Jack Beattie
Encyclopedia
Jack Beattie was a politician from Northern Ireland
.
He was a teacher by profession. He joined the Northern Ireland Labour Party
(NILP). In 1925, he became a Member of the Northern Ireland House of Commons for Belfast East
. He represented Belfast Pottinger
from 1929. At one point he served as leader of the NILP.
, the last resort of the poor and destitute was a less than generous institution. It applied its rules on who qualified to receive assistance very harshly. On one occasion in June 1926 unemployed men protested outside a meeting of the Guardians of the Belfast Poor Law Union
. Jack Beattie and William McMullen
, a fellow NILP MP were among their number. The two MPs obstructed the meeting and were unceremoniously "seized by the police and thrown out onto the pavement." The Guardians were later congratulated for their "stand ...by a delegation of Protestant clergymen who called on the guardians 'to cut off grants to parasites'".
Historian, Tim Pat Coogan remarks of the time that, despite the prevailing conditions, "the Unionist ascendency was so secure that it could blithely go ahead with measures such as cutting unemployment benefits while lavishing expenditure on the new parliament building, which was opened in 1932".
Jack Beattie did not blithely play along with the establishment. One occasion perhaps highlights this better than any: In September 1932 Lord Craigavon, the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
, spoke in the parliament on a motion thanking the Belfast Corporation for the use of the city hall for meetings of the Northern Ireland Parliament. Beattie, incensed, seized the mace
and shouted that his motion to bring "to your notice the serious position of the unemployment in Northern Ireland" had been rejected. An unusual scene of uproar ensued as Tommy Henderson
joined Beattie in his protests. Bardon reports that ignoring the Speaker's pleas for order, Beattie continued shouting "I am going to put this out of action....The House indulged in hypocrisy while there are starving thousands outside." Beattie then wrested the mace from the sergeant-at-arms, threw it upon the floor, and walked out.
Unlike the majority of the NILP, Beattie supported Irish unity
. In 1934 he was expelled from the NILP after refusing to call a by-election in Belfast Central
, where the party were the main opponents of the Nationalist Party
. In the same year, he became an organiser for the Northern Ireland Teachers' Organisation.
Beattie was a director and vice-president of Glentoran Football Club
.
but resigned from the NILP shortly after.
In 1945, he held his seat and formed the Federation of Labour (Ireland)
, but took the Labour Party (UK)
whip in the British House of Commons
. He was the only Labour candidate returned in Northern Ireland. However, his tenure as a Labour MP was short: He joined the Labour Party in London as an individual member, using his London accommodation address but was subsequently expelled, "solely on the grounds that his place of residence was Belfast". On 30 April 1945, Beattie was punched in the Stormont Parliament by the Government Minister and former NILP MP, Harry Midgley
. Midgley apologised the next day.
When the Northern Ireland general election, 1949
took place, the Anti-Partition League of Ireland was at its height. The middle ground in Northern Irish politics was squeezed. Beattie, who had accepted money from a fund established by the Anti-Partition League, "wore a steel helmet while campaigning in east Belfast". When one of his election meetings was broken up by an angry mob, he sent a telegram of protest to Downing Street which read "Stoned by official Unionist mobs and denied the right of free speech in my election campaign tonight. Armed Stormont police took no action".
Beattie lost his seat, disbanded the Federation and joined the Irish Labour Party. Tim Pat Coogan remarks that with the defeat of Beattie and other opposition candidates, "for the first time the opposition at Stormont was entirely Catholic, a matter of much satisfaction to [Prime Minister] Brooke
".
Although he lost Belfast West
in the 1950 UK general election
, Beattie retook it in 1951, losing it once more at the 1955 election
. His attempt to win Belfast Central
in the Stormont Parliament in 1953 also failed.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
He was a teacher by profession. He joined the Northern Ireland Labour Party
Northern Ireland Labour Party
The Northern Ireland Labour Party was an Irish political party which operated from 1924 until 1987.In 1913 the British Labour Party resolved to give the recently formed Irish Labour Party exclusive organising rights in Ireland...
(NILP). In 1925, he became a Member of the Northern Ireland House of Commons for Belfast East
Belfast East (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Belfast East was a borough constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland from 1921 - 1929. It returned four MPs, using the single transferable vote method of proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
. He represented Belfast Pottinger
Belfast Pottinger (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Belfast Pottinger was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:Belfast Pottinger was a borough constituency comprising part of eastern Belfast...
from 1929. At one point he served as leader of the NILP.
Early career
Belfast did not prosper in the 1920s. During the period, 1923 to 1930, unemployment in Northern Ireland averaged 19 per cent of the insured workforce. Many of the long term unemployed became ineligible to receive unemployment assistance. To make matters worse, the Belfast Poor Law UnionPoor Law Union
A Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. The administration of the Poor Law was the responsibility of parishes, which varied wildly in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements...
, the last resort of the poor and destitute was a less than generous institution. It applied its rules on who qualified to receive assistance very harshly. On one occasion in June 1926 unemployed men protested outside a meeting of the Guardians of the Belfast Poor Law Union
Poor Law Union
A Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. The administration of the Poor Law was the responsibility of parishes, which varied wildly in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements...
. Jack Beattie and William McMullen
William McMullen
William McMullen , sometimes known as Billy McMullen, was an Irish trade unionist and politician.Born into a Protestant family in Belfast, McMullen began working in the shipyards and became an active trade unionist...
, a fellow NILP MP were among their number. The two MPs obstructed the meeting and were unceremoniously "seized by the police and thrown out onto the pavement." The Guardians were later congratulated for their "stand ...by a delegation of Protestant clergymen who called on the guardians 'to cut off grants to parasites'".
Historian, Tim Pat Coogan remarks of the time that, despite the prevailing conditions, "the Unionist ascendency was so secure that it could blithely go ahead with measures such as cutting unemployment benefits while lavishing expenditure on the new parliament building, which was opened in 1932".
Jack Beattie did not blithely play along with the establishment. One occasion perhaps highlights this better than any: In September 1932 Lord Craigavon, the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland was the de facto head of the Government of Northern Ireland. No such office was provided for in the Government of Ireland Act 1920. However the Lord Lieutenant, as with Governors-General in other Westminster Systems such as in Canada, chose to appoint someone...
, spoke in the parliament on a motion thanking the Belfast Corporation for the use of the city hall for meetings of the Northern Ireland Parliament. Beattie, incensed, seized the mace
Ceremonial mace
The ceremonial mace is a highly ornamented staff of metal or wood, carried before a sovereign or other high official in civic ceremonies by a mace-bearer, intended to represent the official's authority. The mace, as used today, derives from the original mace used as a weapon...
and shouted that his motion to bring "to your notice the serious position of the unemployment in Northern Ireland" had been rejected. An unusual scene of uproar ensued as Tommy Henderson
Tommy Henderson
Thomas Gibson Henderson was an Ulster independent Unionist politician. He served in the House of Commons of Northern Ireland from 1925 to 1953 in vigorous opposition to the Unionist governments on all issues other than the partition of Ireland, and is famous for having at one stage spoken for...
joined Beattie in his protests. Bardon reports that ignoring the Speaker's pleas for order, Beattie continued shouting "I am going to put this out of action....The House indulged in hypocrisy while there are starving thousands outside." Beattie then wrested the mace from the sergeant-at-arms, threw it upon the floor, and walked out.
Unlike the majority of the NILP, Beattie supported Irish unity
United Ireland
A united Ireland is the term used to refer to the idea of a sovereign state which covers all of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland. The island of Ireland includes the territory of two independent sovereign states: the Republic of Ireland, which covers 26 counties of the island, and the...
. In 1934 he was expelled from the NILP after refusing to call a by-election in Belfast Central
Belfast Central (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Belfast Central was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:Belfast Central was a borough constituency comprising part of central Belfast...
, where the party were the main opponents of the Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party (Ireland)
The Nationalist Party was a term commonly used to describe a number of parliamentary political parties and constituency organisations supportive of Home Rule for Ireland from 1874 to 1922...
. In the same year, he became an organiser for the Northern Ireland Teachers' Organisation.
Beattie was a director and vice-president of Glentoran Football Club
Glentoran F.C.
Glentoran F.C. is a semi-professional, football club in Northern Ireland. The club was founded in 1882 and plays its home games at the Oval in east Belfast. Club colours are green, red, and black.Glentoran's biggest rivals are Linfield...
.
Later career
In 1942, Beattie was readmitted to the NILP. He went on to win the Belfast West by-election, 1943Belfast West by-election, 1943
The Belfast West by-election 1943, was a by-election held on 9 February 1943 for the British House of Commons constituency of Belfast West, in Northern Ireland...
but resigned from the NILP shortly after.
In 1945, he held his seat and formed the Federation of Labour (Ireland)
Federation of Labour (Ireland)
The Federation of Labour was a small nationalist political party in Northern Ireland.It was founded in 1944 by much of the Belfast West branch of the Northern Ireland Labour Party , opposed to that group's acceptance of the partition of Ireland and movement towards unionism.The party was led by...
, but took the Labour Party (UK)
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
whip in the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. He was the only Labour candidate returned in Northern Ireland. However, his tenure as a Labour MP was short: He joined the Labour Party in London as an individual member, using his London accommodation address but was subsequently expelled, "solely on the grounds that his place of residence was Belfast". On 30 April 1945, Beattie was punched in the Stormont Parliament by the Government Minister and former NILP MP, Harry Midgley
Harry Midgley
Henry Cassidy Midgley, PC , known as Harry Midgley was a prominent politician in Northern Ireland. Born to a unionist family in Belfast, he worked in the textile industry before joining the Royal Engineers during World War I....
. Midgley apologised the next day.
When the Northern Ireland general election, 1949
Northern Ireland general election, 1949
-References:*-See also:*MPs elected in the Northern Ireland general election, 1949...
took place, the Anti-Partition League of Ireland was at its height. The middle ground in Northern Irish politics was squeezed. Beattie, who had accepted money from a fund established by the Anti-Partition League, "wore a steel helmet while campaigning in east Belfast". When one of his election meetings was broken up by an angry mob, he sent a telegram of protest to Downing Street which read "Stoned by official Unionist mobs and denied the right of free speech in my election campaign tonight. Armed Stormont police took no action".
Beattie lost his seat, disbanded the Federation and joined the Irish Labour Party. Tim Pat Coogan remarks that with the defeat of Beattie and other opposition candidates, "for the first time the opposition at Stormont was entirely Catholic, a matter of much satisfaction to [Prime Minister] Brooke
Basil Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough
Basil Stanlake Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough, Bt, KG, CBE, MC, PC, HML was an Ulster Unionist politician who became the third Prime Minister of Northern Ireland in 1943 and held office until 1963....
".
Although he lost Belfast West
Belfast West (UK Parliament constituency)
Belfast West is a parliamentary constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.-Boundaries:The seat was restored 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...
in the 1950 UK general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
, Beattie retook it in 1951, losing it once more at the 1955 election
United Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
. His attempt to win Belfast Central
Belfast Central (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
Belfast Central was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:Belfast Central was a borough constituency comprising part of central Belfast...
in the Stormont Parliament in 1953 also failed.