# Belfast North (UK Parliament constituency)

Belfast North is a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is John Finucane (Sinn Féin).

## Boundaries

1885–1918: In the Borough of Belfast, that part of Dock ward bounded on the south-east by a line drawn along the centre of North Queen Street, on the north-east by a line drawn along the centre of New Lodge Road, on the south-west by a line drawn along the centre of Limestone Road and York Road, and on the east by a line drawn along the centre of Carrickfergus Road, and that part of St. Anne's ward not in the constituency of Belfast West, and the townlands of Ballygomartin, Ballysillan Lower, Greencastle, Legoniel, Lowwood, Old Park and Skegoneill in the parish of Shankill, along with that part of the townland of Ballyaghagan within the parliamentary borough.
1922–1974: The County Borough of Belfast wards of Clifton, Duncairn, and Shankill.
1974–1983: The County Borough of Belfast wards of Clifton, Dock, Duncairn, and Shankill.
1983–1997: The District of Belfast wards of Ardoyne, Ballysillan, Bellevue, Castleview, Cavehill, Cliftonville, Crumlin, Duncairn, Fortwilliam, Grove, Legoniel, New Lodge, Shankill, and Woodvale.
1997–2010: The District of Belfast wards of Ardoyne, Ballysillan, Bellevue, Castleview, Cavehill, Chichester Park, Cliftonville, Crumlin, Duncairn, Fortwilliam, Legoniel, New Lodge, Water Works, and Woodvale, and the District of Newtownabbey wards of Abbey, Coole, Dunanney, Valley, and Whitehouse.
2010–present: The District of Belfast wards of Ardoyne, Ballysillan, Bellevue, Castleview, Cavehill, Chichester Park, Cliftonville, Crumlin, Duncairn, Fortwilliam, Legoniel, New Lodge, Water Works, and Woodvale, and the District of Newtownabbey wards of Abbey, Ballyhenry, Cloughfern, Collinbridge, Coole, Dunanney, Glebe, Glengormley, Hightown, Valley, and Whitehouse.
The seat was recreated in 1922 when, as part of the establishment of the devolved Stormont Parliament for Northern Ireland, the number of MPs in the Westminster Parliament was drastically cut. The seat is centred on the north section of Belfast, though at times the area around the Docks on the north side of the Lagan Estuary has instead been part of variously Belfast East and Belfast West. Belfast North also contains part of the district of Newtownabbey.
Belfast North contains 14 wards of Belfast City Council and 5 of Newtownabbey Borough Council. The constituency suffered the highest level of violence in Northern Ireland during The Troubles and covers many areas synonymous with the conflict – the New Lodge, Ardoyne, Rathcoole, Ballysillan and Woodvale. The overall tenor of the constituency is working-class, with a high proportion of residents in public housing, and concentrations of low-income single people in the middle Antrim Road and Cliftonville areas. There are some upscale residential areas around Belfast Castle and on the slopes of Cavehill. Sectarian divisions are stark, with a number of Peace lines cutting through the constituency and occasional outbursts of sectarian street violence, and was the focus for post-ceasefire incidents such as the Holy Cross dispute.
At the boundary commission hearings in September 2005 prior to the 2010 general election, the SDLP proposed extending the seat to Cloughfern and Jordanstown. The DUP supported the addition of Cloughfern. Sinn Féin were generally supportive of the commission's proposals.
Following the revised recommendations, the Commission proposals were finalised and accepted by Parliament through the Northern Ireland Parliamentary Constituencies Order.

## History

Belfast North is a constituency with a nationalist majority. Belfast North historically had a narrow unionist majority, which gradually decreased over time. The nationalist vote is considerable, and those from a Catholic background (47%) now slightly outnumber those from a Protestant background (46%), according to the 2011 census. It has generated particular interest for a number of highly unusual election results, as well as for several candidates and MPs prominently disagreeing with their parties.
Of the five main political parties in Northern Ireland, four (the Ulster Unionist Party, the Democratic Unionist Party, the Social Democratic and Labour Party, and Sinn Féin) all have relatively strong support bases and routinely poll similar results. Other parties such as the Alliance, Progressive Unionist Party, Unionist Party of Northern Ireland, Conservatives and the Workers' Party have at times polled significantly, as have independent candidates, with the result that many elections have been won on comparatively low shares of the vote. The elections to the various assemblies have often seen the seats for the constituency heavily split – in 1998 no party won more than one Assembly seat.
The area saw a steady out movement of Protestants during the Troubles, to some degree replaced by a growing Catholic population, although the overall population of the area fell sharply. However, all the inner-city communities in the constituency are now haemorrhaging electors, and the overall ethnic composition of the constituency now seems stable.
The seat was consistently held by the Ulster Unionist Party from its creation until the 1970s. In 1972 the first notable dissent occurred when the sitting MP, Stratton Mills, dissented from the UUP's decision to withdraw from the Conservative whip at Westminster over the suspension of the Stormont Parliament. Mills remained as a Conservative MP, but the following year he joined the Alliance, giving them their only Westminster representation before 2010.
In the February 1974 general election the seat was won by John Carson of the Ulster Unionist Party with backing by the Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party and the Democratic Unionist Party on a united slate in opposition to the Sunningdale Agreement. Carson's victory came despite a majority of votes being cast for pro-Sunningdale candidates, albeit split between the Pro-Assembly Unionists, the Social Democratic and Labour Party and the Northern Ireland Labour Party. Carson held his seat in the October 1974 election but was deselected by the local Ulster Unionists over his support for the minority Labour government.
The 1979 general election saw one of the most dramatic results of all when Johnny McQuade of the Democratic Unionist Party won the seat with a mere 27.6% of the vote – the third lowest total for a successful candidate in a UK general election in the twentieth century. This came about due to the strong showing of several other parties, dividing the vote strongly. McQuade also had the distinction of being the oldest person to be initially elected to Westminster in the 20th century and did not stand at the next general election.
In 1983, Cecil Walker regained the seat for the UUP, beating Scotsman George Seawright of the DUP. In the 1987 general election the UUP and DUP agreed a pact in opposition to the Anglo Irish Agreement. Seawright had been expelled from the DUP and stood in the election, reviving the Protestant Unionist Party label, but was unsuccessful.
Walker continued to hold the seat until 2001 but gained a reputation for inactivity. In the 2001 general election the DUP contested the seat for the first time since 1983, with their candidate Nigel Dodds campaigning heavily on both their opposition to the Good Friday Agreement and Walker's record. Walker also suffered from a disastrous television interview during the campaign. In the election Walker's vote collapsed to a mere 12%, coming fourth whilst Dodds won the seat. The UUP vote fell even further in both the 2003 Assembly election and the 2005 general election.
Nigel Dodds became the DUP's deputy leader and Commons leader in 2008, but the 2010 general election saw Sinn Féin increase their vote share and reduce the DUP majority. Sinn Féin targeted the seat in the 2015 general election, campaigning on returning the constituency's first Irish nationalist MP and the growing Catholic population surpassing Protestants. However, the DUP and the UUP agreed an electoral pact in which the UUP would withdraw their candidate to help re-elect an unionist. This allowed for Dodds to hold the seat comfortably with an increased majority, although a 4.3% swing to Sinn Féin in the 2017 general election still confirmed the seat's marginal status.
Prior to the 2019 general election, the SDLP and UUP withdrew their candidates. In a highly divisive contest marred by threats from loyalist paramilitaries, John Finucane of Sinn Féin won with a majority of 1,943 votes. This meant that the 2019 election was the first time that Sinn Féin won multiple seats in Belfast and the first time Belfast North had elected a nationalist instead of a unionist. Dodds was replaced as Commons leader by Jeffrey Donaldson.

## Members of parliament

The member of parliament since the 2024 general election has been John Finucane of Sinn Féin. Finucane has been MP for Belfast North since 2019.
| Election | Member | Party | Party |
| 1885 | Sir William Ewart | | Irish Conservative |
| 1889 by-election | Edward Harland | | Irish Conservative |
| 1896 by-election | James Horner Haslett | | Irish Unionist |
| 1905 by-election | Sir Daniel Dixon | | Irish Unionist |
| 1907 by-election | George Clark | | Irish Unionist |
| Jan. 1910 | Robert Thompson | | Irish Unionist |
| 1918 | constituency abolished | constituency abolished | constituency abolished |
| 1922 | constituency recreated | constituency recreated | constituency recreated |
| 1922 | T.E. McConnell | | UUP |
| 1929 | Thomas Somerset | | UUP |
| 1945 | William Neill | | UUP |
| 1950 | H. Montgomery Hyde | | UUP |
| 1959 | Stratton Mills | | UUP |
| 1972 | Stratton Mills | | Conservative |
| 1973 | Stratton Mills | | Alliance |
| Feb 1974 | John Carson | | UUP |
| 1979 | John McQuade | | DUP |
| 1983 | Cecil Walker | | UUP |
| 2001 | Nigel Dodds | | DUP |
| 2019 | John Finucane | | Sinn Féin |
* Monuments at Belfast City Hall – MPs for Belfast North
* Edward James Harland MP, Lord Mayor of Belfast
* James Horner Haslett MP, Mayor of Belfast
* Sir Daniel Dixon MP, Lord Mayor of Belfast

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Sinn Féin | John Finucane | 17,674 | 43.7 | −4.4 |
| | DUP | Phillip Brett | 12,062 | 29.8 | −10.5 |
| | Alliance | Nuala McAllister | 4,274 | 10.6 | ±0.0 |
| | TUV | David Clarke | 2,877 | 7.1 | New |
| | SDLP | Carl Whyte | 1,413 | 3.5 | +3.0 |
| | Green (NI) | Mal O'Hara | 1,206 | 3.0 | New |
| | People Before Profit | Fiona Ferguson | 946 | 2.3 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,612 | 13.9 | +9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,452 | 54.5 | −13.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 74,240 | | |
| | Sinn Féin hold | Sinn Féin hold | Swing | +3.05 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Sinn Féin | John Finucane | 23,078 | 47.1 | +5.4 |
| | DUP | Nigel Dodds | 21,135 | 43.1 | –3.1 |
| | Alliance | Nuala McAllister | 4,824 | 9.8 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,943 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,037 | 67.9 | +0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 72,225 | | |
| | Sinn Féin gain from DUP | Sinn Féin gain from DUP | Swing | +4.3 | |
This seat saw the only increase in vote share for Sinn Féin at the 2019 general election.
General election 2017: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DUP | Nigel Dodds | 21,240 | 46.2 | –0.8 |
| | Sinn Féin | John Finucane | 19,159 | 41.7 | +7.8 |
| | Alliance | Sam Nelson | 2,475 | 5.4 | –1.9 |
| | SDLP | Martin McAuley | 2,058 | 4.5 | –3.7 |
| | Green (NI) | Mal O'Hara | 644 | 1.4 | New |
| | Workers' Party | Gemma Weir | 360 | 0.8 | –1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,081 | 4.5 | –8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,949 | 67.6 | +8.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 68,249 | | |
| | DUP hold | DUP hold | Swing | –4.3 | |
General election 2015: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DUP | Nigel Dodds | 19,096 | 47.0 | +7.0 |
| | Sinn Féin | Gerry Kelly | 13,770 | 33.9 | –0.1 |
| | SDLP | Alban Maginness | 3,338 | 8.2 | –4.1 |
| | Alliance | Jason O'Neill | 2,941 | 7.3 | +2.4 |
| | Workers' Party | Gemma Weir | 919 | 2.3 | New |
| | Independent | Fra Hughes | 529 | 1.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,326 | 13.1 | +7.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,593 | 59.2 | +2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 68,553 | | |
| | DUP hold | DUP hold | Swing | +3.5 | |
General election 2010: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DUP | Nigel Dodds | 14,812 | 40.0 | –2.9 |
| | Sinn Féin | Gerry Kelly | 12,588 | 34.0 | +7.1 |
| | SDLP | Alban Maginness | 4,544 | 12.3 | –4.5 |
| | UCU-NF | Fred Cobain | 2,837 | 7.7 | –1.8 |
| | Alliance | Billy Webb | 1,809 | 4.9 | +2.0 |
| | Independent | Martin McAuley | 403 | 1.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,224 | 6.0 | –11.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,993 | 56.5 | –1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 65,504 | | |
| | DUP hold | DUP hold | Swing | –5.5 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DUP | Nigel Dodds | 13,935 | 45.6 | +4.8 |
| | Sinn Féin | Gerry Kelly | 8,747 | 28.6 | +3.4 |
| | SDLP | Alban Maginness | 4,950 | 16.2 | –4.8 |
| | UUP | Fred Cobain | 2,154 | 7.1 | –4.9 |
| | Alliance | Marjorie Hawkins | 438 | 1.4 | New |
| | Workers' Party | Marcella Delaney | 165 | 0.5 | –0.1 |
| | Rainbow Dream Ticket | Lynda Gilby | 151 | 0.5 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,188 | 17.0 | +1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,540 | 57.8 | –9.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 52,535 | | |
| | DUP hold | DUP hold | Swing | +0.7 | |
General election 2001: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DUP | Nigel Dodds | 16,718 | 40.8 | New |
| | Sinn Féin | Gerry Kelly | 10,331 | 25.2 | +5.0 |
| | SDLP | Alban Maginness | 8,592 | 21.0 | +0.6 |
| | UUP | Cecil Walker | 4,904 | 12.0 | –39.8 |
| | Workers' Party | Marcella Delaney | 253 | 0.6 | –0.1 |
| | Rainbow Dream Ticket | Rainbow George Weiss | 134 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,387 | 15.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,932 | 67.2 | +3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 60,941 | | |
| | DUP gain from UUP | DUP gain from UUP | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Cecil Walker | 21,478 | 51.8 | –0.6 |
| | SDLP | Alban Maginness | 8,454 | 20.4 | +1.9 |
| | Sinn Féin | Gerry Kelly | 8,375 | 20.2 | +8.7 |
| | Alliance | Tom Campbell | 2,221 | 5.4 | –2.4 |
| | Green (NI) | Peter Emerson | 539 | 1.3 | New |
| | Workers' Party | Paul Treanor | 297 | 0.7 | N/A |
| | Natural Law | Andrea Gribben | 98 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,024 | 31.4 | –2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 41,462 | 64.2 | –1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 64,645 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | –1.2 | |
1997 changes are compared to the 1992 notional results shown below.
Notional 1992 UK general election result: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | N/A | 22,259 | 52.4 | N/A |
| | SDLP | N/A | 7,867 | 18.52 | N/A |
| | Sinn Féin | N/A | 4,882 | 11.5 | N/A |
| | Alliance | N/A | 3,321 | 7.8 | N/A |
| | NI Conservatives | N/A | 2,107 | 5.0 | N/A |
| | Others | N/A | 2,041 | 4.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,392 | 33.9 | N/A |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1992: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Cecil Walker | 17,240 | 48.0 | +9.0 |
| | SDLP | Alban Maginness | 7,615 | 21.2 | +5.5 |
| | Sinn Féin | Paddy McManus | 4,693 | 13.1 | –0.7 |
| | Alliance | Tom Campbell | 2,246 | 6.3 | –1.5 |
| | NI Conservatives | Margaret Redpath | 2,107 | 5.9 | N/A |
| | New Agenda | Seamus Lynch | 1,386 | 3.9 | N/A |
| | Workers' Party | Margaret Smith | 419 | 1.2 | –7.1 |
| | Natural Law | David O'Leary | 208 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,625 | 26.8 | +3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,914 | 65.2 | +2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 55,068 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Cecil Walker | 14,355 | 39.0 | +2.8 |
| | SDLP | Alban Maginness | 5,795 | 15.7 | +1.7 |
| | Protestant Unionist | George Seawright | 5,671 | 15.4 | –4.1 |
| | Sinn Féin | Paddy McManus | 5,062 | 13.8 | +0.9 |
| | Workers' Party | Seamus Lynch | 3,062 | 8.3 | +2.6 |
| | Alliance | Tom Campbell | 2,871 | 7.8 | –1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,560 | 23.3 | +6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,816 | 62.3 | –7.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 59,124 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
By-election 1986: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Cecil Walker | 21,649 | 71.5 | +35.3 |
| | Alliance | Paul Maguire | 5,072 | 16.7 | +7.6 |
| | Workers' Party | Seamus Lynch | 3,563 | 11.8 | +6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,577 | 54.8 | +38.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,284 | 51.5 | –17.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 59,791 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1983: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Cecil Walker | 15,339 | 36.2 | +10.9 |
| | DUP | George Seawright | 8,260 | 19.5 | –8.1 |
| | SDLP | Brian Feeney | 5,944 | 14.0 | –4.5 |
| | Sinn Féin | Joe Austin | 5,451 | 12.9 | New |
| | Alliance | Paul Maguire | 3,879 | 9.1 | –0.6 |
| | Workers' Party | Seamus Lynch | 2,412 | 5.7 | +1.2 |
| | Independent DUP | William Gault | 1,134 | 2.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,079 | 16.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,419 | 69.4 | +4.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 61,087 | | |
| | UUP gain from DUP | UUP gain from DUP | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | DUP | Johnny McQuade | 11,690 | 27.6 | New |
| | UUP | Cecil Walker | 10,695 | 25.3 | –37.3 |
| | SDLP | Paschal O'Hare | 7,823 | 18.5 | –6.6 |
| | Unionist Party NI | Anne Dickson | 4,220 | 10.0 | New |
| | Alliance | John Cushnahan | 4,120 | 9.7 | +1.6 |
| | Republican Clubs | Seamus Lynch | 1,907 | 4.5 | New |
| | NI Labour | Alan Carr | 1,889 | 4.4 | –0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 995 | 2.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,344 | 65.1 | –0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 65,073 | | |
| | DUP gain from UUP | DUP gain from UUP | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | John Carson | 29,662 | 62.6 | +18.9 |
| | SDLP | Thomas Donnelly | 11,400 | 24.1 | –0.3 |
| | Alliance | John Ferguson | 3,807 | 8.1 | New |
| | NI Labour | Billy Boyd | 2,481 | 5.2 | –0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,222 | 38.5 | +20.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,670 | 65.9 | –2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 71,779 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | John Carson | 21,531 | 43.7 | –4.8 |
| | Pro-Assembly Unionist | David Smyth | 12,755 | 25.9 | New |
| | SDLP | Thomas Donnelly | 12,003 | 24.4 | New |
| | NI Labour | Sandy Scott | 2,917 | 5.9 | –26.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,776 | 17.8 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,206 | 68.2 | –9.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 72,178 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1970: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Stratton Mills | 28,668 | 48.5 | –8.9 |
| | NI Labour | John Sharkey | 18,894 | 31.9 | –10.7 |
| | Protestant Unionist | William Beattie | 11,173 | 18.8 | New |
| | Ind. Unionist | John McKeague | 441 | 0.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,774 | 16.6 | +1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,176 | 78.0 | +12.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 75,740 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Stratton Mills | 26,891 | 57.4 | –2.2 |
| | NI Labour | David Overend | 19,927 | 42.6 | +7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,964 | 14.8 | –9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,818 | 65.5 | –4.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 71,434 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1964: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Stratton Mills | 29,976 | 59.6 | –1.1 |
| | NI Labour | Jack McDowell | 17,564 | 34.9 | –0.3 |
| | Ind. Republican | Francis McGlade | 2,743 | 5.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,412 | 24.7 | –0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,283 | 69.5 | –1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 72,400 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Stratton Mills | 32,173 | 60.7 | –2.6 |
| | NI Labour | Jack McDowell | 18,640 | 35.2 | +7.0 |
| | Sinn Féin | Francis McGlade | 2,156 | 4.1 | –4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,533 | 25.6 | –9.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,969 | 71.1 | +1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 74,494 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | H. Montgomery Hyde | 33,745 | 63.3 | +2.6 |
| | NI Labour | Billy Boyd | 15,065 | 28.2 | –11.1 |
| | Sinn Féin | Francis McGlade | 4,534 | 8.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,680 | 35.1 | +13.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,344 | 69.3 | –6.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 76,990 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | H. Montgomery Hyde | 34,995 | 60.7 | –3.7 |
| | NI Labour | James Morrow | 22,685 | 39.3 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,310 | 21.4 | –7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,680 | 75.7 | +0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 76,243 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1950: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | H. Montgomery Hyde | 36,412 | 64.4 | +9.1 |
| | NI Labour | William Leeburn | 20,146 | 35.6 | –9.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,266 | 28.8 | +18.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,558 | 74.9 | +11.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 75,563 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | William Neill | 25,761 | 55.3 | N/A |
| | NI Labour | William Leeburn | 20,845 | 44.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,916 | 10.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,606 | 63.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 73,231 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Thomas Somerset | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 64,259 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |
General election 1931: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Thomas Somerset | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 62,017 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Thomas Somerset | 27,812 | 62.1 | –34.5 |
| | Ind. Unionist | Tommy Henderson | 10,909 | 24.4 | New |
| | Temperance Unionist and Local Optionist | David Wilson | 6,059 | 13.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,903 | 37.7 | –55.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,780 | 72.9 | –2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 61,438 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1924: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Thomas McConnell | 34,182 | 96.6 | +41.1 |
| | Sinn Féin | Hugh Corvin | 1,192 | 3.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 32,990 | 93.2 | +88.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,374 | 75.4 | +7.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 46,902 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | | |
General election 1923: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Thomas McConnell | 16,771 | 52.5 | N/A |
| | Ind. Unionist | Tommy Henderson | 15,171 | 47.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,600 | 5.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,942 | 68.2 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 46,844 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1922: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Thomas McConnell | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) | UUP win (new seat) |

### Elections in the 1910s

December 1910 general election: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Robert Thompson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold | UUP hold |
January 1910 general election: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UUP | Robert Thompson | 6,275 | 61.4 | +9.9 |
| | Labour | Robert Gageby | 3,951 | 38.6 | –9.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,324 | 22.8 | +19.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,226 | 86.4 | +1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,829 | | |
| | UUP hold | UUP hold | Swing | +9.9 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

1907 Belfast North by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Unionist | George Clark | 6,021 | 58.9 | +7.4 |
| | Labour | William Walker | 4,194 | 41.1 | –7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,827 | 17.8 | +14.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,215 | 84.7 | +1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,065 | | |
| | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Swing | +7.4 | |
1906 general election: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Unionist | Daniel Dixon | 4,907 | 51.5 | –17.7 |
| | Labour Repr. Cmte. | William Walker | 4,616 | 48.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 291 | 3.0 | –35.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,523 | 83.6 | +24.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,385 | | |
| | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Swing | | |
1905 Belfast North by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Unionist | Daniel Dixon | 4,440 | 52.8 | –16.4 |
| | Labour Repr. Cmte. | William Walker | 3,966 | 47.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 474 | 5.6 | –32.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,406 | 78.1 | +18.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,762 | | |
| | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Swing | | |
1900 general election: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Unionist | James Horner Haslett | 4,172 | 69.2 | N/A |
| | Independent Liberal Unionist | Thomas Harrison | 1,855 | 30.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,317 | 38.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,027 | 59.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,117 | | |
| | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1890s

1896 Belfast North by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Unionist | James Horner Haslett | 3,595 | 51.1 | N/A |
| | Ind. Unionist | Adam Turner | 3,434 | 48.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 161 | 2.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,029 | 76.4 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,201 | | |
| | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
1895 general election: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Unionist | Edward Harland | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold |
1892 general election: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Unionist | Edward Harland | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,610 | | |
| | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold | Irish Unionist hold |

### Elections in the 1880s

1889 Belfast North by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Conservative | Edward Harland | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,469 | | |
| | Irish Conservative hold | Irish Conservative hold | Irish Conservative hold | Irish Conservative hold | Irish Conservative hold |
1886 general election: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Conservative | William Ewart | 4,522 | 86.1 | +11.5 |
| | Irish Parliamentary | Charles James Dempsey | 732 | 13.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,790 | 72.2 | +23.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,254 | 76.9 | +0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,831 | | |
| | Irish Conservative hold | Irish Conservative hold | Swing | | |
1885 general election: Belfast North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Irish Conservative | William Ewart | 3,915 | 74.6 | N/A |
| | Independent | Alexander Bowman | 1,330 | 25.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,585 | 49.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,245 | 76.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,831 | | |
| | Irish Conservative win (new seat) | Irish Conservative win (new seat) | Irish Conservative win (new seat) | Irish Conservative win (new seat) | Irish Conservative win (new seat) |