Brian J. H. McRoberts (May 1931 – 1983) was a solicitor and unionist politician in Northern Ireland.

McRoberts studied at the Armagh Royal School,[1] then at Queen's University Belfast, where he was active in the Unionist Society with Bob Cooper and Stratton Mills.[2]

McRoberts' first political contest came when he stood unsuccessfully for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) in South Armagh at the 1962 Northern Ireland general election.[1] He next stood for the UUP in Belfast West at the 1970 general election,[1] when he was described by opponent Gerry Fitt as "one of the most reactionary candidates to contest Belfast West".[3] His campaign headquarters were bombed on the election day, although there were no injuries.[4] He was again unsuccessful in the election, although he took 47.2% of the vote.[5]

McRoberts was involved in controversy when his secretary, Emily Roberts, obtained a newly built three-bedroom council house in Dungannon, despite being unmarried and only nineteen years old, and while many Roman Catholic families had been waiting for housing for years.[6]

In his spare time, McRoberts was a prominent member of the Masonic Order.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c The Times Guide to the House of Commons 1970, p.50
  2. ^ Michael McKeown, The Greening of a Nationalist, p.6
  3. ^ Michael A. Murphy, Gerry Fitt: A Political Chameleon, p.150
  4. ^ "Headquarters Damaged", Reading Eagle, 18 June 1970, p.29
  5. ^ "West Belfast 1950-1970", Northern Ireland Elections
  6. ^ Hansard, Vols.70-71, p.339
  7. ^ Fortnight, Issues 190-205, p.5