James McClure (Unionist politician)

William James McClure MBE (c.1926 – 3 August 2014) was a Unionist politician based in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, who served as President of the Democratic Unionist Party.[1] McClure died on 3 August 2014 at the age of 88.[2]

McClure was first elected in 1975 to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention representing Londonderry.[3] He was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1982 for the same constituency.[4] In 1977 he was elected to Coleraine Borough Council and remained a member until his death,[5] serving as Mayor from 1983–84, and from 1997–99, and as Deputy Mayor from 1982–83, 1985–93, and 2004–05. He served on the Coleraine Policing and Community Safety Partnership.

McClure was a fundamentalist Protestant and a member of the Independent Orange Order. He was an opponent of commercial trading, gambling and football games being played on Sundays, arguing that "the Christian Sabbath is a day for God not for gambling. It is a day for worshipping the Saviour, not for sport."[6]

References

Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
New convention Member for Londonderry
1975–1976		 Convention dissolved
Northern Ireland Assembly (1982)
New assembly MPA for Londonderry
1982–1986		 Assembly abolished
Civic offices
Preceded by
G. A. McIlraith		 Mayor of Coleraine
1983–1984		 Succeeded by
William King
Preceded by
Pauline Armitage		 Mayor of Coleraine
1997–1999		 Succeeded by
Norman Hillis
Party political offices
Preceded by
William Beattie		 Chairman of the Democratic Unionist Party
1981?–2000?		 Succeeded by
Maurice Morrow
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