James McClure (Unionist politician)

William James McClure MBE (15 June 1926 – 3 August 2014)[1] was a Unionist politician based in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, who served as President of the Democratic Unionist Party.[2] McClure died on 3 August 2014 at the age of 88.[3]

McClure was first elected in 1975 to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention representing Londonderry.[4] He was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1982 for the same constituency.[5] In 1977 he was elected to Coleraine Borough Council and remained a member until his death,[6] serving as Mayor from 1983–84, and from 1997–99, and as Deputy Mayor from 1982–83, 1985–93, and 2004–05. He served on the Coleraine Policing and Community Safety Partnership.

McClure was a fundamentalist Protestant and a member of the Independent Orange Order. He was an opponent of commercial trading, gambling and football games being played on Sundays, arguing that "the Christian Sabbath is a day for God not for gambling. It is a day for worshipping the Saviour, not for sport."[7]

References
  1. "Obituary: James McClure 1926-2014". NewsLetter. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  2. Belfast Newsletter 08-08-08
  3. Former Coleraine DUP mayor James McClure dies, aged 88, bbc.co.uk; accessed 1 June 2017.
  4. Convention election results 1975 Archived 21 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, eoni.org.uk; accessed 1 June 2017.
  5. Londonderry election results, ark.ac.uk, accessed 2 June 2017
  6. Northern Ireland elections site
  7. Belfast Newsletter, 15-07-08, Portglenone 12th speech, newsletter.co.uk; accessed 1 June 2017.
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