ries ▁candidate ▁in ▁South ▁Down ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁general ▁election . ▁ ▁The ▁seat ▁had ▁previously ▁elected ▁Irish ▁national ists , ▁but ▁no ▁national ist ▁candidate ▁stood ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁and ▁Brown ▁easily ▁beat ▁his ▁only ▁oppon ent , ▁a ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Labour ▁Party ▁candidate . ▁ ▁He ▁immediately ▁took ▁the ▁Ul ster ▁Union ist ▁Party ▁wh ip ▁in ▁Parliament . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁general ▁election , ▁Brown ▁cont ested ▁M our ne ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁Union ist , ▁but ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁the ▁National ist ▁Party ▁candidate ▁James ▁Mc S par ran . ▁ ▁He ▁then ▁stood ▁for ▁Down ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁West min ster ▁general ▁election . ▁ ▁He ▁came ▁last ▁out ▁of ▁four ▁candidates , ▁but ▁took ▁ 1 9 . 1 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁and ▁was ▁less ▁than ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁votes ▁behind ▁the ▁last ▁elected ▁candidate . ▁ ▁A ▁by - e lection ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁Down ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁and ▁Brown ▁again ▁stood , ▁this ▁time ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁" D em ocr atic ▁Union ist ". ▁ ▁He ▁again ▁placed ▁last , ▁his ▁share ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁shr inking ▁to ▁ 2 . 2 %. ▁ ▁Brown ' s ▁final ▁political ▁contest ▁was ▁in ▁South ▁Down ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁general ▁election . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁first ▁time , ▁he ▁stood ▁as