New Ulster Movement
Encyclopedia
The New Ulster Movement was a political pressure group in Northern Ireland
.
The organisation was established in early 1969 under the Chairmanship of Brian Walker, and soon had a membership of around 8,000 people. Later in the year, Oliver Napier
of the Ulster Liberal Party
and Bob Cooper
, formerly of the Ulster Unionist Party
, were appointed as joint Chairmen of its political committee.
Napier and Cooper wished to establish a new political party
, a position which was strongly opposed by Walker. A meeting of the NUM was held on 30 December 1969 to decide on the way forward, and a committee was elected to investigate the feasibility of launching a new party at Easter in 1970.
David Corkey, a member of the NUM, stood as an independent
candidate in a by-election in South Antrim. He received 25.7% of the votes cast, and this helped build enthusiasm for the party.
Napier and Cooper launched the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
(APNI) on 21 April 1970, and used their access to the membership lists of the NUM to canvass for party members. Napier later estimated that 95-99% of NUM members left to join APNI, including eleven executive members.
In October, the NUM rewrote its constitution to prevent it from intervening in elections, and redefined itself as a think tank
. It dissolved in 1978.
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...
.
The organisation was established in early 1969 under the Chairmanship of Brian Walker, and soon had a membership of around 8,000 people. Later in the year, Oliver Napier
Oliver Napier
Sir Oliver Napier was the first leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. In 1974 he served as the first and only Legal Minister and head of the Office of Legal Reform in the Northern Ireland power-sharing executive set up by the Sunningdale Agreement.-Early life:Napier was educated at St...
of the Ulster Liberal Party
Ulster Liberal Party
The Ulster Liberal Party was a liberal political party in Northern Ireland, supporting a unionist position and linked to the British Liberal Party....
and Bob Cooper
Bob Cooper (politician)
Sir Robert George Cooper CBE, known as Bob Cooper was a politician and equal opportunities activist in Northern Ireland....
, formerly of the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
, were appointed as joint Chairmen of its political committee.
Napier and Cooper wished to establish a new political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
, a position which was strongly opposed by Walker. A meeting of the NUM was held on 30 December 1969 to decide on the way forward, and a committee was elected to investigate the feasibility of launching a new party at Easter in 1970.
David Corkey, a member of the NUM, stood as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate in a by-election in South Antrim. He received 25.7% of the votes cast, and this helped build enthusiasm for the party.
Napier and Cooper launched the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
(APNI) on 21 April 1970, and used their access to the membership lists of the NUM to canvass for party members. Napier later estimated that 95-99% of NUM members left to join APNI, including eleven executive members.
In October, the NUM rewrote its constitution to prevent it from intervening in elections, and redefined itself as a think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
. It dissolved in 1978.