Joe Hendron
Encyclopedia
Joseph Gerard Hendron (born 12 November 1932) is a Northern Ireland
politician, a member of the moderate Irish nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party
(SDLP).
He became the only nationalist MP to successfully defeat Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams in 1992, following in the tradition of former SDLP MP for the area, Gerry Fitt
- later Lord Fitt.
Hendron, also a local GP physician for 40 years, was first elected as a political representative of Belfast West
in 1975 to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
, in 1981 as an SDLP member of Belfast City Council
for the area and in 1982 to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Hendron was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Belfast West
between April 1992 and May 1997 in the UK Parliament in London. He had taken the seat from Sinn Féin
President Gerry Adams
at his third attempt with a majority of 1%. He attracted unprecedented cross-community support from Nationalists and Loyalists in the constituency.
Adams regained the seat at the next election in May 1997
due to boundary changes favouring his Sinn Féin party, which brought the Poleglass and Twinbrook electoral areas into West Belfast parliamentary seat. Doctor Hendron, along with his SDLP predecessor (and former party leader) Gerry Fitt, remains one of the few politicians in Northern Ireland who proved capable of crossing the sectarian divide in terms of electoral support.
In 1996 Hendron was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum and in 1998 to the newly reconvened Northern Ireland Assembly
. However he lost his seat in the 2003 Northern Ireland Assembly election to a member of Ian Paisley
's Democratic Unionist Party
.
He was appointed a member of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission
. Dr Hendron retired in December 2010 from this body
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...
politician, a member of the moderate Irish nationalist 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...
(SDLP).
He became the only nationalist MP to successfully defeat Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams in 1992, following in the tradition of former SDLP MP for the area, Gerry Fitt
Gerry Fitt
Gerard Fitt, Baron Fitt was a politician in Northern Ireland. He was a founder and the first leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party , a social democratic and Irish nationalist party.-Early years:...
- later Lord Fitt.
Hendron, also a local GP physician for 40 years, was first elected as a political representative of Belfast West
Belfast West (Assembly constituency)
Belfast West is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
in 1975 to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
The Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention was an elected body set up in 1975 by the UK Labour government of Harold Wilson as an attempt to deal with constitutional issues surrounding the status of Northern Ireland....
, in 1981 as an SDLP member of Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council is the local authority with responsibility for the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of , the largest of any district council in Northern Ireland, while also being the fourth smallest by area...
for the area and in 1982 to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Hendron was the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for 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...
between April 1992 and May 1997 in the UK Parliament in London. He had taken the seat from 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...
President Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
at his third attempt with a majority of 1%. He attracted unprecedented cross-community support from Nationalists and Loyalists in the constituency.
Adams regained the seat at the next election in May 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
due to boundary changes favouring his Sinn Féin party, which brought the Poleglass and Twinbrook electoral areas into West Belfast parliamentary seat. Doctor Hendron, along with his SDLP predecessor (and former party leader) Gerry Fitt, remains one of the few politicians in Northern Ireland who proved capable of crossing the sectarian divide in terms of electoral support.
In 1996 Hendron was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum and in 1998 to the newly reconvened Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
. However he lost his seat in the 2003 Northern Ireland Assembly election to a member of Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
's 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...
.
He was appointed a member of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission
Parades Commission
The Parades Commission is a quasi-judicial non-departmental public body responsible for placing restrictions on or banning outright any parades in Northern Ireland it deems contentious or offensive. It is composed of seven members, all of whom are appointed by the Secretary of State for Northern...
. Dr Hendron retired in December 2010 from this body