John Taylor, Baron Kilclooney
Encyclopedia
John David Taylor, Baron Kilclooney, PC (NI)
(born 24 December 1937), is a former Ulster Unionist Party
MP and a life peer
. He was deputy leader of the UUP from 1995 to 2001, and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
.
, and The Queen's University of Belfast (B.Sc). He married Mary Todd in 1970 and has six children. Lord Kilclooney owns Alpha Newspapers which operates local newspaper titles in Northern Ireland
and the Republic
. Member of the Farmers Club, London and the County Club, Armagh City.
Lord Kilclooney's political career began as MP for South Tyrone
in the Northern Ireland House of Commons
between 1965 and 1972 and served in the Cabinet as Minister of State at the Ministry of Home Affairs.
In February 1972, he survived an assassination attempt by the Official Irish Republican Army. Two men, including Joe McCann
(who was himself shot dead some months afterwards whilst evading arrest) raked his car with bullets, hitting Taylor five times in the head. Taylor survived, but needed extensive reconstructive surgery on his jaw. Despite this, Taylor soon re-entered politics. He represented Fermanagh & South Tyrone
in the short-lived Northern Ireland Assembly elected in 1973 and dissolved in 1974, following the collapse of the power-sharing Executive.
He became a Member of the European Parliament
for Northern Ireland in 1979, remaining an MEP until 1989. On 20 January 1987, Taylor left the European Democrats
, with whom the Conservatives
sat, to join the neofascist European Right
group.
He was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1982 for North Down. He then became MP for Strangford
in 1983
, until 2001. He was also a member of Castlereagh Borough Council from 1993-1997. He appears on the list of speakers at the Annual Conference of the Conservative Monday Club
's Young Members' Group, at the United Oxford & Cambridge Club in Pall Mall
, on 18 November 1989, when he spoke on The Union and Northern Ireland.
Following the 2001 General Election he was created a life peer
as Baron Kilclooney, of Armagh
in the County of Armagh
.
He sat on the Northern Ireland Policing Board
between 1998 and 2006.
He continued to sit as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly until his retirement prior to the elections in March 2007.
He remains the only active politician to have participated in all levels of government in Northern Ireland, from local council, the Parliament of Northern Ireland
, Westminster
, Europe
, all previous failed Assemblies and Conventions and the current incarnation of the Assembly.
Privy Council of Northern Ireland
The Privy Council of Northern Ireland was a formal body of advisors to the sovereign and was a vehicle for the monarch's prerogative powers in Northern Ireland. It was modelled on the Privy Council of the United Kingdom....
(born 24 December 1937), is a former Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
MP and a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
. He was deputy leader of the UUP from 1995 to 2001, and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
.
Career and family
Taylor was educated at The Royal School, ArmaghThe Royal School, Armagh
The Royal School, Armagh is a co-educational voluntary grammar school in the city of Armagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. It was one of a number of free schools created by King James I of England in 1608 to provide an education to the sons of local merchants and farmers during the plantation...
, and The Queen's University of Belfast (B.Sc). He married Mary Todd in 1970 and has six children. Lord Kilclooney owns Alpha Newspapers which operates local newspaper titles in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and the Republic
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. Member of the Farmers Club, London and the County Club, Armagh City.
Lord Kilclooney's political career began as MP for South Tyrone
South Tyrone (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
South Tyrone was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.-Boundaries:South Tyrone was a county constituency comprising the central part of County Tyrone. It was created when the House of Commons Act 1929 introduced first-past-the-post elections throughout Northern Ireland...
in the Northern Ireland House of Commons
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
between 1965 and 1972 and served in the Cabinet as Minister of State at the Ministry of Home Affairs.
In February 1972, he survived an assassination attempt by the Official Irish Republican Army. Two men, including Joe McCann
Joe McCann
Joe McCann was an Irish Republican Army and later Official Irish Republican Army volunteer from Belfast. He was active in politics from the early 1960s and participated, as an Official IRA volunteer, in the early years of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. He was killed after being confronted by...
(who was himself shot dead some months afterwards whilst evading arrest) raked his car with bullets, hitting Taylor five times in the head. Taylor survived, but needed extensive reconstructive surgery on his jaw. Despite this, Taylor soon re-entered politics. He represented Fermanagh & South Tyrone
Fermanagh and South Tyrone (UK Parliament constituency)
Fermanagh and South Tyrone is a Parliamentary constituency in the British House of Commons. The current MP for the constituency is Michelle Gildernew of Sinn Féin....
in the short-lived Northern Ireland Assembly elected in 1973 and dissolved in 1974, following the collapse of the power-sharing Executive.
He became a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for Northern Ireland in 1979, remaining an MEP until 1989. On 20 January 1987, Taylor left the European Democrats
European Democrats
The European Democrats was a loose association of conservative political parties in Europe. It is a political group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe...
, with whom the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
sat, to join the neofascist European Right
European Right (1984–1989)
The Group of the European Right was a political group of far-right orientation that operated in the European Parliament between 1984 and 1989.-History:...
group.
He was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1982 for North Down. He then became MP for Strangford
Strangford (UK Parliament constituency)
Strangford is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The seat was created in boundary changes in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from parts of North Down...
in 1983
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
, until 2001. He was also a member of Castlereagh Borough Council from 1993-1997. He appears on the list of speakers at the Annual Conference of the Conservative Monday Club
Conservative Monday Club
The Conservative Monday Club is a British pressure group "on the right-wing" of the Conservative Party.-Overview:...
's Young Members' Group, at the United Oxford & Cambridge Club in Pall Mall
Pall Mall, London
Pall Mall is a street in the City of Westminster, London, and parallel to The Mall, from St. James's Street across Waterloo Place to the Haymarket; while Pall Mall East continues into Trafalgar Square. The street is a major thoroughfare in the St James's area of London, and a section of the...
, on 18 November 1989, when he spoke on The Union and Northern Ireland.
Following the 2001 General Election he was created a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baron Kilclooney, of Armagh
Armagh
Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
in the County of Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
.
He sat on the Northern Ireland Policing Board
Northern Ireland Policing Board
The Northern Ireland Policing Board is the police authority for Northern Ireland, charged with supervising the activities of the Police Service of Northern Ireland...
between 1998 and 2006.
He continued to sit as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly until his retirement prior to the elections in March 2007.
He remains the only active politician to have participated in all levels of government in Northern Ireland, from local council, the Parliament of Northern Ireland
Parliament of Northern Ireland
The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...
, Westminster
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, Europe
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, all previous failed Assemblies and Conventions and the current incarnation of the Assembly.