between the Sinn Féin
candidate Kevin Agnew and Austin Currie
of the Nationalist Party. She stood as the Unity
candidate. In contrast to Mitchell's abstentionist stance, she committed to attending the British House of Commons
to fight her cause.
The Ulster Unionist Party stood Anna Forrest, George Forrest's widow. Forrest did not hold any public meetings or do any electioneering work. In a brief address to electors, she stated "if elected, I will endeavour, with God's help, to strive for a more peaceful and prosperous society where all people can live in harmony and work together for the common good of all."
. The election also saw the highest turnout in any Westminster by-election since universal suffrage
, with 91.5% of the electorate voting.
Devlin held the seat at the 1970 UK general election, and the Unity movement acquired another MP in Fermanagh and South Tyrone
. However, they both lost their seats at the February 1974 UK general election
.
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Mid Ulster
Mid Ulster (UK Parliament constituency)
Mid Ulster is a Parliamentary Constituency in the British House of Commons.-Boundaries:The constituency was created in 1950 when the old two-seat constituency of Fermanagh and Tyrone was abolished as part of the final move to single member seats...
, George Forrest
George Forrest (politician)
George Forrest was a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland who served as MP for Mid Ulster from 1956 until his death...
. The two-way contest was unusual in featuring two women candidates.
Forrest had held the seat since 1956, initially winning it as an Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
Unionist, but joining the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) immediately on his election. The seat had been created six years earlier, and during that period had been held by two Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)
The Nationalist Party† - was the continuation of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and was formed after partition, by the Northern Ireland-based members of the IPP....
members, one Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
member, and an Ulster Unionist.
At the 1966 UK general election, Forrest had achieved only a slim majority over former Sinn Féin MP Tom Mitchell, standing as an Independent Republican
Independent Republican (Ireland)
Independent Republican was a political title frequently used by Irish republicans when contesting elections in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland since the 1920s....
. It was clear that the balance between nationalist and unionist voters in the constituency was very close.
Since 1966, the political situation in Northern Ireland had changed. The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association was an organisation which campaigned for equal civil rights for the all the people in Northern Ireland during the late 1960s and early 1970s...
had been formed to campaign for civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
for nationalists. After its marches were disrupted, leading to the start of The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
, more radical groups such as People's Democracy
People's Democracy
People's Democracy was a political organisation that, while supporting the campaign for civil rights for Northern Ireland's Catholic minority, stated that such rights could only be achieved through the establishment of a socialist republic for all of Ireland...
organised. Among its leaders was radical student Bernadette Devlin, who stood against prominent unionist James Chichester-Clark
James Chichester-Clark
James Dawson Chichester-Clark, Baron Moyola, PC, DL was the penultimate Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and eighth leader of the Ulster Unionist Party between 1969 and March 1971. He was Member of the Northern Ireland Parliament for South Londonderry for 12 years beginning at the by-election...
for the South Londonderry
South Londonderry (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
The South Londonderry constituency for the Parliament of Northern Ireland was created in 1929 and continued until the abolition of the Parliament in 1973...
seat in the Northern Ireland general election, 1969
Northern Ireland general election, 1969
-References:*...
in February.
A Convention of nationalists selected Devlin as their candidate to contest the Mid Ulster by-election. She was chosen as a compromise between the Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
candidate Kevin Agnew and Austin Currie
Austin Currie
Austin Currie is a former politician who was elected to the parliaments of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland....
of the Nationalist Party. She stood as the Unity
Unity (Northern Ireland)
"Unity" was the political label for a series of electoral pacts by Irish nationalist and Irish Republican candidates in Northern Ireland elections in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
candidate. In contrast to Mitchell's abstentionist stance, she committed to attending the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
to fight her cause.
The Ulster Unionist Party stood Anna Forrest, George Forrest's widow. Forrest did not hold any public meetings or do any electioneering work. In a brief address to electors, she stated "if elected, I will endeavour, with God's help, to strive for a more peaceful and prosperous society where all people can live in harmony and work together for the common good of all."
Results
Devlin achieved a narrow victory, becoming at twenty-one years of age the youngest ever female MPBaby of the House
Baby of the House is the unofficial title given to the youngest member of a parliamentary house. The term is most often applied to members of the British parliament.-Australia:In Australia the term is rarely used...
. The election also saw the highest turnout in any Westminster by-election since universal suffrage
Universal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
, with 91.5% of the electorate voting.
Devlin held the seat at the 1970 UK general election, and the Unity movement acquired another MP in Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Fermanagh and South Tyrone (UK Parliament constituency)
Fermanagh and South Tyrone is a Parliamentary constituency in the British House of Commons. The current MP for the constituency is Michelle Gildernew of Sinn Féin....
. However, they both lost their seats at the February 1974 UK general election
United Kingdom general election, February 1974
The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,...
.