William Beattie (politician)

William John Beattie (born 21 September 1942) is a former minister of religion and Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.

Beattie grew up in Ballymena. In 1965, he became a student minister at the Dunmurry Free Presbyterian Church, and in 1967 he became a full minister in the Church, led by Ian Paisley. He also joined Paisley's Protestant Unionist Party (PUP), and became the deputy leader.

In 1970, Beattie was elected to the Northern Ireland House of Commons in a by-election in South Antrim. On the same day, Paisley was elected for Bannside, and the two became the PUP's first Members of Parliament.

Beattie stood for Belfast North in the 1970 general election, but came a distant third, behind the Ulster Unionist and Labour candidates.

In 1971, the PUP formed the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and Beattie retained his post as deputy leader. The Parliament was prorogued in 1972, but Beattie was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly of 1973, and became deputy chief whip of the United Unionist Assembly Party. He was again elected, to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention in 1975, to Lisburn District Council in 1977, and to the Northern Ireland Assembly of 1982.

Beattie stood in Lagan Valley in the 1983 general election, but again failed to win a seat in the British House of Commons. He resigned from the DUP in the mid-1990s, and retired as a minister on 31 December 2005.

References

Parliament of Northern Ireland
Preceded by
Richard Ferguson
Member of Parliament for South Antrim
1970–1973
Parliament abolished
Northern Ireland Assembly (1973)
New assembly Assembly Member for South Antrim
1973–1974
Assembly abolished
Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
New convention Member for South Antrim
1975–1976
Convention dissolved
Northern Ireland Assembly (1982)
New assembly MPA for South Antrim
1982–1986
Assembly abolished
Party political offices
Unknown Deputy Leader and Chairman of the Protestant Unionist Party
1969–197
Party dissolved
New political party Deputy Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party
1971–1980
Succeeded by
Peter Robinson
Preceded by
Desmond Boal
Chairman of the Democratic Unionist Party
1973–1980
Succeeded by
James McClure
Preceded by
Peter Robinson
Party Secretary of the Democratic Unionist Party
1980–1983
Succeeded by
Alan Kane
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