2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election

none the assembly election in Northern Ireland the general election in the Republic of Ireland 2007 Irish general election December 2019 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election parliamentary no 2003 Northern Ireland Assembly election 2nd Northern Ireland Assembly 2003 3rd Northern Ireland Assembly 2011 Northern Ireland Assembly election 2011 All 108 seats to the Northern Ireland Assembly 7 March 2007 62.3% 0.7% DrIanPaisley.jpg 120 120 160 0 0 150x150px Ian Paisley Democratic Unionist Party 30 September 1971 North Antrim 30 seats, 27.8% 32 36 6 207,721 30.1% 4.4% Gerry Adams, October 2005 (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Gerry Adams Sinn Féin 13 November 1983 Belfast West 24 seats, 23.5% 21 28 4 180,573 26.2% 2.7% Visit of Reg Empey, Minister for Employment and Learning of Northern Ireland, to the EC (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Reg Empey 24 June 2005 Ulster Unionist Party Belfast East 27 seats, 22.7% 24 18 9 103,145 14.9% 7.8% MarkDurkan.jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Mark Durkan 10 November 2001 Social Democratic and Labour Party Foyle 18 seats, 16.7% 18 16 2 105,164 15.2% 1.8% David Ford.jpg 120 120 160 0 0 David Ford 6 October 2001 Alliance Party of Northern Ireland South Antrim 6 seats, 3.7% 5 7 1 36,139 5.2% 1.5% John_Barry_GPNI.JPG 120 120 160 0 0 John Barry January 2003 Green Party in Northern Ireland Did not stand 0 seat, 0.4% 0 1 1 11,985 1.7% 1.3% Dawn Purvis 2007 stretch (cropped).jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Dawn Purvis 2007 Progressive Unionist Party Belfast East 1 seat, 1.2% 1 1 3,822 0.6% 0.6% 350px Seats won by each party and combined first preference vote share of the largest party. 350px Break down of each party and community's seats in constituencies Election results. Voters elect 6 assembly members from the 18 constituencies. First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland after election Suspended Ian Paisley (DUP) & Martin McGuinness (SF) The 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election was held on Wednesday, 7 March 2007. It was the third election to take place since the devolved assembly was established in 1998. The election saw endorsement of the St Andrews Agreement and the two largest parties, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin, along with the Alliance Party, increase their support, with falls in support for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). The 2007 election was held using STV and 18 multi-seat districts, each electing 6 members. Background At the 2003 election the DUP became the largest party. As it opposed the Belfast Agreement, there was no prospect of the assembly voting for the First and Deputy First Ministers. Therefore, the British Government did not restore power to the Assembly and the elected members never met. Instead there commenced a protracted series of negotiations. During these negotiations a legally separate assembly, known as The Assembly consisting of the members elected in 2003 was formed in May 2006Northern Ireland Assembly Information Office http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/theassembly/main.htm The Assembly – Main Page Niassembly.gov.uk 21 January 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20081229020725/http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/theassembly/main.htm 29 December 2008 to enable the parties to negotiate and to prepare for government. Eventually, in October 2006, the governments and the parties, including the DUP, made the St Andrews Agreement and a new transitional assembly came into effect on 24 November 2006.Northern Ireland Assembly Information Office http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/transitional/index_trans1.htm Transitional Assembly – Main Page Niassembly.gov.uk 14 March 2007 21 January 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110117055727/http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/transitional/index_trans1.htm 17 January 2011 The British government agreed to fresh elections and the transitional assembly was dissolved on 30 January 2007, after which campaigning began.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6154484.stm BBC News Date set for NI Assembly election 16 November 2006 20 May 2010 18 November 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20061118152252/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6154484.stm live The process The election was conducted using the single transferable vote applied to six-seat constituencies. The First Minister and Deputy First Minister were chosen by the largest parties from the two different political designations. Parties who won seats were then allocated places on the executive committee in proportion to their seats in the Assembly using the D'Hondt method. The campaign The major parties standing were the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) on the Unionist side, and Sinn Féin and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) on the Nationalist side. The largest cross-community party, the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, contested the election in 17 of 18 constituencies. Smaller parties also included the Progressive Unionist Party, the Green Party and the UK Unionist Party. Some independent Unionists also stood. Among the other parties that stood, the Conservatives nominated nine and there were six candidates for the Workers' Party. Also there were four candidates for Make Politicians History and two for the Socialist Party. Six Republican Sinn Féin-aligned candidates also stood. As the party had chosen not to register as a political party with the electoral commission, the party name did not appear alongside its candidates on ballot papers.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6270535.stm BBC News Poll candidate line-up revealed 14 February 2007 20 May 2010 3 March 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070303233909/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6270535.stm live One of the key issues in the election was which two political parties would gain the largest number of Assembly seats. The St Andrews Agreement stated that the First Minister will be chosen from the largest party of the largest political designation and the Deputy First Minister from the largest party from the second largest political designation;http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page10215.asp St Andrews Agreement 2006 Annex A https://web.archive.org/web/20071218064523/http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page10215.asp 18 December 2007: Paragraph 9 Practical changes to the operation of the institutions however, the actual legislation states that the largest party shall make the nomination regardless of designation.http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/transitional/info_office/Act.pdf Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20070206015314/http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/transitional/info_office/Act.pdf 6 February 2007 16C(C) (page 11) ".. nominating officer of the largest political party" Results thumb|Result by constituencies right|thumb|(in order of first preference vote) The DUP remained the largest party in the Assembly, making significant gains from the UUP. Sinn Féin made gains from the SDLP and was the largest party among the Nationalists. The only other Assembly Party to make gains was the liberal Alliance Party (winning seven seats, a gain of one), while the Progressive Unionist Party and independent health campaigner Dr Kieran Deeny retained their single seats, and were joined by the Green Party, which won its first Assembly seat, and increased its first preference votes fourfold from 2003. The UK Unionist Party lost its representation in the Assembly. They had contested 12 seats, with Robert McCartney standing in six of them.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6363019.stm BBC News Many seats raise many eyebrows 14 February 2007 20 May 2010 24 February 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070224010907/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6363019.stm live Overall, Unionist parties were collectively down 4 seats, Nationalist parties were collectively up 2 seats, and others were up 2 seats. The election was notable as it saw the first Chinese-born person to be elected to a parliamentary institution in Europe: Anna Lo of the Alliance Party.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1494941.ece The Times London Blair urges Paisley and Sinn Féin now take your places in history David Sharrock 10 March 2007 20 May 2010 23 May 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110523021443/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1494941.ece dead https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/feb/11/uk.race The Guardian London Chinese candidate defies racist abuse Henry McDonald 11 February 2007 20 May 2010 3 April 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070403033454/http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0%2C%2C2010605%2C00.html live Assembly +/– Executive +/– File:Northern Irish general election 2007.svgFile:2007 NIE.svg Democratic Unionist Party 207721 +4.4 36 +6 5 Sinn Féin 180573 +2.6 28 +4 4 Social Democratic and Labour Party 105164 −1.8 16 -2 1 Ulster Unionist Party 103145 −7.7 18 -9 2 Alliance Party of Northern Ireland 36139 +1.5 7 +1 Green Party in Northern Ireland 11985 +1.3 1 +1 UK Unionist Party 10452 +0.7 -1 Progressive Unionist Party 3822 −0.6 1 Northern Ireland Conservatives 3457 +0.3 Republican Sinn Féin 2522 Socialist Environmental Alliance 2045 −0.1 UK Independence Party 1229 Workers' Party 975 −0.1 People Before Profit Alliance 774 Socialist Party 473 +0.1 Make Politicians History 221 Labour Party of Northern Ireland 123 Pro Capitalism 22 Independent 19471 +1.9 1 1107904 62.31 Distribution of seats by constituency Party affiliation of the six Assembly members returned by each constituency. The first column indicates the party of the Member of the House of Commons (MP) returned by the corresponding parliamentary constituency in the 2005 United Kingdom general election under the first-past-the-post voting method. Party of MP, 2005 Constituency Northern Ireland Assembly seats TotalGained byFormerly held by APNI DUP PUP SDLP SinnFéin Green UUP Ind. Independent Democratic Unionist PartyNorth Antrim6–3–11–1––– Democratic Unionist Party East Antrim61 3–––– 2––– Democratic Unionist Party South Antrim612–11–1–SFUUP Democratic Unionist Party Belfast North6–2–1 2–1––– Sinn FéinBelfast West6–––15–––SFDUP Social Democratic and Labour PartyBelfast South611–21–1–AllianceUUP Democratic Unionist PartyBelfast East6131–––1–DUPUUP Ulster Unionist Party UUPNorth Down612–––12–GreenUKU Democratic Unionist PartyStrangford614––––1–DUP UUP 3 Democratic Unionist Party Lagan Valley 6 1 3 – – 1 – 1 – SF SDLP DUP UUP DUP UUP Democratic Unionist Party Upper Bann6–2–11–2––– Social Democratic and Labour Party South Down6–1–22–1––– Sinn Féin Newry and Armagh6–1–13–1––– Sinn Féin Fermanagh & South Tyrone6–2–12–1–DUPUUP 2 Sinn Féin West Tyrone 6 – 2 – – 3 – – 1 SF SDLP DUP UUP Sinn Féin Mid Ulster6–1–13–1––– Social Democratic and Labour Party Foyle6–1–32––––– Democratic Unionist Party East Londonderry6–3–11–2– DUP UUP ZZA Total108736116281181ZZB Change since 2003–+ 1+ 6– – 2 + 4+ 1− 9––1 UKU–ZZI Elected on 23 November 2003108630118240271 5 UKU2 NIWCZZI Elected on 25 June 1998108620224180283 5 UKU2 NIWC Executive Committee seats Parties who won seats are allocated places on the Executive Committee using the D'Hondt method and under the St Andrews agreement the largest party gets the right to nominate the first minister and the largest party perceived to be from "the other side" nominates the deputy first minister. Despite the name these offices are in fact of equal right. Note that they are both ministers in the same department (Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister). Using this system, the executive appointed in 2007 was as follows: Department MinisterParty First Minister     Ian PaisleyDUP and Sinn Féin in joint letter https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6515359.stm BBC News Online BBC 1 April 2007 3 April 2007 7 April 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070407145610/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6515359.stm live Democratic Unionist Party Deputy First Minister     Martin McGuinness Sinn Féin Enterprise, Trade and Investment     Nigel Dodds Democratic Unionist Party Finance & Personnel     Peter Robinson Democratic Unionist Party Regional Development     Conor MurphySinn Féin reveals ministerial jobs https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6526009.stm BBC News Online BBC 4 April 2007 4 April 2007 5 May 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070505075044/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6526009.stm live Sinn Féin Education     Caitríona Ruane Sinn Féin Employment and Learning     Sir Reg Empey Ulster Unionist Party Environment     Arlene Foster Democratic Unionist Party Culture, Arts & Leisure     Edwin Poots Democratic Unionist Party Health, Social Services & Public Safety     Michael McGimpsey Ulster Unionist Party Agriculture     Michelle Gildernew Sinn Féin Social Development     Margaret Ritchie Social Democratic and Labour Party There are two junior ministers in OFMDFM who are, at present, Jeffery Donaldson (DUP) and Gerry Kelly (SF). In April 2010, the Department of Justice was formed, being led by David Ford from the Alliance Party. This is the Alliance Party's first ministerial role. Opinion polls An opinion poll by Ipsos MORI, published in The Belfast Telegraph on 1 March 2007, reported the voting intentions of those who intended to vote and had decided which party to vote for: Noel McAdam Belfast Telegraph Snapshot reveals the voters' mood 1 March 2007 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/election07/article2316106.ece 3 March 2007 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070930153714/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/election07/article2316106.ece 30 September 2007 Party Percentage Actual Vote Democratic Unionist Party 25 30 Sinn Féin 22 26 Social Democratic and Labour Party 20 15 Ulster Unionist Party 16 15 Alliance Party of Northern Ireland 9 5 Green Party of Northern Ireland 3 2 Conservative Party (UK) 1 0.5 UK Unionist Party 1 1.5 Progressive Unionist Party 1 0.6 Independent (politician) 1 3 MLAs who lost their seats at the election Michael Copeland (UUP, Belfast East) Esmond Birnie (UUP, Belfast South) Diane Dodds (DUP, Belfast West) Norman Hillis (UUP, East Londonderry) Marietta Farrell (SDLP, Lagan Valley) Billy Bell (UUP, Lagan Valley) Paul Berry (Ind, Newry and Armagh) Davy Hyland (Ind, Newry and Armagh) Robert McCartney (UKUP, North Down) George Ennis (UKUP, Strangford) Eugene McMenamin (SDLP, West Tyrone) Derek Hussey (UUP, West Tyrone) Notes: Berry and Ennis were originally elected as DUP candidates, Hyland was originally elected as a Sinn Féin candidate. MLAs who stood down at the election Eileen Bell (Alliance/Speaker, North Down)https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4517018.stm BBC News Gay row 'difficult' for Alliance 10 December 2005 20 May 2010 25 October 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121025172100/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4517018.stm live Seamus Close (Alliance, Lagan Valley)https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6146008.stm BBC News Endgame for Close after 33 years 14 November 2006 20 May 2010 26 September 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210926141912/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6146008.stm live Geraldine Dougan (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=205813826&p=zx58y453z https://archive.today/20120707031624/http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=205813826&p=zx58y453z dead 7 July 2012 IOL | SF MLA Dougan to step down Breakingnews.iol.ie 21 June 2010 21 January 2011 Sean Farren (SDLP, North Antrim)http://www1.u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?pt=n&id=78829 O'Loan to contest Assembly seat 2 January 2007 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070930155311/http://www1.u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?pt=n&id=78829 30 September 2007 Patricia Lewsley† (SDLP, Lagan Valley)http://www.u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?pt=n&id=78656 Lewsley to take up children's post/ 2 January 2007 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20070927202013/http://www.u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?pt=n&id=78656 27 September 2007 Philip McGuigan (Sinn Féin, North Antrim)http://www.sinnfein.ie/news/detail/17321 Sinn Féin: Philip McGuigan appointed to new role within Sinn Féin https://web.archive.org/web/20070927231022/http://www.sinnfein.ie/news/detail/17321 27 September 2007 Dermot Nesbitt (UUP, South Down)uuptoday.org » Nesbitt to stand down from Elected Politics https://web.archive.org/web/20071008075505/http://uuptoday.org/newsroom/2006/12/13/nesbitt-to-stand-down-from-elected-politics/ 8 October 2007 Tom O'Reilly (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)Sinn Féin: Sinn Féin MLA to concentrate on role as local Councillor https://web.archive.org/web/20070927230834/http://www.sinnfein.ie/news/detail/17301 27 September 2007 Kathy Stanton (Sinn Féin, North Belfast) Lord Kilclooney (UUP, Strangford)https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6352311.stm BBC News Candidates hand in election forms 13 February 2007 20 May 2010 16 February 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070216162303/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6352311.stm live Lord Trimble (UUP, Upper Bann)http://davidtrimble.org/latestnews.htm Welcome to the website of David Trimble MLA Davidtrimble.org 21 January 2011 23 July 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110723174634/http://davidtrimble.org/latestnews.htm live Jim Wilson (UUP, South Antrim)BreakingNews.ie: Archives :2006-12-31 https://web.archive.org/web/20120205062921/http://www.breakingnews.ie/2006/12/31/story291395.html 5 February 2012 †Patricia Lewsley stood down prior to the dissolution of the assembly August 2008 MLAs deselected by their party Wilson Clyde (DUP, South Antrim) George Ennis (DUP, Strangford)http://www.belfasttoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=3425&ArticleID=2045111 MLA blasted by candidate over 'integrity' Belfast Today 21 January 2011 August 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes Paul Girvan (DUP, South Antrim)https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/jan/21/uk.northernireland The Guardian London DUP rebels move to stop Agreement Henry McDonald 21 January 2007 20 May 2010 26 September 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210926141914/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/jan/21/uk.northernireland live Davy Hyland (Sinn Féin, Newry and Armagh)https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6194757.stm BBC News Dropped MLA wants policing debate 19 December 2006 20 May 2010 9 November 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121109230734/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6194757.stm live Patricia O'Rawe (Sinn Féin, Newry and Armagh)https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6197049.stm BBC News Sinn Féin drops second politician 20 December 2006 20 May 2010 9 November 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121109230748/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6197049.stm live Norah Beare↑ (DUP, Lagan Valley) Mark Robinson (DUP, Belfast South) ↑ As a sitting MLA, Norah Beare defected from the UUP to the DUP, and is therefore unselected rather than deselected.May 2022 Following their de-selection, both Ennis and Hyland unsuccessfully sought election under the UKUP and independent labels respectively. August 2008 MLAs deceased since 2003 election David Ervine (PUP, Belfast East)https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6242215.stm BBC News PUP's Ervine has died in hospital 8 January 2007 20 May 2010 10 January 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070110084934/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6242215.stm live Michael Ferguson (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/5377630.stm BBC News Death of Sinn Féin assembly man 25 September 2006 20 May 2010 26 September 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210926141912/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/5377630.stm live See also DUP and Sinn Féin make gains in Northern Ireland Assembly election Concerned Republicans 3rd Northern Ireland Assembly 2007 Irish general election 2007 Scottish Parliament election 2007 National Assembly for Wales election References External links RTÉ News – Northern Ireland 2007 elections BBC Guide to the elections Electoral Commission guide to election Candidates Statements (nominators/addresses etc.) Manifestos The Alternative - An Agenda for a United Community, Alliance Getting it Right, Democratic Unionist Party For All Our Futures, Green Party Northern Ireland New Politics for a New Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Conservatives A New Dawn, Progressive Unionist Party Smash Stormont Republican Sinn Féin Delivering for Ireland's Future, Sinn Féin Let's Deliver Real Progress, Social Democratic and Labour Party The Only Alternative, Socialist Environmental Alliance For All of Us, Ulster Unionist Party Assembly Manifesto 2007, Workers' Party 2007 Category:2007 in Northern Ireland Category:2007 elections in the United Kingdom Category:March 2007 in the United Kingdom Category:2007 elections in Northern Ireland