James Chichester-Clark

James Chichester-Clark, 1970

James Dawson Chichester-Clark, Baron Moyola , (born February 12, 1923 in Castledawson , County Londonderry , Northern Ireland , † May 17, 2002 in London , England ) was the fifth Prime Minister of Northern Ireland . He was a descendant of Robert Peel , who had been British Prime Minister twice.

background

James Dawson Clark was born on February 12, 1923 at his parents' home in Moyola Park in Castledawson, Northern Ireland, the eldest of three siblings. He received his school education at Eton College , then he entered the service of the British Army . He served there with the Irish Guards and took part in the Second World War as a member of the Irish Guards , where he was wounded in combat operations.

After the war he stayed in the military. Among other things, he was stationed in Canada from 1947 to 1950 , where he was the personal adjutant of the Governor General of Canada Harold Alexander . He remained in the army until the end of the 1950s. During this time he married the young widow Moyra Haughton, with whom he had two sons. Moyra Haughton brought a son into the marriage. After retiring from the military, he moved back to Castledawson to farm.

Political activity

In 1960 he moved to an unopposed by-election in the Northern Irish House of Commons as MP for the constituency of South Londonderry . This seat had previously been held by his aunt Dame Dehra Parker since 1933.

When Terence O'Neill became Prime Minister in 1963 , he named Chichester-Clark Assistant Whip . Just a month later, the chief whip, William Craig , was named home secretary. Chichester-Clark took over his position. In 1966 he became Leader of the House of Commons and was thus a member of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland .

When O'Neill dismissed Agriculture Secretary Harry West in 1967 , Chichester-Clark was appointed to his position in the cabinet. In 1969 he left the government in a dispute over the Prime Minister's policy. However, there are also voices who see his resignation as a political move. He anticipated the resignation of the prime minister, which followed him only a few days later, in order to raise his own profile, increase his acceptance among the hardliners and prevent Brian Faulkner from being prime minister.

The following vote for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party was won by Chichester-Clark with one vote. Despite the defeat in the vote, Faulkner moved into the cabinet as a loyal member.

retirement

Chichester-Clark resigned from Prime Minister in 1971. In the same year he was raised to the nobility as a Life Peer and made Baron Moyola , of Castledawson in the County of Londonderry. Chichester-Clark stood up for the Belfast Agreement , which was up for election in a 1998 referendum .

Lord Moyola died on May 17, 2002 at the age of 79. He was the last living Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.

literature

• Clive Scoular: James Chichester-Clark: Prime Minister of Northern Ireland . 2000.
• Obituary of the Telegraph.