John Carson (Northern Ireland politician)

A draper who owned a shop in the interface area of the Duncairn Gardens in north Belfast, Carson was elected to Belfast City Council in 1973.[1] At the February 1974 general election, he was elected as a member of the United Ulster Unionist Coalition as the Member of Parliament for Belfast North. At the October 1974 general election, Carson was re-elected with a substantial increase in his majority.

However, he was de-selected in 1979, after voting in favour of the Labour government in the crucial vote of confidence, which they lost.[2] In that year's general election, Belfast North was gained by Johnny McQuade of the Democratic Unionist Party, with Cecil Walker coming second for the UUP.[3]

Despite this, Carson retained his popularity, topping the local government poll in the electoral area 'H',[1] which included over half of the parliamentary seat. He also topped the poll in North Belfast at the 1982 Assembly elections.[2]

Carson was Lord Mayor of Belfast from 1985 to 1986, and in his capacity as a councillor, was sometimes at odds with his party colleagues. For example, he attended a City Hall lunch attended by the then Secretary of State Tom King, despite the Unionist policy of boycotting meetings with Government ministers in protest at the Anglo-Irish Agreement.[4] For this, he was threatened with expulsion from the UUP, which never happened.[4]

He remained a member of Belfast City Council until 1997, when he lost his seat after 24 consecutive years on the council.[1][5][6]

He married Martha in 1953 and had two daughters. They celebrated their Diamond Anniversary in 2013.[7]

• The Times Guide to the House of Commons, Times Newspapers Ltd, October 1974
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by John Carson