On 4 July 2024, the 2024 United Kingdom general election was held in Northern Ireland, to elect all 650 members of the House of Commons, including the 18 Northern Ireland seats.

The general election occurred after the recently completed constituency boundaries review.

Background Electoral system MPs are elected in 18 single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post.

Date of the election On 22 May 2024, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced 4 July 2024 as the election date.

Constituency boundaries

In June 2023, it was published that The Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland had made final recommendations for the new boundaries for Northern Ireland's 18 parliamentary constituencies. The report was submitted to the speaker of the UK House of Commons and the UK Government was required to submit a draft of an Order in Council to activate the new boundaries within four months. Changes include:

Belfast South became Belfast South and Mid Down, and incorporates some areas formerly part of Strangford or Lagan Valley. East Antrim now includes some areas that were previously in North Antrim. Foyle was reduced in size, with areas incorporated into the constituencies of West Tyrone and East Londonderry. Strangford was expanded to include large swathes of the eastern side of South Down. Ten wards were moved and as approved by MPs, the new boundaries became effective on 1 November 2023. These changes were approved at a meeting of the Privy Council on 15 November and came into force on 29 November.

Campaign In the run up to the election, there was speculation to the extent at which unionist electoral pacts would be active in some constituencies. In July 2023, Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Doug Beattie clarified that his party intends to stand candidates in 17 constituencies, but there was still speculation about whether the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) would field candidates. The TUV leader Jim Allister said that in seats held by non-unionists where the sitting MP could potentially be ousted, it would support an "agreed single unionist candidate".

In North Down, there were calls for unionist parties to drop their own candidates and unite behind a single contender to defeat incumbent Alliance MP Stephen Farry. Farry was confirmed as Alliance's candidate for North Down on 26 November 2023. On 24 January 2024, the UUP selected former Iraq War veteran Tim Collins as their candidate for North Down, with the UUP leader Doug Beattie saying his party "does not do pacts". Independent Unionist MLA Alex Easton announced his candidacy for the seat on 25 April 2024.

In October 2023 the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland revealed that they intended to target Lagan Valley, seat of the then-leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Jeffrey Donaldson. They unveiled their candidate as Sorcha Eastwood and required a 7.16% swing to gain the seat from the DUP.

Amongst majority nationalist constituencies, due to their strong performance in the 2022 Assembly election and the 2023 local elections, Sinn Féin look "likely to increase its number of seats at Westminster", with the possibility of gaining Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader Colum Eastwood's seat of Foyle.

The campaign got underway in South Belfast and North Down, with both incumbent MPs, Claire Hanna and Stephen Farry seeking re-election. North Down Ulster Unionist candidate Tim Collins said he was "very confident" of unseating Farry.

In January 2024, the Ulster Unionist Party selected their former leader and Minister of Health Robin Swann as their candidate for South Antrim and announced their deputy leader, Robbie Butler, as the party's candidate for Lagan Valley.

On 16 March 2024, the Traditional Unionist Voice formed an electoral pact with Reform UK, in which the two parties would stand mutually agreed candidates within Northern Ireland. On 24 May they announced that they were supporting Alex Easton, the Independent Unionist candidate in North Down, and would not stand a candidate in that constituency.

The leader of the Green Party Northern Ireland, Sen. Mal O'Hara, told Slugger O'Toole on 26 April 2024 that they would stand in every constituency and would not pursue any electoral pacts.

On 7 May 2024, the UUP announced that 19 year-old Jay Basra, who is Punjabi-British, would be their candidate for Mid Ulster. Following the announcement, Basra was the target of racial abuse on social media. The abuse was condemned by UUP leader Doug Beattie and former First Minister Arlene Foster, as well as deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

Jeffrey Donaldson, who was the DUP leader until March 2024, appeared in court on 3 July to face additional sex offence charges.

Candidates By affiliation

AffiliationNumber of candidatesAlliance Party of Northern Ireland18Social Democratic and Labour Party18Ulster Unionist Party17Democratic Unionist Party16Sinn Féin14Traditional Unionist Voice14Green Party Northern Ireland11Aontú10Independents9 Northern Ireland Conservatives5People Before Profit3Cross-Community Labour Alternative1 Total136

By constituency

ConstituencySinn FéinDUPAllianceUUPSDLPTUVGreenAontúOthersIncumbentBelfast EastGavin RobinsonNaomi LongRyan WarrenSéamas de FaoiteJohn RossBrian SmythRyan North (Independent)DUPGavin RobinsonBelfast NorthJohn FinucanePhillip BrettNuala McAllisterCarl WhyteDavid ClarkeMal O'HaraFiona Ferguson (PBP)SFJohn FinucaneBelfast South and Mid DownTracy KellyKate NichollMichael HendersonClaire HannaDan BoucherÁine GrooganSDLPClaire HannaBelfast WestPaul MaskeyFrank McCoubreyEóin MillarBen SharkeyPaul DohertyAnn McClureAsh JonesGerard HerdmanGerry Carroll (PBP)Tony Mallon (Independent)SFPaul MaskeyEast AntrimOliver McMullanSammy WilsonDanny DonnellyJohn StewartMargaret Anne McKillopMatthew WarwickMark BaileyDUPSammy WilsonEast LondonderryKathleen McGurkGregory CampbellRichard StewartGlenn MillerCara HunterAllister KyleJen McCahonGemma BrollyClaire Scull (Conservative)DUPGregory CampbellFermanagh and South TyronePat CullenEddie RoofeDiana ArmstrongPaul BlakeCarl DuffyGerry Cullen (CCLA)SFMichelle GildernewFoyleSandra DuffyGary MiddletonRachael FergusonJanice MontgomeryColum EastwoodJohn BoyleShaun Harkin (PBP)Anne McCloskey (Independent)SDLPColum EastwoodLagan ValleyJonathan BuckleySorcha EastwoodRobbie ButlerSimon LeeLorna SmythPatricia DenvirIndependent (elected as DUP)Jeffrey DonaldsonMid UlsterCathal MallaghanKeith BuchananPadraic FarrellJay BasraDenise JohnstonGlenn MooreAlixandra HallidayJohn Kelly (Independent)SFFrancie MolloyNewry and ArmaghDáire HughesGareth WilsonHelena YoungSam NicholsonPete ByrneKeith RatcliffeLiam ReichenbergSamantha Rayner (Conservative)SFMickey BradyNorth AntrimPhilip McGuiganIan Paisley JrSian MulhollandJackson MinfordHelen MaherJim AllisterRáichéal Mhic NiocaillTristan Morrow (Independent)DUPIan Paisley JrNorth DownStephen FarryTim CollinsDéirdre VaughanBarry McKeeAlex Easton (Independent)Chris Carter (Independent)APNIStephen FarrySouth AntrimDeclan KearneyPaul GirvanJohn BlairRobin SwannRoisin LynchMel LucasLesley VeronicaSiobhan McErleanDUPPaul GirvanSouth DownChris HazzardDiane ForsytheAndrew McMurrayMichael O'LoanColin McGrathJim WellsDeclan WalshRosemary McGloneHannah Westropp (Conservative)SFChris HazzardStrangfordNoel SandsJim ShannonMichelle GuyRichard SmartWill PollandRon McDowellAlexandra BraidnerGareth Burns (Independent)Garreth Falls (Independent)Barry Hetherington (Conservative)DUPJim ShannonUpper BannCatherine NelsonCarla LockhartEóin TennysonKate EvansMalachy QuinnDUPCarla LockhartWest TyroneÓrfhlaith BegleyTom BuchananStephen DonnellyMatthew BellDaniel McCrossanStevan PattersonLeza HoustonStephen Lynch (Conservative)SFÓrfhlaith Begley

Opinion polling Date(s)conducted Pollster Client SamplesizeDUPSFAllianceSDLPUUPTUVOthers Lead rowspan="1" 2024 general election–22.1%27.0%15.0%11.1%12.2%6.2%6.4% 4.9LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,85921%23%18%14%13%4% 2LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,63421%24%17%13%12%5% 3LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,31620%26%15%10%13%8% 6Social Market ResearchIrish News–University of Liverpool1,20623.5%31.1%15.2%8.1%11.1%4.8% – 6.6Social Market ResearchInstitute of Irish Studies1,07425%31%15%9%11%5%5% 614 Jan – 7 Sep 2023Northern Ireland Life and Times SurveyARK1,200% %%%%– rowspan="1" 2019 general election–30.6%22.8%16.8%14.9%11.7%N/A3.2% 7.8

Projections + Final projections of number of seats Source DateDUPSFSDLPAPNIUUPTUVInd.OthersElectoral Calculus4 July77211000Bunker Consulting Group1 July67221000Ireland Votes25 May57211110

Leadership approval ratings

Michelle O'Neill The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Michelle O'Neill, the First Minister of Northern Ireland since 3 February 2024, Vice President of Sinn Féin since 10 February 2018 and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland from 11 January 2020 to 4 February 2022.

Date(s)conducted Pollster Client Sample size Good/great Bad/awful Don't know Net approval11–14 Aug 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,95043%37%20%+6%21–24 Apr 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,95741%37%22%+4%20–23 Jan 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph1,44941%40%19%+1%4–7 Nov 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,35146%37%17%+9%12–15 Aug 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,38440%42%18%–2%

Jeffrey Donaldson

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Jeffrey Donaldson, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from 30 June 2021 to 29 March 2024.

Date(s)conducted Pollster Client Sample size Good/great Bad/awful Don't know Net approval11–14 Aug 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,95024%66%10% −42% 21–24 Apr 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,95727%65%8%−38%20–23 Jan 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph1,44925%63%12%−38%4–7 Nov 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,35129%65%6%−36%12–15 Aug 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,38427%64%9%−37%

Naomi Long

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Naomi Long, the leader of the Alliance Party since 26 October 2016. Date(s)conducted Pollster Client Sample size Good/great Bad/awful Don't know Net approval11–14 Aug 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,95038%39%23%−1%21–24 Apr 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,95740%38%22%+2%20–23 Jan 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph1,44937%38%25%−1%4–7 Nov 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,35145%37%18%+8%12–15 Aug 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,38446%37%17%+9%

Doug Beattie

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Doug Beattie, the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) since 27 May 2021. Date(s)conducted Pollster Client Sample size Good/great Bad/awful Don't know Net approval11–14 Aug 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,95034%38%28%−4%21–24 Apr 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,95738%33%29%+5%20–23 Jan 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph1,44928%42%30%−14%4–7 Nov 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,35137%32%31%+5%12–15 Aug 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,38434%34%32%0%

Colum Eastwood

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Colum Eastwood, the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) since 14 November 2015. Date(s)conducted Pollster Client Sample size Good/great Bad/awful Don't know Net approval11–14 Aug 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,95026%43%31%−17%21–24 Apr 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,95732%40%28%−8%20–23 Jan 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph1,44933%38%29%−5%4–7 Nov 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,35131%39%30%−8%12–15 Aug 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,38434%39%27%–5%

Jim Allister

The following polls asked about voters' opinions on Jim Allister, the leader of Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) since 7 December 2007. Date(s)conducted Pollster Client Sample size Good/great Bad/awful Don't know Net approval11–14 Aug 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph2,95023%63%14%−40%21–24 Apr 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,95727%61%12%−34%20–23 Jan 2023LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph1,44927%57%16%−30%4–7 Nov 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,35127%59%14%−32%12–15 Aug 2022LucidTalkBelfast Telegraph3,38431%54%15%−23%

Leadership performance ratings