Brian McConnell, Baron McConnell

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Robert William Brian McConnell, Baron McConnell (25 November 1922 - 24 October 2000) was an Ulster Unionist MP in the Northern Ireland House of Commons.

The grandson of Sir Robert McConnell, 1st Baronet, he was schooled at Sedbergh School and at Queen's University, Belfast, Brian McConnell was first elected to Stormont at the Northern Ireland general election, 1953. In 1962 Lord Brookeborough appointed him Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Finance (Government Chief Whip), and after holding a junior office at the relatively new Ministry of Health, he became Minister of Home Affairs in 1964 in the government of Terence O'Neill.

In 1966 however Ian Paisley led a protest to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland for the installation of a new Moderator. At the protest the Governor of Northern Ireland, Lord Erskine was jostled on his way into the building, an incident which was attributed to the future ill health and ultimately the death of Lady Erskine. This was largely blamed on McConnell (who was in London at the time), and his period in elected office was effectively over.

Always a close associate of James Molyneaux, McConnell was raised to a life peerage as Baron McConnell, of Lisburn in the County of Antrim on February 15, 1995, reportedly owing to the then Prime Minister's reliance on Ulster Unionist votes to maintain his minority government. Molyneaux was criticized for the nomination of McConnell owing to his age when it was felt that a younger candidate could have been nominated.

An active member of the House of Lords, McConnell died on October 24, 2000.

Parliament of Northern Ireland
Preceded by Sir John Milne Barbour	Member of Parliament of Northern Ireland for South Antrim 1951-1968	Succeeded by Richard Ferguson
Political offices
Preceded by Joseph William Morgan	Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means and Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland House of Commons 1962–1963	Succeeded by Billy Boyd
Preceded by Terence O'Neill	Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Health and Local Government Mar 1963–Jul 1964	Succeeded by William Kennedy Fitzsimmons
Preceded by William Craig	Minister of Home Affairs Jul 1964–Oct 1966	Succeeded by William Craig
Preceded by Newly created office	Minister of State, Ministry Of Development Oct 1966–Sept 1967	Succeeded by Office vacant