The Protestant Unionist Party (PUP)
[Not to be confused with the ]Progressive Unionist Party
The Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) is a minor 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. Linked to the Ulster Volunte ...
. was a
unionist political party
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology ...
operating in
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
from 1966 to 1971. It was the forerunner of the
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is a unionist, loyalist, and national conservative political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1971 during the Troubles by Ian Paisley, who led the party for the next 37 years. Currently led by J ...
(DUP) and emerged from the
Ulster Protestant Action
Ulster Protestant Action (UPA) was an Ulster loyalist political party and Protestant fundamentalist vigilante group in Northern Ireland that was founded in 1956 and reformed as the Protestant Unionist Party in 1966.
Founding
The group was found ...
(UPA) movement. It was founded and led by
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, (6 April 1926 – 12 September 2014) was a Northern Irish loyalist politician and Protestant religious leader who served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from 1971 to 2008 and First ...
, who also founded and led the
Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
:''Distinct from Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland and Free Church of Scotland (post 1900)''
The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster ( ga, Eaglais Phreispitéireach Saor Uladh) is a Calvinist denomination founded by Ian Paisley in 1951. Doctr ...
.
The UPA had two councillors elected to
Belfast Corporation
Belfast City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feirste) is the local authority with responsibility for part of the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of (), the l ...
. In 1967, both were re-elected as PUP candidates. The PUP stood six candidates against the ruling
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded in 1905, emerging from the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster. Under Edward Carson, it led unionist opposition to the Irish Home Rule movem ...
of the
Northern Ireland parliament
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 because of its inability to restore ord ...
in the January
1969 general election. They polled over 20,000 votes, but gained no seats.
When
Terence O'Neill
Terence Marne O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of the Maine, PC (NI) (10 September 1914 – 12 June 1990), was the fourth prime minister of Northern Ireland and leader (1963–1969) of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). A moderate unionist, who sought ...
(the then Northern Irish
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
) stood down from Stormont in 1970 along with one of his colleagues, the PUP nominated candidates for the two vacant seats. Both were successful. Ian Paisley and fellow Free Presbyterian minister, the Rev.
William Beattie, PUP leader and deputy respectively, were elected. In that year's
Westminster general election, Paisley was elected to represent
Antrim North in the British House of Commons.
The PUP campaigned for the retention of the
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
and for total freedom for
Orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
parades. The PUP was wound up in 1971 and re-emerged as the DUP in October of that year.
References
{{1970 United Kingdom general election, state=collapsed
1966 establishments in Northern Ireland
Christian political parties in the United Kingdom
Conservative parties in Ireland
Defunct political parties in Northern Ireland
History of Northern Ireland
Political parties disestablished in 1971
Political parties established in 1966
Protestant political parties
Protestantism in the United Kingdom