Harry West: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 23:50, 7 August 2007 editConypiece (talk \| contribs)642 edits Harry West did not play any sort of role during the strike. He may have been a candidate in an election against an individual, which is mentioned, but that does not mean he played a role.← Previous edit		Latest revision as of 15:45, 27 September 2024 edit undoUnionofpeopleni (talk \| contribs)372 editsNo edit summaryTags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
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			{{for\|the musician\|Harry West (musician)}}
	] image''.</small>]]
			{{Short description\|Northern Ireland politician (1917–2004)}}
	'''Harry William West''' (] ] – ] ]) was a politician in ] who served as leader of the ] from ] until ].
			{{Use dmy dates\|date=December 2023}}
			{{Use British English\|date=March 2012}}
			{{Infobox officeholder
			\| honorific-prefix =
			\| name = Harry West
			\| honorific-suffix =
			\| image = Harrywest.jpg
			\| caption =
			<!-- Do NOT remove the spaces between offices in the infobox as they make the code more readable and removing them has no visual impact for the reader -->

			\| office1 = 10th ]
	West was born in ] and educated at ] in ]. He worked as a farmer, taking an interest in local government, but it was not until ] that he entered ] as member for the Enniskillen seat, succeeding Thomas Charles Nelson. In ] he was appointed Minister of Agriculture in the government of ], which he was to retain under ]. However in ] he was dismissed.
			\| term_start1 = 22 January 1974
			\| term_end1 = 7 September 1979
			\| predecessor1 = ]
			\| successor1 = ]

			\| office2 = ] <br> for ]
	He became one of a number of Stormont MPs fiercely opposed to O'Neill's reforms aimed at addressing Catholic grievances and in ] he had the whip withdrawn, along with ]. In ] the whip was restored under the new Ulster Unionist leader and ] ]. West became Minister of Agriculture once more and retained that position until the Stormont government was dissolved in ].
			\| term_start2 = 28 February 1974
			\| term_end2 = 20 September 1974
			\| predecessor2 = ]
			\| successor2 = ]

			\| office3 = ] for ]
	West emerged as a fierce critic of the negotiations that would lead to the ], and led the "anti-White Paper" Unionists in the ]. When in January ] the ] voted against Faulkner's course of action the latter was forced into resignation. West succeeded him as leader of the party and sought to regain much of the support that the party had lost to breakaway and other Unionist groupings. In the ] West negotiated the ] with the ], led by Craig, and the ], led by ], which would put up a single anti-Sunningdale Unionist candidate in all twelve constituencies on a platform of abolishing the power-sharing executive. West himself stood in ] and won, albeit due to a split nationalist vote.
			\| term_start3 = 8 May 1954
			\| term_end3 = 18 July 1973
			\| predecessor3 = ]
			\| successor3 = ''Office abolished''

			\| birth_date = {{birth date\|1917\|03\|27\|df=y}}
	The UUUC campaigned fiercely for the abolition of the executive, which came about in May ] following a general strike. West continued to seek ways to expand unionism and recruited the ex-] ] ] to the party. Powell stood for and won the ] in the ], but his opposition to the restoration of Stormont and preference for greater integration with the United Kingdom was to cause ruptures within the party. West himself lost his seat in Parliament due to a pact between Nationalists, so having the dubious distinction of being the only MP newly elected in February 1974 who lost his seat in October and never returned to the Commons, but he remained leader of the party. The UUUC lasted another few years and won the overwhelming majority of the seats in the ] ] which sought to gain consensus on the future of the province. When the Vanguard Party fell apart over proposals for a voluntary coalition with the ], West negoiated with Craig for the majority faction to merge into the Ulster Unionists.
			\| birth_place = ], Ireland
			\| death_date = {{death date and age\|2004\|02\|05\|1917\|03\|27\|df=y}}
			\| death_place = ], ]
			\| residence =
			\| nationality = British
			\| party = ]
			\| spouse = Maureen Hall
			\| children = 7, including ]
			\| alma_mater =
			\| profession = Farmer
			}}
			'''Henry William West''' (27 March 1917 – 5 February 2004) was a Northern Irish unionist politician who served as leader of the ] (UUP) from 1974 until 1979.<ref name="oxford">{{Citation\|title=West, Rt Hon. Henry William, (27 March 1917–5 Feb. 2004), PC (N Ire) 1960; Leader, Ulster Unionist Party, 1974–79\|date=1 December 2007\|work=Who Was Who\|publisher=Oxford University Press\|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u39369}}</ref>

			==Career to Stormont==
	The ] was relatively disappointing for the Ulster Unionists, as they won only five of the province's twelve constituencies. In June ] West stood as one of two candidates in the ]. However he was unsuccessful in the ] constituency for the entire province and had the personal humiliations of seeing rival DUP leader Ian Paisley top the poll, fellow Ulster Unionist ] win one of the seats and former Ulster Unionist member ] performing better than West to become runner up. West resigned shortly afterwards.
			West was born in ] and educated at ] in ]. He worked as a farmer, taking an interest in local government, but it was not until 1954 that he entered ] as member for the Enniskillen seat, succeeding ]. In 1960 he was appointed Minister of Agriculture in the government of ], which he was to retain under the leadership of ].

			He became one of a number of Stormont MPs critical of O'Neill's conciliatory approach towards Nationalists and in 1969 he had the whip withdrawn, along with ].<ref name="oxford"/> In 1971 the whip was restored under the new Ulster Unionist leader and ] ]. West became Minister of Agriculture once more and retained that position until the Stormont government was dissolved in 1972.
	He remained active in the Ulster Unionists for some years and was the party's unsuccessful candidate in the bitter ], when he was defeated by ]. He was considered to have fought a lacklustre campaign, and the UUP chose ] instead to fight the second by-election; although he did not win he was considered to have fought a more dynamic campaign. Afterwards West remained a member of the Ulster Unionist Council and was highly critical of his successor, ], for his opposition to proposals for power sharing devolution.

			==Sunningdale==
	His nephew is James Cooper, a previous chairman of the ].
			West emerged as a fierce critic of the negotiations that would lead to the ], and led the "anti-White Paper" Unionists in the ]. When in January 1974 the ] voted against Faulkner's course of action the latter was forced into resignation. West succeeded him as leader of the party and sought to regain much of the support that the party had lost to breakaway and other Unionist groupings. In the ] West negotiated the ] with the ], led by Craig, and the ], led by ], which would put up a single anti-Sunningdale Unionist candidate in all twelve constituencies on a platform of abolishing the power-sharing executive. West himself stood in ] and won, albeit due to a split nationalist vote.

			The UUUC campaigned fiercely for the abolition of the executive, which came about in May 1974 following a general strike. West continued to seek ways to expand unionism and recruited the ex-] ] ] to the party. Powell stood for and won the ] in the ], but his opposition to the restoration of Stormont and preference for greater integration with the United Kingdom was to cause ruptures within the party. West himself lost his seat in Parliament due to a pact between Nationalists, so having the dubious distinction of being the only MP who served between the two general elections in 1974 who never served in any other Parliament, but he remained leader of the party. The UUUC lasted another few years and won the overwhelming majority of the seats in the 1975 ] which sought to gain consensus on the future of the province. When the Vanguard Party fell apart over proposals for a voluntary coalition with the ], West negotiated with Craig for the majority faction to merge into the Ulster Unionists.
	==External links==
	*

			The ] was relatively disappointing for the Ulster Unionists, as they won only five of the province's twelve constituencies. In June 1979 West stood as one of two candidates in the ]. However he was unsuccessful in the ] constituency for the entire province and had the personal humiliations of seeing rival DUP leader Ian Paisley top the poll, fellow Ulster Unionist ] win one of the seats and former Ulster Unionist member ] performing better than West to become runner up. West resigned shortly afterwards.
	{{start box}}
	{{s-off}}
	{{succession box one to two \| title1=]<br />] \| before=] \| after1=] \| years1=Nov 1958–Dec 1958 \| title2=] \| after2=] \| years2=1958–1960}}

			== April 1981 by-election in Fermanagh and South Tyrone ==
	{{succession box \| title=] \| before=] \| after=] \| years=1960–1967}}
			He remained active in the Ulster Unionists for some years and was the party's unsuccessful candidate in the bitter ] caused by the death of the sitting MP ], West received 29,046 votes and was defeated by ] standing on an ] ticket with 30,493 votes; Sands died twenty-six days after his election. West was considered to have fought a lacklustre campaign, and the UUP chose ] instead to fight the second by-election; although he did not win he was considered to have fought a more dynamic campaign. Afterwards West remained a member of the Ulster Unionist Council and was highly critical of his successor, ], for his opposition to proposals for power sharing devolution.

			==Family==
	{{succession box \| title=] \| before=] \| after=Office Abolished \| years=1971–1972}}
			He was married to Maureen Hall and they had four sons and three daughters. He was a ].

			His nephew is James Cooper, who was chairman of the ] from 2003 to 2005 and unsuccessfully was the Party's candidate in Fermanagh and South Tyrone in 2001.

			==See also==
			* ]

			==References==
			<references/>

			== External links ==
			* {{Hansard-contribs \| mr-harry-west \| Harry West }}
			*

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			\| years = 1954–1973
	\| after = ''Position prorogued 1972''<br />''Parliament abolished 1973''
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	\| years = 1954 - 1972}}
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			\| years = 1975–1976
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	\| years = 28 February 1974–10 October 1974}}
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	{{UUP Leaders}}		{{UUP Leaders}}
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Latest revision as of 15:45, 27 September 2024

For the musician, see Harry West (musician). Northern Ireland politician (1917–2004)

Harry West


10th Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
In office 22 January 1974 – 7 September 1979
Preceded by	Brian Faulkner
Succeeded by	James Molyneaux
Member of Parliament for Fermanagh and South Tyrone
In office 28 February 1974 – 20 September 1974
Preceded by	Frank McManus
Succeeded by	Frank Maguire
Member of the Northern Ireland Parliament for Enniskillen
In office 8 May 1954 – 18 July 1973
Preceded by	Thomas Nelson
Succeeded by	Office abolished

Personal details
Born	(1917-03-27)27 March 1917 Enniskillen, Ireland
Died	5 February 2004(2004-02-05) (aged 86) Enniskillen, Northern Ireland
Nationality	British
Political party	Ulster Unionist Party
Spouse	Maureen Hall
Children	7, including Diana
Profession	Farmer

Henry William West (27 March 1917 – 5 February 2004) was a Northern Irish unionist politician who served as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) from 1974 until 1979.

Career to Stormont

West was born in County Fermanagh and educated at Portora Royal School in Enniskillen. He worked as a farmer, taking an interest in local government, but it was not until 1954 that he entered Stormont as member for the Enniskillen seat, succeeding Thomas Nelson. In 1960 he was appointed Minister of Agriculture in the government of Lord Brookeborough, which he was to retain under the leadership of Terence O'Neill.

He became one of a number of Stormont MPs critical of O'Neill's conciliatory approach towards Nationalists and in 1969 he had the whip withdrawn, along with William Craig. In 1971 the whip was restored under the new Ulster Unionist leader and Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Brian Faulkner. West became Minister of Agriculture once more and retained that position until the Stormont government was dissolved in 1972.

Sunningdale

West emerged as a fierce critic of the negotiations that would lead to the Sunningdale Agreement, and led the "anti-White Paper" Unionists in the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973. When in January 1974 the Ulster Unionist Council voted against Faulkner's course of action the latter was forced into resignation. West succeeded him as leader of the party and sought to regain much of the support that the party had lost to breakaway and other Unionist groupings. In the February 1974 general election West negotiated the United Ulster Unionist Coalition with the Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party, led by Craig, and the Democratic Unionist Party, led by Ian Paisley, which would put up a single anti-Sunningdale Unionist candidate in all twelve constituencies on a platform of abolishing the power-sharing executive. West himself stood in Fermanagh and South Tyrone and won, albeit due to a split nationalist vote.

The UUUC campaigned fiercely for the abolition of the executive, which came about in May 1974 following a general strike. West continued to seek ways to expand unionism and recruited the ex-Conservative Member of Parliament Enoch Powell to the party. Powell stood for and won the South Down constituency in the October 1974 general election, but his opposition to the restoration of Stormont and preference for greater integration with the United Kingdom was to cause ruptures within the party. West himself lost his seat in Parliament due to a pact between Nationalists, so having the dubious distinction of being the only MP who served between the two general elections in 1974 who never served in any other Parliament, but he remained leader of the party. The UUUC lasted another few years and won the overwhelming majority of the seats in the 1975 Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention which sought to gain consensus on the future of the province. When the Vanguard Party fell apart over proposals for a voluntary coalition with the Social Democratic and Labour Party, West negotiated with Craig for the majority faction to merge into the Ulster Unionists.

The 1979 general election was relatively disappointing for the Ulster Unionists, as they won only five of the province's twelve constituencies. In June 1979 West stood as one of two candidates in the first elections to the European Parliament. However he was unsuccessful in the Single Transferable Vote constituency for the entire province and had the personal humiliations of seeing rival DUP leader Ian Paisley top the poll, fellow Ulster Unionist John Taylor win one of the seats and former Ulster Unionist member James Kilfedder performing better than West to become runner up. West resigned shortly afterwards.

April 1981 by-election in Fermanagh and South Tyrone

He remained active in the Ulster Unionists for some years and was the party's unsuccessful candidate in the bitter April 1981 by-election in Fermanagh and South Tyrone caused by the death of the sitting MP Frank Maguire, West received 29,046 votes and was defeated by Bobby Sands standing on an Anti-H-Block/Armagh Political Prisoner ticket with 30,493 votes; Sands died twenty-six days after his election. West was considered to have fought a lacklustre campaign, and the UUP chose Ken Maginnis instead to fight the second by-election; although he did not win he was considered to have fought a more dynamic campaign. Afterwards West remained a member of the Ulster Unionist Council and was highly critical of his successor, James Molyneaux, for his opposition to proposals for power sharing devolution.

Family

He was married to Maureen Hall and they had four sons and three daughters. He was a Presbyterian.

His nephew is James Cooper, who was chairman of the Ulster Unionist Party from 2003 to 2005 and unsuccessfully was the Party's candidate in Fermanagh and South Tyrone in 2001.

References

^ "West, Rt Hon. Henry William, (27 March 1917–5 Feb. 2004), PC (N Ire) 1960; Leader, Ulster Unionist Party, 1974–79", Who Was Who, Oxford University Press, 1 December 2007, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u39369

External links

Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Harry West
Guardian obituary

Parliament of Northern Ireland
Preceded byThomas Nelson	Member of Parliament for Enniskillen 1954–1973	Parliament abolished
Northern Ireland Assembly (1973)
New assembly	Assembly Member for Fermanagh & South Tyrone 1973–1974	Assembly abolished
Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
New convention	Member for Fermanagh & South Tyrone 1975–1976	Convention dissolved
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded byFrank McManus	Member of Parliament for Fermanagh and South Tyrone 1974	Succeeded byFrank Maguire
Party political offices
Preceded byJohn Edgar Bailey	Unionist Assistant Whip 1958	Succeeded byWilliam James Morgan
Preceded byBrian Faulkner	Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party 1974–1979	Succeeded byJames Molyneaux
Political offices
Preceded byJohn Edgar Bailey	Assistant Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Finance 1958	Succeeded byWilliam James Morgan
Preceded byJohn Bailey	Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture 1958–1960	Vacant
Preceded byRobert Moore	Minister of Agriculture 1960–1967	Succeeded byJames Chichester-Clark
Preceded byPhelim O'Neill	Minister of Agriculture 1971–1972	Office abolished

v t e Ulster Unionist Party
Leaders	Saunderson Long Carson Craigavon Andrews Brookeborough O'Neill Chichester-Clark Faulkner West Molyneaux Trimble Empey Elliott Nesbitt Swann Aiken Beattie
Deputy Leaders	McCusker Taylor Empey & Beggs Kennedy McCallister Butler
Chairman	Rogan Cooper Campbell Empey Kennedy
President	Hamilton Craig J. M. Andrews Dixon Brooke Graham J. L. O. Andrews J. G. Cunningham Clark J. Cunningham Smyth Rogan White Steele (honorary)
General Secretary	Gibson Bates Hungerford Douglas Bailie Hutton Millar Wilson Boyd Patterson Rea Corry Wilson C. McCusker
Leadership elections	1969 1971 1974 1979 March 1995 September 1995 2000 2004 2005 2010 2012 2017 2019 2021 2024
Organisational structure	Young Unionists
History and related organisations	Progenitor: Irish Unionist Alliance Allies: Labour Unionists/Liberal Unionist/Conservatives Offshoots: Vanguard (1973–78)/NI21 (2013-16) Electoral alliance: UCUNF (2009)
Lists	List of Ulster Unionist Party MPs Ulster Unionist Party Presidents and General Secretaries List of Ulster Unionist Party Peers
Other topics	Chief Whip Election results Electoral history

v t e 1981 Irish hunger strike
Participants who died	Bobby Sands Francis Hughes Raymond McCreesh Patsy O'Hara Joe McDonnell Martin Hurson Kevin Lynch Kieran Doherty Thomas McElwee Michael Devine	Northern Ireland portal
Participants who survived	Brendan McLaughlin Paddy Quinn Laurence McKeown Pat McGeown Matt Devlin Liam McCloskey Patrick Sheehan Jackie McMullan Bernard Fox Hugh Carville John Pickering Gerard Hodgkins James Devine
Political and religious figures	Margaret Thatcher Garret FitzGerald Charles Haughey Humphrey Atkins Jim Prior Bernadette Devlin McAliskey Owen Carron Tomás Ó Fiaich Basil Hume Denis Faul John Magee
Key events	Blanket protest Dirty protest April 1981 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election June 1981 Irish general election August 1981 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election

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