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Former Unionist MP Bill Craig passes away

Former Unionist MP Bill Craig passes away

The former Unionist MP Bill Craig has passed away. He was 86.

He was first elected to the old Stormont administration as MP for Larne in 1960.

His reward for supporting the selection of Terence O’Neill as Prime Minister in 1963 was to be appointed Minister for Home Affairs.

He also held portfolios for both health and development.

It was as the minister responsible for development that he backed plans for the establishment of the new city of Craigavon – a move which attracted widespread criticism. Many people opposed to the move saw the development as drawing valuable resources away from other areas of Northern Ireland which were in need of investment.

Mr. Craig’s decisions surrounding the Civil Rights movement also attracted widespead criticism. In October 1968 he restricted a civil rights march in Derry. This led to confrontations with police.

His time in power came to an end when Terence O’Neill sacked him from the Cabinet, claiming he was attracted to ideas of an independent Ulster.

Mr. Craig went on to establish the Vanguard movement and survived an assassination attempt in 1972 when a number of shots struck a car he was travelling in.

He was prominent in the 1974 Ulster Workers’ Council Strike which was to bring down the power-sharing executive.

In the same year he had been elected as Westminster MP for East Belfast.

After Vanguard split he rejoined the Ulster Unionist party. He fought the 1979 general election but failed to retain his East Belfast seat which was won by Peter Robinson from the DUP.

He made his last bid to be elected in 1982 when he stood in the Assembly elections, but he was unsuccessful.

 

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