Jack McKee
Encyclopedia
Alderman Jack McKee is a Unionist politician in Larne
, Northern Ireland
.
Until his resignation from the party in 2007, McKee was a Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP) councillor. He is one of the longest serving councillors on Larne Borough Council
; like the UUP's Roy Beggs
, he has served continuously since the council was formed in 1973. Every council election he runs on the Larne Lough
electoral district. He was also elected to the Northern Ireland Forum
in 1996 and the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1982.
At an anti Good Friday Agreement protest in Antrim
on April 1998 McKee shared a shared a platform with then fellow DUP member Sammy Wilson
and Kenneth Peeples, a described leader of the Orange Volunteers
and Protestant fundamentalist, who burned a copy of the agreement.
In 2000 he was accused by fellow Larne councillor and Social Democratic and Labour Party
member Danny O'Connor of raising tensions in the Catholic Seacourt estate by claiming Republicans were targeting the minority Protestant population in the estate. In 2004 Sinn Féin
accused McKee of justifying an alleged death threat made to Danny O'Connor's mother who was verbally abused and threatened after loyalists erected a flag outside her house according to Sinn Féin.
McKee has also spoken of his opinion that Larne Borough Council should not provide funding grants to Gaelic Athletic Association
(GAA) teams as he stated the GAA is a sectarian organisation.
He served as Mayor of Larne. His brother Bobby McKee
is also a DUP councillor in Larne. Jack McKee resigned from the DUP in January 2007 in protest at the DUP's (later demonstrated) willingness to go into Government with the Irish republican political party, Sinn Féin. He subsequently joined Traditional Unionist Voice
.
Larne
Larne is a substantial seaport and industrial market town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a population of 18,228 people in the 2001 Census. As of 2011, there are about 31,000 residents in the greater Larne area. It has been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years, and is...
, Northern Ireland
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...
.
Until his resignation from the party in 2007, McKee was a Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
(DUP) councillor. He is one of the longest serving councillors on Larne Borough Council
Larne Borough Council
Larne Borough Council is a Local Council in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Its headquarters is in the town of Larne and the population of the area is nearly 31,000...
; like the UUP's Roy Beggs
Roy Beggs
John Robert Beggs, commonly known as Roy Beggs, is a Northern Ireland politician.Beggs was educated at Ballyclare High School, followed by Stranmillis College, to study teacher training...
, he has served continuously since the council was formed in 1973. Every council election he runs on the Larne Lough
Larne Lough
Larne Lough is a sea lough or inlet in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The lough lies between Islandmagee and the mainland. At its mouth is the town of Larne...
electoral district. He was also elected to the Northern Ireland Forum
Northern Ireland Forum
The Northern Ireland Forum was a body set up in 1996 as part of a process of negotiations that eventually led to the Belfast Agreement in 1998....
in 1996 and the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1982.
At an anti Good Friday Agreement protest in Antrim
Antrim, County Antrim
Antrim is a town in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland, on the banks of the Six Mile Water, half a mile north-east of Lough Neagh. It had a population of 20,001 people in the 2001 Census. The town is the administrative centre of Antrim Borough Council...
on April 1998 McKee shared a shared a platform with then fellow DUP member Sammy Wilson
Sammy Wilson
Samuel Wilson is a politician from Northern Ireland who is a Member of Parliament and a Member of the Legislative Assembly for East Antrim. He served as Lord Mayor of Belfast in 1986 – 1987; and again from June 2000 to June 2001. He was the first person from the Democratic Unionist Party ...
and Kenneth Peeples, a described leader of the Orange Volunteers
Orange Volunteers
The Orange Volunteers or Orange Volunteer Force is an Ulster loyalist and Protestant fundamentalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland.-Origins:...
and Protestant fundamentalist, who burned a copy of the agreement.
In 2000 he was accused by fellow Larne councillor and Social Democratic and Labour Party
Social Democratic and Labour Party
The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
member Danny O'Connor of raising tensions in the Catholic Seacourt estate by claiming Republicans were targeting the minority Protestant population in the estate. In 2004 Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
accused McKee of justifying an alleged death threat made to Danny O'Connor's mother who was verbally abused and threatened after loyalists erected a flag outside her house according to Sinn Féin.
McKee has also spoken of his opinion that Larne Borough Council should not provide funding grants to Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
(GAA) teams as he stated the GAA is a sectarian organisation.
He served as Mayor of Larne. His brother Bobby McKee
Bobby McKee
Bobby McKee MBE is a Unionist politician in Larne, Northern Ireland and former member of the Ulster Volunteer Force.McKee is a Democratic Unionist Party councillor and a member of Larne Borough Council since 1989....
is also a DUP councillor in Larne. Jack McKee resigned from the DUP in January 2007 in protest at the DUP's (later demonstrated) willingness to go into Government with the Irish republican political party, Sinn Féin. He subsequently joined Traditional Unionist Voice
Traditional Unionist Voice
Traditional Unionist Voice is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland founded on 7 December 2007, as an anti-St Andrews Agreement splinter group from the Democratic Unionist Party . Its first and current leader is Jim Allister who, until 2009, sat as an independent Member of the European...
.