Young Unionists
Encyclopedia
The Young Unionists, formally known as the Ulster Young Unionist Council (UYUC), is the youth wing of the Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP). It has in its present incarnation been in existence since 2004. A body of the same name has existed and been affiliated to the Ulster Unionist Council (UUC) since 1946, however disbandments happened in 1976 and again in 2004 following a period of decline, with the body losing many members opposed to the 1998 Belfast Agreement
.
The body emerged in the party because of what JH Harbinson describes as dissatisfaction amongst young members to have their voices heard. Attempts had been made in the 1920s to create a youth movement linked to that of the Conservative Party
(the Junior Imperial and Constitutional League) without much success. A second attempt was made before the outbreak of the Second World War, which also failed. The UYUC was formed by the Standing Committee of the Ulster Unionist Council in 1946 and quickly became a successful movement in South & West Belfast, Fermanagh and Down
. The body's first Chairman was future Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
, Brian Faulkner
In 1959 Brian Maginess QC
and Sir Clarence Graham, Bt.
spoke to the Young Unionists advocating an increase in Roman Catholic membership of the UUP. This was regarded as controversial at the time.
The body created many prominent figures in Northern Ireland politics throughout the 1960s and 1970s such as William Craig and John D Taylor, however disagreements over Government policy and other factors left the body is disarray by the early 1970s, and it disbanded following the collapse of the Stormont Parliament
. The body re-emerged under the Chairmanship of David McNarry
and continued to thrive throughout the 1980s, producing figures such as Edgar Graham
, Jeffrey Donaldson
, Peter Weir
and Arlene Foster
.
in 1998, and many campaigned against it. It lost members at a greater proportion and sooner than the rest of the party, with many former members such as Arlene Foster
and Jeffrey Donaldson
eventually defecting to the Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP). By the 2004 AGM only the outgoing Officers could vote due to a voting system designed for a much larger organisation. The officers voted to disband the group.
Its second chairman Peter Bowles left the UUP for the Conservatives
in protest after the UUP began an association with the Progressive Unionist Party
(PUP) a political party that claims to represent, and have official links with, the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Commando who are both proscribed organisations.
The group claims to have enjoyed a period of sustained growth since its emergence. The UYUC has branches at Queen's University, Belfast, the University of Ulster
and branches at constituency level in the City of Belfast, Mid-Ulster/West Tyrone, Lagan Valley and also Newry and Armagh/South Down, as well as Fermanagh & South Tyrone. During the 2010 UUP leadership election, public disagreements between Branch representatives and UYUC Officers arose.
The youth wing has produced many current and former senior faces in the party including The Lord Laird
, The Lord Rogan
, Jeffrey Donaldson
MP MLA and David McNarry
MLA, all of whom are former Chairmen, as well as Sir Reg Empey
MLA, who served as Vice Chairman.
. The weblog, was ranked tenth best political blog in Ireland by Mick Fealty
and 221st best political blog in the UK in a 2007 reader's poll run by Iain Dale
.
During the 2005 General election campaign, an anonymous Young Unionist purchased the domain name www.jimallister.com, which was at that time displayed on a large sign in Jim Allister
MEP
's East Belfast constituency office. The anonomymous young unionist used the domain name to display the words "TOO SLOW JIM" which linked to the UUP party website. The City of Belfast Branch of the UYUC maintains a weblog.
Current UYUC
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...
(UUP). It has in its present incarnation been in existence since 2004. A body of the same name has existed and been affiliated to the Ulster Unionist Council (UUC) since 1946, however disbandments happened in 1976 and again in 2004 following a period of decline, with the body losing many members opposed to the 1998 Belfast Agreement
Belfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
.
History
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...
(the Junior Imperial and Constitutional League) without much success. A second attempt was made before the outbreak of the Second World War, which also failed. The UYUC was formed by the Standing Committee of the Ulster Unionist Council in 1946 and quickly became a successful movement in South & West Belfast, Fermanagh and Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
. The body's first Chairman was future Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland was the de facto head of the Government of Northern Ireland. No such office was provided for in the Government of Ireland Act 1920. However the Lord Lieutenant, as with Governors-General in other Westminster Systems such as in Canada, chose to appoint someone...
, Brian Faulkner
Brian Faulkner
Arthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, PC was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from March 1971 until his resignation in March 1972...
In 1959 Brian Maginess QC
Brian Maginess
William Brian Maginess, QC was a member of the Government of Northern Ireland, who was widely seen as a possible successor to Lord Brookeborough as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland....
and Sir Clarence Graham, Bt.
Clarence Graham
Sir Clarence Johnston Graham, 1st Baronet was a businessman and an Ulster Unionist Party politician in Northern Ireland.-Background:...
spoke to the Young Unionists advocating an increase in Roman Catholic membership of the UUP. This was regarded as controversial at the time.
The body created many prominent figures in Northern Ireland politics throughout the 1960s and 1970s such as William Craig and John D Taylor, however disagreements over Government policy and other factors left the body is disarray by the early 1970s, and it disbanded following the collapse of the Stormont Parliament
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...
. The body re-emerged under the Chairmanship of David McNarry
David McNarry
David McNarry MLA is a Unionist politician from Northern Ireland. He stood for the Ulster Unionist Party in North Down in the 1982 Assembly elections but failed to be elected. He is now a UUP MLA for Strangford, elected in 2003 and re-elected in 2007. He is currently UUP chief whip...
and continued to thrive throughout the 1980s, producing figures such as Edgar Graham
Edgar Graham
Edgar Samuel David Graham, MPA, BL , was an Ulster Unionist Party politician and academic from Northern Ireland. He was perceived as a rising star of both legal studies and Unionism until he was killed on 7 December 1983 by the Provisional Irish Republican Army .-Career:A graduate of the Queen's...
, Jeffrey Donaldson
Jeffrey Donaldson
Jeffrey Mark Donaldson, MP is a Northern Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley belonging to the Democratic Unionist Party...
, Peter Weir
Peter Weir
Peter Lindsay Weir, AM is an Australian film director. After playing a leading role in the Australian New Wave cinema with his films such as Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Last Wave and Gallipoli, Weir directed a diverse group of American and international films—many of them major box office...
and Arlene Foster
Arlene Foster
Arlene Isabel Foster is a politician in Northern Ireland. She is one of two Democratic Unionist Party MLAs representing the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly. She became Minister of the Environment on 8 May 2009 and was subsequently reshuffled into the...
.
1990s to present
The body's membership was strongly opposed to the Belfast AgreementBelfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
in 1998, and many campaigned against it. It lost members at a greater proportion and sooner than the rest of the party, with many former members such as Arlene Foster
Arlene Foster
Arlene Isabel Foster is a politician in Northern Ireland. She is one of two Democratic Unionist Party MLAs representing the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly. She became Minister of the Environment on 8 May 2009 and was subsequently reshuffled into the...
and Jeffrey Donaldson
Jeffrey Donaldson
Jeffrey Mark Donaldson, MP is a Northern Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley belonging to the Democratic Unionist Party...
eventually defecting to the Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
(DUP). By the 2004 AGM only the outgoing Officers could vote due to a voting system designed for a much larger organisation. The officers voted to disband the group.
Its second chairman Peter Bowles left the UUP for the Conservatives
Conservatives in Northern Ireland
The Conservatives Northern Ireland is the section of the Conservative and Unionist Party of the United Kingdom that operates in Northern Ireland...
in protest after the UUP began an association with the Progressive Unionist Party
Progressive Unionist Party
The Progressive Unionist Party is a small unionist political party in Northern Ireland. It was formed from the Independent Unionist Group operating in the Shankill area of Belfast, becoming the PUP in 1979...
(PUP) a political party that claims to represent, and have official links with, the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Commando who are both proscribed organisations.
The group claims to have enjoyed a period of sustained growth since its emergence. The UYUC has branches at Queen's University, Belfast, the University of Ulster
University of Ulster
The University of Ulster is a multi-campus, co-educational university located in Northern Ireland. It is the largest single university in Ireland, discounting the federal National University of Ireland...
and branches at constituency level in the City of Belfast, Mid-Ulster/West Tyrone, Lagan Valley and also Newry and Armagh/South Down, as well as Fermanagh & South Tyrone. During the 2010 UUP leadership election, public disagreements between Branch representatives and UYUC Officers arose.
The youth wing has produced many current and former senior faces in the party including The Lord Laird
John Laird, Baron Laird
Professor John Dunn Laird, Baron Laird FRSA of Artigarvan is an Ulster Unionist life peer and former chairman of the cross-border Ulster-Scots Agency.-Career:...
, The Lord Rogan
Dennis Rogan, Baron Rogan of Lower Iveagh
Dennis Robert David Rogan, Baron Rogan is a Ulster Unionist Party politician in Northern Ireland who served as President of the party from 2004 until 2006...
, Jeffrey Donaldson
Jeffrey Donaldson
Jeffrey Mark Donaldson, MP is a Northern Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley belonging to the Democratic Unionist Party...
MP MLA and David McNarry
David McNarry
David McNarry MLA is a Unionist politician from Northern Ireland. He stood for the Ulster Unionist Party in North Down in the 1982 Assembly elections but failed to be elected. He is now a UUP MLA for Strangford, elected in 2003 and re-elected in 2007. He is currently UUP chief whip...
MLA, all of whom are former Chairmen, as well as Sir Reg Empey
Reg Empey
Reginald Norman Morgan Empey, Baron Empey of Shandon, OBE, – known as Sir Reg Empey prior to 2011 – is a former Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for East Belfast...
MLA, who served as Vice Chairman.
Young Unionists and the Internet
Their website contained what was claimed to be the first party political weblog in Northern IrelandNorthern 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...
. The weblog, was ranked tenth best political blog in Ireland by Mick Fealty
Mick Fealty
Mick Fealty is a journalist and the founding editor of the acclaimed Northern Ireland-based blog Slugger O'Toole.Fealty was born in Belfast and grew up in Holywood, County Down, but now lives in Dorset, England...
and 221st best political blog in the UK in a 2007 reader's poll run by Iain Dale
Iain Dale
Iain Campbell Dale is best known for his conservative-minded British political blog Iain Dale's Diary and for his frequent appearances on UK news channels as a political commentator. He is also a publisher, broadcaster and former Conservative Party politician...
.
During the 2005 General election campaign, an anonymous Young Unionist purchased the domain name www.jimallister.com, which was at that time displayed on a large sign in Jim Allister
Jim Allister
James Hugh "Jim" Allister, QC is a Northern Ireland Unionist politician and senior barrister. He is the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice political party, serving as MLA in the Northern Ireland Assembly, where he represents Antrim North.He was formerly a member of the Democratic Unionist...
MEP
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,...
's East Belfast constituency office. The anonomymous young unionist used the domain name to display the words "TOO SLOW JIM" which linked to the UUP party website. The City of Belfast Branch of the UYUC maintains a weblog.
2011 Senior Officers
- Chairman: Alasdair O'Hara
- Vice-Chairman: Frank Geddis
- Secretary: Jonathan Crawford
- Treasurer: Richard James
Chairmen
Second UYUC- 2002 & 2003 Cllr Peter Brown
Current UYUC
- 2004 Kenny Donaldson
- 2005 Cllr Peter Bowles
- 2006 & 2007 Cllr Mark Dunn
- 2008 Peter Munce (January 2008 - October 2008)
- 2008 & 2009 Michael J Shilliday
- 2010 & 2011 Alasdair O'Hara
Sources
- 'The Ulster Unionist Party, 1882-1973 : its development and organisation' (1973), J F Harbinson
- 'A history of the Ulster Unionist Party : protest, pragmatism and pessimism' (2004) Graham Walker
- 'The Ulster Unionist Party 1972-92 (A Political Movement in an Era of Conflict and Change)' (1996), Dr David Hume