Belfast News-Letter, 31 May 1921

On 30 May, the final results of the Northern Ireland election were announced, with Unionists winning 40 of the 52 seats. James Craig then wrote to the Lord Mayor of Belfast requesting use of the City Hall for the Parliament of Northern Ireland. The remaining seats were divided evenly between the Nationalists and Sinn Féin. Joe Devlin, however, was returned for the Nationalists in both West Belfast and Country Antrim. As he could not sit in both constituencies it was expected that one of the seats would be taken by a Unionist candidate. The following editorial, printed in the Belfast News-Letter, shows the response of the Unionist press to the election result.

Our Parliament Complete

The Parliament of Northern Ireland is now complete, the last results having been declared yesterday, and the Unionists have performed the remarkable feat of returning every candidate whom they nominated. They hold forty of the fifty-two seats, and when Mr. Devlin, who has been returned for two constituencies, makes his choice, a Unionist will be elected for the seat which he vacates, so that the constitution of the House of Commons will be forty-one Unionists against eleven Nationalists and Sinn Feiners. Sir James Craig will be able to form a strong Government, which will be in a position to deal successfully with the legislative and administrative problems which are awaiting its attention …

The position of Ulster is now secure within the United Kingdom and the Empire. Messers. Devlin and De Valera and their supporters may ignore the new Parliament, and pretend to treat it with contempt; but they can neither abolish it or thwart its action. It is here, and it will remain. It will be an insurmountable obstacle to the establishment of a Parliament for all Ireland without its free consent, and the Independent Liberal and Labour Parties, if they ever come into power, and attempt to fulfil their pledge to give Ireland Dominion Home Rule will be unable to overcome its resistance. Thus the position of Ulster is changed for the better, and the opponents of partition in the South and West now admit that further opposition to it is useless …