1986 North Antrim by-election

The 1986 North Antrim by-election was one of the fifteen 1986 Northern Ireland by-elections held on 23 January 1986, to fill vacancies in the Parliament of the United Kingdom caused by the resignation in December 1985 of all sitting Unionist Members of Parliament (MPs). The MPs, from the Ulster Unionist Party, Democratic Unionist Party and Ulster Popular Unionist Party, did this to highlight their opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement. Each of their parties agreed not to contest seats previously held by the others, and each outgoing MP stood for re-election.

All but one of the Unionists were re-elected, many with extremely large majorities. The largest of all went to Ian Paisley in North Antrim. He won 97.4% of the vote, the highest percentage polled by any candidate in a UK by-election since the 1940 Middleton and Prestwich by-election.

North Antrim by-election, 1986

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	DUP	Ian Paisley	33,937	97.4	+43.2
	For the Anglo-Irish Agreement	Peter Barry	515	2.6	N/A
Majority			33,024	94.8
Turnout				54.7
	DUP hold		Swing	N/A

Other References

• British Parliamentary By Elections: Campaign literature from the by-elections
• CAIN: Westminster By-Elections (NI) - Thursday 23 January 1986
• Northern Ireland Elections: Westminster by-elections 1986