James Kilfedder

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sir James Alexander Kilfedder (July 16, 1928March 20, 1995) was a Northern Ireland unionist politician.

Kilfedder was educated at Portora Royal School, Enniskillen and Dublin University. He became a barrister, called to the Irish Bar at King's Inns, Dublin, in 1952 and the English Bar at Gray's Inn in 1958. He practised in London.

At the 1964 general election, Kilfedder was elected as Member of Parliament for West Belfast, but lost his seat at the 1966 election to Gerry Fitt. He was elected again in the 1970 general election for North Down, and held the seat until his death in 1995. Initially a member of the Ulster Unionist Party, he left it in the late 1970s in opposition to the party's new policy of integration, preferring to advocate the restoration of the Stormont Administration. For a time he sat as an Independent Ulster Unionist, then in 1980 he formed the Ulster Popular Unionist Party. The party did not outlive him, and the by-election for his Commons seat won by Robert McCartney.

Sir James died in 1995. The same day the lead story in the Belfast Telegraph reported that an unnamed MP from Northern Ireland had received a letter from the gay rights campaign group Outrage! threatening to expose their sexuality if they did not support gay liberation issues in Parliament. [[1]] He had a heart attack on a train. He died unmarried, survived by two sisters. Any accusations regarding his sexuality remain unproven.

Political offices
Preceded by
Patricia McLaughlin
Member of Parliament for Belfast West
19641966
Succeeded by
Gerry Fitt
Preceded by
George Currie
Member of Parliament for North Down
19701995
Succeeded by
Robert McCartney