Ulster Unionist Party leadership election, 1969
Encyclopedia
The 1969 Ulster Unionist Party
leadership election was the first contested election in the Party's sixty-four year history.
In 1963 Terence O'Neill
had succeeded Lord Brookeborough
as Party Leader and Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
by emerging rather than by winning a ballot, despite having strong competition from both Brian Faulkner
and Jack Andrews
. On O'Neill's resignation following the inconclusive result of the 1969 general election
, the division of support within the Parliamentary Party was such that an election was required to choose the new leader.
Faulkner - 17
It had initially been assumed that Faulkner would win the contest, however many within the Parliamentary Party were determined that a hardliner such as Faulkner should not be leader. Jack Andrews
, leader of the Senate
, came under pressure from many including O'Neill, to stand, however he refused. In His memoirs, Kenneth Bloomfield
suggests that Chichester-Clark's resignation from the cabinet which precipitated O'Neill's own resignation, had been a ploy to deprive Faulkner. In his own memoirs, Faulkner claims that it was a matter of class distinction, where the upper classes had conspired to keep the Premiership out of middle class hands. Following his headline grabbing resignation, and O'Neill's endorsement in the absence of Andrews candidature, Chichester-Clark was expected to win by a clear margin and the close result came as a great surprise. O'Neill voted for his distant cousin, and also used his casting vote in his favour. It has been said that he favoured Chichester-Clark not due to their distant family links, but as Faulkner had been stabbing him in the back for longer .
Two of Faulkner's main supporters promptly proposed and seconded a unanimous decision in favour of Chichester-Clark. The new leader caused much surprise by including Faulkner and a young supporter, John Taylor
, in his new Government.
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...
leadership election was the first contested election in the Party's sixty-four year history.
In 1963 Terence O'Neill
Terence O'Neill
Terence Marne O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of the Maine, PC was the fourth Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party...
had succeeded Lord Brookeborough
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....
as Party Leader and 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...
by emerging rather than by winning a ballot, despite having strong competition from both Brian Faulkner
Brian Faulkner
Arthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, PC was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from March 1971 until his resignation in March 1972...
and Jack Andrews
Jack Andrews
Sir John Lawson Ormrod Andrews KBE, DL was a member of both the Northern Ireland House of Commons and the Senate of Northern Ireland....
. On O'Neill's resignation following the inconclusive result of the 1969 general election
Northern Ireland general election, 1969
-References:*...
, the division of support within the Parliamentary Party was such that an election was required to choose the new leader.
Candidates
- Brian FaulknerBrian FaulknerArthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, PC was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from March 1971 until his resignation in March 1972...
, Minister of Commerce - Major James Chichester-ClarkJames Chichester-ClarkJames Dawson Chichester-Clark, Baron Moyola, PC, DL was the penultimate Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and eighth leader of the Ulster Unionist Party between 1969 and March 1971. He was Member of the Northern Ireland Parliament for South Londonderry for 12 years beginning at the by-election...
, Minister of Agriculture (and distant cousin of O'Neill)
Result
Chichester-Clark - 18Faulkner - 17
It had initially been assumed that Faulkner would win the contest, however many within the Parliamentary Party were determined that a hardliner such as Faulkner should not be leader. Jack Andrews
Jack Andrews
Sir John Lawson Ormrod Andrews KBE, DL was a member of both the Northern Ireland House of Commons and the Senate of Northern Ireland....
, leader of the Senate
Senate of Northern Ireland
The Senate of Northern Ireland was the upper house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created by the Government of Ireland Act 1920. It was abolished with the passing of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973.-Powers:...
, came under pressure from many including O'Neill, to stand, however he refused. In His memoirs, Kenneth Bloomfield
Kenneth Bloomfield
Sir Kenneth Percy Bloomfield is a former head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service who was later a member of the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains and for a time Northern Ireland Victims Commissioner...
suggests that Chichester-Clark's resignation from the cabinet which precipitated O'Neill's own resignation, had been a ploy to deprive Faulkner. In his own memoirs, Faulkner claims that it was a matter of class distinction, where the upper classes had conspired to keep the Premiership out of middle class hands. Following his headline grabbing resignation, and O'Neill's endorsement in the absence of Andrews candidature, Chichester-Clark was expected to win by a clear margin and the close result came as a great surprise. O'Neill voted for his distant cousin, and also used his casting vote in his favour. It has been said that he favoured Chichester-Clark not due to their distant family links, but as Faulkner had been stabbing him in the back for longer .
Two of Faulkner's main supporters promptly proposed and seconded a unanimous decision in favour of Chichester-Clark. The new leader caused much surprise by including Faulkner and a young supporter, John Taylor
John Taylor, Baron Kilclooney
John David Taylor, Baron Kilclooney, PC , is a former Ulster Unionist Party MP and a life peer. He was deputy leader of the UUP from 1995 to 2001, and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly.-Career and family:...
, in his new Government.