Richard Ferguson (politician)
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Richard Ferguson (born 22 August 1935) is a barrister and former politician in Northern Ireland.
Ferguson studied at Trinity College, Dublin and Queen's University, Belfast before qualifying to practice as a barrister in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and from 1972, in England.[1]
In 1968, Ferguson was elected to the Parliament of Northern Ireland for the Ulster Unionist Party, representing South Antrim.[1] He was considered a liberal Unionist and was a supporter of the Prime Minister Terence O'Neill.[2] Before his election, he called for local government reform including a one-man one-vote system.[3]
Ferguson held his seat at the 1969 general election. In August, he resigned from the Orange Order, and was subsequently subject to intimidation.[4] He stood down from Parliament in 1970 alongside O'Neill, citing ill health.[1] In April, his house was bombed in attack blamed on loyalists.[4]
In 1971, Ferguson joined the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland but did not continue in an active political role. Instead, he focussed on law, becoming a Queen's Counsel (QC) in Northern Ireland in 1973 and chairing the Northern Ireland Mental Health Review Tribunal from 1973 until 1984. In 1983, he became a State's Counsel, and in 1986 a QC in England. From 1993 until 1995, he served as the Chair of the Criminal Bar Association.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Biographies of Members of the Northern Ireland House of Commons
- ^ Graham Walker, A History of the Ulster Unionist Party
- ^ 14-19 October, 1968, Historical Documents Project, The Queen's University of Belfast
- ^ a b Tony Geraghty, The Irish War: The Hidden Conflict Between the IRA and British Intelligence
| Parliament of Northern Ireland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Brian McConnell |
Member of Parliament for South Antrim 1968 - 1970 |
Succeeded by William Beattie |
