# East Londonderry (UK Parliament constituency)

East Londonderry is a constituency in Northern Ireland represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. Its current Member of Parliament (MP) has been Gregory Campbell of the DUP since 2001.

## Constituency profile

This is a mostly rural constituency stretching from the hill country of the Sperrin Mountains in the south to the Atlantic coast in the north; and from the suburbs of Derry city in the west to the River Bann in the east. The constituency's two main towns are Limavady and Coleraine; other urban areas include the upland town of Dungiven; and the coastal resorts of Portstewart and Portrush (the latter in fact lies in Country Antrim).

## Boundaries

The seat was created in boundary changes in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from the old Londonderry constituency, minus the area around the city of Derry itself which formed the new Foyle constituency.
From further revisions in 1995 (when it lost parts of the district of Magherafelt to the Mid Ulster constituency), and until the 2008 revision, it covered exactly the same area as the districts of Coleraine and Limavady. The inclusion of all of Coleraine Borough means that part of the East Londonderry constituency is actually in County Antrim.
For the 2010 general election the East Londonderry constituency was formed by the following local government areas, as confirmed by the Northern Ireland Parliamentary Constituencies Order.
* The entire local government districts of Limavady and Coleraine.
* Banagher, and Claudy, from the Londonderry district.
Prior to the 2024 general election, the following additions were made to the East Londonderry constituency:
* The entire ward of Eglinton is transferred from Foyle.
* The entire ward of Claudy, which was split between Foyle and East Londonderry, is assigned to East Londonderry.

## History

The constituency has a Unionist majority although, in many elections, nationalists have polled close to 35% of the vote, and the middle-of-the-road Alliance Party sometimes above 10%. The main interest in elections has been the contest between the Ulster Unionist Party and the Democratic Unionist Party. The UUP were normally ahead of the DUP until the 2001 general election, when the DUP finally overtook them.
The 2001 election was seen at a province-wide level as a battle over the Belfast Agreement, with the DUP opposed to it and most of the UUP in favour. However, that situation was seemingly reversed in East Londonderry, in which the sitting Ulster Unionist MP, William Ross, was completely opposed to all involvement with the Agreement and its institutions, whilst the DUP candidate, Gregory Campbell, was a minister in the executive set up by the agreement. Many commentators joked that the DUP's gain meant that East Londonderry now had a more pro-agreement MP than before.
For the history of the equivalent constituency prior to 1983, see Londonderry.
In the 2016 EU referendum 21,098 people in the constituency voted to remain in the European Union, 19,455 voted to leave, and 10 votes were rejected.
The seat had a considerable swing to Sinn Féin in the 2024 General Election of over 12%, but the DUP still just retained the constituency, albeit with a very narrow majority of 179 votes, now making it a highly marginal contest between them and Sinn Féin.

## Members of Parliament

The Member of Parliament since the 2001 general election is Gregory Campbell of the Democratic Unionist Party. In that election he defeated William Ross of the Ulster Unionist Party who had represented East Londonderry since 1983 and its predecessor seat of Londonderry between 1974 and 1983.
| Election | Election | Member | Party |
| | 1983 | William Ross | UUP |
| | 2001 | Gregory Campbell | DUP |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: East Londonderry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DUP | Gregory Campbell | 11,506 | 27.9 | −12.1 |
| | Sinn Féin | Kathleen McGurk | 11,327 | 27.4 | +12.0 |
| | SDLP | Cara Hunter | 5,260 | 12.7 | −3.7 |
| | TUV | Allister Kyle | 4,363 | 10.6 | New |
| | Alliance | Richard Stewart | 3,734 | 9.0 | −5.5 |
| | UUP | Glen Miller | 3,412 | 8.3 | −0.8 |
| | Aontú | Gemma Brolly | 1,043 | 2.5 | −1.8 |
| | Green (NI) | Jen McCahon | 445 | 1.1 | New |
| | NI Conservatives | Claire Scull | 187 | 0.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 179 | 0.5 | −23.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,277 | 54.5 | −2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 75,707 | | |
| | DUP hold | DUP hold | Swing | −12.1 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: East Londonderry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DUP | Gregory Campbell | 15,765 | 40.1 | −8.0 |
| | SDLP | Cara Hunter | 6,158 | 15.7 | +4.9 |
| | Sinn Féin | Dermot Nicholl | 6,128 | 15.6 | −10.9 |
| | Alliance | Chris McCaw | 5,921 | 15.1 | +8.9 |
| | UUP | Richard Holmes | 3,599 | 9.2 | +1.6 |
| | Aontú | Seán McNicholl | 1,731 | 4.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,607 | 24.4 | +2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,302 | 56.8 | −4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 69,194 | | |
| | DUP hold | DUP hold | Swing | −6.5 | |
General election 2017: East Londonderry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DUP | Gregory Campbell | 19,723 | 48.1 | +5.9 |
| | Sinn Féin | Dermot Nicholl | 10,881 | 26.5 | +6.7 |
| | SDLP | Stephanie Quigley | 4,423 | 10.8 | −1.5 |
| | UUP | Richard Holmes | 3,135 | 7.6 | −7.8 |
| | Alliance | Chris McCaw | 2,538 | 6.2 | −1.4 |
| | NI Conservatives | Liz St Clair-Legge | 330 | 0.8 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,842 | 21.6 | −0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,580 | 61.2 | +9.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 67,038 | | |
| | DUP hold | DUP hold | Swing | -0.5 | |
General election 2015: East Londonderry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DUP | Gregory Campbell | 14,663 | 42.2 | +7.6 |
| | Sinn Féin | Caoimhe Archibald | 6,859 | 19.8 | +0.5 |
| | UUP | William McCandless | 5,333 | 15.4 | −2.4 |
| | SDLP | Gerry Mullan | 4,268 | 12.3 | −3.1 |
| | Alliance | Yvonne Boyle | 2,642 | 7.6 | +2.1 |
| | CISTA | Neil Paine | 527 | 1.5 | New |
| | NI Conservatives | Liz St Clair-Legge | 422 | 1.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,804 | 22.4 | +7.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,714 | 51.9 | −3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 66,926 | | |
| | DUP hold | DUP hold | Swing | +3.5 | |
General election 2010: East Londonderry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DUP | Gregory Campbell | 12,097 | 34.6 | −6.3 |
| | Sinn Féin | Cathal Ó hOisín | 6,742 | 19.3 | +1.9 |
| | UCU-NF | Lesley Macaulay | 6,218 | 17.8 | −1.9 |
| | SDLP | Thomas Conway | 5,399 | 15.4 | −3.9 |
| | TUV | William Ross | 2,572 | 7.4 | New |
| | Alliance | Barney Fitzpatrick | 1,922 | 5.5 | +3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,355 | 15.3 | −6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,950 | 55.3 | −8.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 63,220 | | |
| | DUP hold | DUP hold | Swing | −5.7 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: East Londonderry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DUP | Gregory Campbell | 15,225 | 42.9 | +10.8 |
| | UUP | David McClarty | 7,498 | 21.1 | −6.3 |
| | SDLP | John Dallat | 6,077 | 17.1 | −3.7 |
| | Sinn Féin | Billy Leonard | 5,709 | 16.1 | +0.5 |
| | Alliance | Yvonne Boyle | 924 | 2.6 | −1.5 |
| | Independent | Malcolm Harry Samuel | 71 | 0.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,727 | 21.8 | +17.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,504 | 60.3 | −5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 58,461 | | |
| | DUP hold | DUP hold | Swing | +8.5 | |
General election 2001: East Londonderry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DUP | Gregory Campbell | 12,813 | 32.1 | +6.1 |
| | UUP | William Ross | 10,912 | 27.4 | −8.6 |
| | SDLP | John Dallat | 8,298 | 20.8 | −1.2 |
| | Sinn Féin | Francie Brolly | 6,221 | 15.6 | +6.6 |
| | Alliance | Yvonne Boyle | 1,625 | 4.1 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,901 | 4.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,869 | 66.2 | +1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 60,215 | | |
| | DUP gain from UUP | DUP gain from UUP | Swing | −7.4 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: East Londonderry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | William Ross | 13,558 | 36.0 | −29.1 |
| | DUP | Gregory Campbell | 9,767 | 26.0 | New |
| | SDLP | Arthur Doherty | 8,273 | 22.0 | +1.9 |
| | Sinn Féin | Malachy O'Kane | 3,463 | 9.0 | +5.5 |
| | Alliance | Yvonne Boyle | 2,427 | 6.0 | −1.3 |
| | NI Conservatives | James Holmes | 436 | 1.0 | −3.4 |
| | Natural Law | Clare Gallen | 100 | 0.3 | New |
| | National Democrats | Ian Anderson | 81 | 0.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,794 | 10.0 | −25.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,102 | 64.8 | −5.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 58,938 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | −23.8 | |
1997 changes are compared to the notional figures from 1992.
Notional 1992 UK General Election Result : East Londonderry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | N/A | 23,287 | 64.9 | N/A |
| | SDLP | N/A | 7,134 | 19.9 | N/A |
| | Alliance | N/A | 2,634 | 7.3 | N/A |
| | NI Conservatives | N/A | 1,589 | 4.4 | N/A |
| | Sinn Féin | N/A | 1,261 | 3.5 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | N/A | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,153 | 45.0 | N/A |
General election 1992: East Londonderry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | William Ross | 30,370 | 57.6 | −2.9 |
| | SDLP | Arthur Doherty | 11,843 | 22.4 | +3.2 |
| | Sinn Féin | Pauline Davey-Kennedy | 5,320 | 10.1 | −1.1 |
| | Alliance | Patrick McGowan | 3,613 | 6.8 | +0.2 |
| | NI Conservatives | Allan Elder | 1,589 | 3.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,527 | 35.2 | 0.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,735 | 69.8 | +1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 75,587 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: East Londonderry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | William Ross | 29,532 | 60.5 | +22.6 |
| | SDLP | Arthur Doherty | 9,375 | 19.2 | +0.9 |
| | Sinn Féin | John Davey | 5,464 | 11.2 | −2.6 |
| | Alliance | Patrick McGowan | 3,237 | 6.6 | +1.9 |
| | Workers' Party | Francie Donnelly | 935 | 1.9 | +0.3 |
| | Green | Malcolm Samuel | 281 | 0.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,157 | 35.2 | +21.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,824 | 68.7 | −9.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 71,031 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
By-election 1986: East Londonderry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | William Ross | 30,922 | 93.9 | +56.0 |
| | "For the Anglo-Irish Agreement" | "Peter Barry" (Wesley Robert Williamson) | 2,001 | 6.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28,921 | 87.8 | +73.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,923 | 46.8 | −29.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 70,038 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1983: East Londonderry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | William Ross | 19,469 | 37.9 | |
| | DUP | James McClure | 12,207 | 23.8 | |
| | SDLP | Arthur Doherty | 9,397 | 18.3 | |
| | Sinn Féin | John Davey | 7,073 | 13.8 | |
| | Alliance | Martha McGrath | 2,401 | 4.7 | |
| | Workers' Party | Francie Donnelly | 819 | 1.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,262 | 14.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,366 | 76.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 67,306 | | |
| | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) |

## Demographics

On Census day 2021 there were 103,285 people living in the East Londonderry parliamentary constituency. Of these:
* 42.5% (43,869) belong to or were brought up in the Catholic Christian faith and 48.7% (50,342) belong to or were brought up in various 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' denominations. 0.8% (871) belong to other religions and 7.9% (8,203) had no religious background.
* 36.6% (37,829) indicated that they had a British only identity, 22.9% (23,639) had an Irish only identity and 23.3% (24,083) had a Northern Irish only identity (respondents could indicate more than one national identity).