Alistair Black was a Northern Irish unionist politician.

Alistair Black
Member of Craigavon Borough Council
In office
15 May 1985 – 17 May 1989
Preceded byDistrict created
Succeeded byMeta Crozier
ConstituencyLurgan
In office
30 May 1973 – 15 May 1985
Preceded byCouncil established
Succeeded byDistrict abolished
ConstituencyCraigavon Area D
Member of the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
for Armagh
In office
1975–1976
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Armagh
In office
1973–1975
Personal details
Political partyUlster Unionist Party (from 1984)
United Ulster Unionist (1975 - 1984)
Other political
affiliations
Vanguard (1972 - 1975)

Background

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The headmaster of Carrick Primary School, Black came to prominence as the leading figure in Ulster Vanguard in County Armagh. Due to his outspoken loyalist views, the Irish Republican Army attempted to kill him in 1972 and again in 1975, when a bomb left in his desk drawer instead killed a police officer who was investigating.[1]

Black was elected to Craigavon Borough Council for the Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party at the 1973 Northern Ireland local elections,[2] and then to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention in Armagh in 1975.[3] He joined the United Ulster Unionist Party (UUUP) split from Vanguard and held his council seat in 1977 and 1981,[2] but lost his Armagh seat at the 1982 Assembly election.[3] When the UUUP dissolved, he instead joined the Ulster Unionist Party and again held his council seat in 1985.[4]

References

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  1. ^ David McKittrick, Lost Lives, p.551
  2. ^ a b "The Local Government Elections 1973-1981: Craigavon", Northern Ireland Elections
  3. ^ a b "Armagh 1973-1983", Northern Ireland Elections
  4. ^ "Local Government Elections 1985 - 1989: Armagh", Northern Ireland Elections
Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
New convention Member for Armagh
1975–1976
Convention dissolved