See main article: 1983 United Kingdom general election.
| Election Name: | 1983 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1979 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland |
| Previous Year: | 1979 |
| Election Date: | 9 June 1983 |
| Next Election: | 1987 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland |
| Next Year: | 1987 |
| Seats For Election: | 17 seats in Northern Ireland of the 650 seats in the House of Commons |
| Leader1: | James Molyneaux |
| Party1: | Ulster Unionist Party |
| Leader Since1: | 1979 |
| Leaders Seat1: | Lagan Valley |
| Last Election1: | 5 seats, 36.6% |
| Seats1: | 11 |
| Popular Vote1: | 259,952 |
| Percentage1: | 34.0% |
| Seat Change1: | 6 |
| Swing1: | 2.6% |
| Leader2: | Ian Paisley |
| Party2: | Democratic Unionist Party |
| Leader Since2: | 1971 |
| Leaders Seat2: | Antrim North |
| Last Election2: | 3 seats, 10.2% |
| Seats2: | 3 |
| Popular Vote2: | 152,749 |
| Percentage2: | 20.0% |
| Swing2: | 9.8% |
| Seat Change2: | 2 |
| Leader4: | John Hume |
| Leader Since4: | 6 May 1979 |
| Party4: | Social Democratic and Labour Party |
| Leaders Seat4: | Foyle |
| Last Election4: | 1 seat, 18.2% |
| Seats4: | 1 |
| Popular Vote4: | 137,012 |
| Percentage4: | 17.9% |
| Swing4: | 0.3% |
| Leader5: | Ruairí Ó Brádaigh |
| Leader Since5: | 1970 |
| Party5: | Sinn Féin |
| Leaders Seat5: | Did not stand |
| Last Election5: | Did not contest |
| Seats5: | 1 |
| Popular Vote5: | 102,701 |
| Percentage5: | 13.4% |
| Swing5: | 13.4% |
| Seat Change5: | 1 |
The 1983 United Kingdom general election in Northern Ireland was held on 9 June with 17 MPs elected in single-seat constituencies using first-past-the-post as part of the wider general election in the United Kingdom. This was an increase of five seats, after the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act 1979 had come into effect to account for the reduced representation after direct rule had been imposed since 1972. New constituencies were drawn up in 1982.[1]
The Conservative Party led by Margaret Thatcher as prime minister won another term in government.
The main beneficiaries of the increase of seats was the Ulster Unionist Party, now led by James Molyneaux. The SDLP lost a seat held by former leader Gerry Fitt to Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin, but the new SDLP leader John Hume gained a seat.
| Party | MPs | Votes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Change | No. | % | Change | |||
| 11 | 6 | 259,952 | 34.0% | 2.6 | |||
| 3 | 152,749 | 20.0% | 9.8 | ||||
| 1 | 137,012 | 17.9% | 0.3 | ||||
| 1 | 1 | 102,701 | 13.4% | 13.4 | |||
| 1 | New | 22,681 | 3.0% | 3.0 | |||
| 0 | 61,275 | 8.0% | 3.9 | ||||
| 0 | 14,650 | 1.9% | 0.2 | ||||
| Independent Socialist | 0 | 10,326 | 1.3% | 1.3 | |||
| Independent DUP | 0 | 1,134 | 0.1% | 1.3 | |||
| 0 | 2,265 | 0.3% | 0.1 | ||||
| Total | 17 | 5 | 801734 | 100 | |||
In December 1985, all Unionist MPs resigned their seats in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement and sought re-election in by-elections. These resulted in a loss of one seat to the SDLP