William McCrea (politician)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| William McCrea MP MLA | |
 |
|
|
Spokesman for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
|
|
| Constituency | South Antrim MP & MLA |
|---|---|
|
|
|
| Born | June 8, 1948 Stewartstown, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland |
| Political party | Democratic Unionist Party |
| Website | http://www.dup.org.uk/WilliamMcCrea.asp |
Robert Thomas William McCrea (born August 6, 1948) is a politician from Northern Ireland, and a member of the Democratic Unionist Party.
He has been a member of Magherafelt District Council since its creation in 1973 and in 1982 ran unsuccessfully for the Belfast South constituency in a by-election. He was member of Parliament for Mid Ulster from 1983 but lost this seat to Sinn Féin chief negotiator Martin McGuinness at the 1997 election. He took South Antrim at a by-election in 2000 caused by the death of Ulster Unionist Party MP, Clifford Forsythe, but failed to retain this seat at the 2001 election. In the 2005 election he regained the seat.
From 1998 to 2007 he was a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Mid Ulster. At the 2007 election, he was elected as Assembly Member for South Antrim.
He is also the minister of Magherafelt Free Presbyterian Church and has made numerous gospel albums.
He was a member of the Shankill Defence Association and in 1971 he was convicted of riotous behaviour in Dungiven.[1][2] In 1975 he led a prayer service at the paramilitary funerals of Wesley Somerville and Harris Boyle, who were responsible for the Miami Showband killings.[2]
McCrea was criticised by nationalists when he shared a platform at a Portadown rally with the senior loyalist paramilitary Billy Wright in September 1996.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Moloney, Ed (2008). Paisley. Poolbeg Press, p. 185. ISBN 978-1842233245.
- ^ a b Newton Emerson (12 August 2006). Reg warns of violence. Irish News. Retrieved on 2007-03-25.
- ^ David McKittrick (23 April 1997). Election '97: Voters dream of day when hope and history rhyme. The Independent. Retrieved on 2007-03-25.
[edit] External links
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: William McCrea MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - William McCrea MP
- Maiden Speech : House of Commons - 25 October 2000 (South Antrim 1st term)
- Maiden Speech : House of Commons - 25 May 2005 (South Antrim 2nd term)
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Dunlop |
Member of Parliament for Mid Ulster 1983–1997 |
Succeeded by Martin McGuinness |
| Preceded by Clifford Forsythe |
Member of Parliament for South Antrim 2000–2001 |
Succeeded by David Burnside |
| Preceded by David Burnside |
Member of Parliament for South Antrim 2005 – present |
Incumbent |
|
|||||
