Belfast

Belfast was an Irish borough constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Comprising the city of Belfast, it elected one Member of Parliament (MP) from 1801 to 1832, and then two MPs from 1832 until the constituency was divided by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 before the 1885 general election. Representation Prior to 1801, the parliamentary borough of was a two-seat constituency in the Irish House of Commons. Under the Acts of Union 1800, the Kingdom of Ireland was joined with the Kingdom of Great Britain to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Belfast was represented from 1801 in the United Kingdom House of Commons by one MP. Its MP in 1801 to the First Parliament of the United Kingdom was chosen by lot. Under the Representation of the People (Ireland) Act 1832, its representation was increased to two seats. Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, the representation of the parliamentary borough was increased to four seats, and it was divided into four separate divisions. Boundaries and boundary changes This constituency was the parliamentary borough of Belfast in County Antrim. In 1832 and 1868 the boundaries of that borough were extended.