Belfast East (UK Parliament constituency)

Belfast East
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Boundary of Belfast East in Northern Ireland.
Districts of Northern Ireland	Belfast, Castlereagh
Population	92,221 (2011 census)
Electorate	60,516 (March 2011)
Current constituency
Created	1922
Member of parliament	Gavin Robinson (DUP)
Number of members	One
Created from	Belfast Pottinger Belfast Victoria
1885–1918
Number of members	One
Type of constituency	Borough constituency
Replaced by	Belfast Pottinger Belfast Victoria
Created from	Belfast
Overlaps
European Parliament constituency	Northern Ireland

Belfast East is a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Gavin Robinson of the Democratic Unionist Party elected in 2015. Historically, the constituency has generally elected Unionist MPs, but was represented by the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland between 2010 and 2015.

1955-1974: The County Borough of Belfast wards of Dock, Pottinger, and Victoria.

1974-1983: The County Borough of Belfast wards of Pottinger and Victoria, and the Rural District of Castlereagh electoral divisions of Ballyhackamore, Ballymaconaghy, Ballymiscaw, Castlereagh, Dundonald, and Gilnakirk.

1983-1997: The District of Belfast wards of Ballyhackamore, Ballymacarrett, Belmont, Bloomfield, Island, Orangefield, Shandon, Stormont, Sydenham, and The Mount, and the District of Castlereagh wards of Cregagh, Downshire, Lisnasharragh, and Wynchurch.

1997-2010: The District of Belfast wards of Ballyhackamore, Ballymacarrett, Belmont, Bloomfield, Cherryvalley, Island, Knock, Orangefield, Stormont, Sydenham, and The Mount, and the District of Castlereagh wards of Cregagh, Downshire, Gilnakirk, Hillfoot, Lisnasharragh, Lower Braniel, Tullycarnet, Upper Braniel, and Wynchurch.

2010-present: The District of Belfast wards of Ballyhackamore, Ballymacarrett, Belmont, Bloomfield, Cherryvalley, Island, Knock, Orangefield, Stormont, Sydenham, and The Mount, and the District of Castlereagh wards of Ballyhanwood, Carrowreagh, Cregagh, Downshire, Dundonald, Enler, Gilnakirk, Graham’s Bridge, Lisnasharragh, Lower Braniel, Tullycarnet, and Upper Braniel.

The seat was created in 1922 when, as part of the establishment of the devolved Stormont Parliament for Northern Ireland, the number of MPs in the Westminster Parliament was drastically cut. The seat is centred on the east section of Belfast and also contains part of the district of Castlereagh.

Prior to the 2010 general election the Northern Ireland Boundary Commission proposed expanding Belfast East further into Castlereagh, taking in areas currently contained in Strangford, however almost all of these areas were part of Belfast East until 1983. A small part of the constituency was proposed for transfer to Belfast South.