James McClure

Who was James McClure?

William James McClure MBE was a Unionist politician based in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. He was President of the Democratic Unionist Party McClure died on 3 August 2014 at the age of 88.

McClure was first elected in 1975 to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention representing Londonderry. He was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1982 for the same constituency.

In 1977 he was elected to Coleraine Borough Council and remained a member until his death, serving as Mayor from 1983-1984 and from 1997-1999. He also held the post of Deputy Mayor from 1982-1983, 1985-1993 and 2004-2005. He also served on the Coleraine Policing and Community Safety Partnership.

McClure was a fundamentalist Protestant and a member of the Independent Orange Order. He was an opponent of commercial trading, gambling and football games being played on Sundays, arguing that: "The Christian Sabbath is a day for God not for gambling. It is a day for worshipping the Saviour, not for sport."