Patrick Norton (Irish politician)

Patrick Norton (born 1928) is an Irish former politician. He first stood for election at the Kildare by-election on 19 February 1964 but he was not elected.[1] The by-election was caused by the death of his father William Norton, former Tánaiste and Labour Party leader from 1932 to 1960. Patrick Norton was elected to Dáil Éireann as a Labour Party Teachta Dála (TD) for the Kildare constituency at the 1965 general election.[2][1]

Patrick Norton
Senator
In office
5 November 1969 – 1 June 1973
ConstituencyAdministrative Panel
Teachta Dála
In office
April 1965 – June 1969
ConstituencyKildare
Personal details
Born1928 (age 95–96)
County Kildare, Ireland
Political party
Parent

A businessman and property owner, with no previous record of party activism, he strongly opposed Labour's ideological swing to the left in the mid-1960s under Brendan Corish's leadership. After being attacked at the party conference regarding a court case condemning houses that he owned, he left the party in December 1967, insisting it had been captured by "a small but vocal group of fellow travellers".[3]

In February 1969, he joined Fianna Fáil.[2][4] On joining, he accused Labour of embracing "Cuban socialism".[3][5] He stood as a Fianna Fáil candidate at the 1969 general election but lost his seat.[1] He was subsequently elected to the 12th Seanad on the Administrative Panel as a Fianna Fáil senator. He also stood as a Fianna Fáil candidate at the 1973 general election for the Dublin South-East constituency but was not elected.[1]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Patrick Norton". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 28 September 2008.
  2. ^ a b "Patrick Norton". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 28 September 2008.
  3. ^ a b White, Lawrence William. "Norton, William Joseph". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  4. ^ Sheahan, Fionnán (4 December 2013). "Political defections through the ages, at home and abroad". Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  5. ^ Gallagher, Michael (1982). The Irish Labour Party in Transition 1957-82 (PDF). Manchester University Press.