Walker was born in Belfast. His father was a police constable. He was educated at Everton Elementary School, Model Boys' School, and Belfast Methodist College. He worked for the Belfast timber trader James P. Corry after leaving school in 1941 until he was elected to Parliament in 1983. He married Ann Verrant in 1953. They had two sons.[1][2]
However, he lost his own seat to Nigel Dodds of the DUP in the 2001 general election, following a disastrous televised debate at Crumlin Road Courthouse in his constituency, in which he stumbled over some of the most rudimentary questions. His vote declined from 21,000 to 4,000, his 13,000 majority was transformed into a 6,000 majority for the DUP and he was beaten into fourth place behind Sinn Féin and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) - although this was also partly because there had been no DUP candidate in the previous general election.[1][2]
He was noted for the moderation of his Unionist views, which contrasted with the deep sectarian divisions in his constituency. He said he would have no objection to amending the Act of Settlement 1701 to allow the heir to the throne to marry a Roman Catholic,[1] and caused controversy in 2001 by saying that a united Ireland in 30 years time may not be a bad thing, though he later said that was a "throwaway line that has been taken out of context".[1] He was created a Knight Bachelor in the Queen's Birthday Honours in June 2002.[4]
cecil, walker, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, november, 2015, learn, when, remove, this, message, alfred, dec. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations November 2015 Learn how and when to remove this message Sir Alfred Cecil Walker 17 December 1924 3 January 2007 was an Ulster Unionist Party UUP politician who was the Member of Parliament MP for North Belfast from 1983 to 2001 SirAlfred Cecil WalkerMember of Parliamentfor Belfast NorthIn office 9 June 1983 14 May 2001Preceded byJohn McQuadeSucceeded byNigel DoddsPersonal detailsBorn17 December 1924Belfast Northern IrelandDied3 January 2007 2007 01 03 aged 82 Newtownabbey Northern Ireland UKPolitical partyUlster Unionist PartyOccupationActivist politician Member of Parliament for North Belfast 1983 2001 Walker was born in Belfast His father was a police constable He was educated at Everton Elementary School Model Boys School and Belfast Methodist College He worked for the Belfast timber trader James P Corry after leaving school in 1941 until he was elected to Parliament in 1983 He married Ann Verrant in 1953 They had two sons 1 2 He became actively involved in Unionist politics in the 1970s was an unsuccessful pro White Paper Unionist candidate at the election to the 1973 Northern Ireland Assembly and was elected to Belfast City Council in 1977 3 He contested the Belfast North constituency in the 1979 general election narrowly losing to John McQuade of the Democratic Unionist Party He won the seat 4 years later in the 1983 general election after McQuade retired He was one of the MPs with the lowest attendance rate at Westminster citation needed Along with all other Unionist MPs he resigned his seat in December 1985 in protest at the Anglo Irish Agreement He was re elected at a by election in January 1986 In 1988 he advocated internment of Provisional Irish Republican Army IRA suspects to stem a series of murders but also argued for the internment of suspects connected with the Ulster Defence Association and the Ulster Volunteer Force In 1998 he was one of only two UUP MPs to support the Good Friday Agreement without reservation and he backed UUP leader David Trimble until the end of Trimble s own political career in 2005 citation needed However he lost his own seat to Nigel Dodds of the DUP in the 2001 general election following a disastrous televised debate at Crumlin Road Courthouse in his constituency in which he stumbled over some of the most rudimentary questions His vote declined from 21 000 to 4 000 his 13 000 majority was transformed into a 6 000 majority for the DUP and he was beaten into fourth place behind Sinn Fein and the Social Democratic and Labour Party SDLP although this was also partly because there had been no DUP candidate in the previous general election 1 2 He was noted for the moderation of his Unionist views which contrasted with the deep sectarian divisions in his constituency He said he would have no objection to amending the Act of Settlement 1701 to allow the heir to the throne to marry a Roman Catholic 1 and caused controversy in 2001 by saying that a united Ireland in 30 years time may not be a bad thing though he later said that was a throwaway line that has been taken out of context 1 He was created a Knight Bachelor in the Queen s Birthday Honours in June 2002 4 Death editHe lived in Glengormley in County Antrim and died of a heart attack in Newtownabbey He was survived by his wife and their two sons References edit a b c d Obituary The Telegraph 5 January 2007 Retrieved 4 August 2017 a b Obituary The Independent 5 January 2007 Retrieved 4 August 2017 Northern Ireland elections No 56595 The London Gazette 14 June 2002 p 1 Former MP Cecil Walker dies at 81 BBC News 3 January 2007 Obituary The Independent 5 January 2007 Obituary dead link The Daily Telegraph 5 January 2007 Obituary The Times 9 January 2007 Obituary The Guardian 15 January 2007 Leigh Rayment s Historical List of MPs Times Guide to the House of Commons 1992 editionExternal links editHansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by Cecil Walker Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byJohn McQuade Member of Parliament for Belfast North1983 2001 Succeeded byNigel Dodds Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cecil Walker amp oldid 1217363452, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
