Harry West
| Harry West | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party | |
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In office 22 January 1974 – 7 September 1979 |
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| Preceded by | Brian Faulkner |
| Succeeded by | James Molyneaux |
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Member of Parliament for Fermanagh and South Tyrone |
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In office 28 February 1974 – 10 October 1974 |
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| Preceded by | Frank McManus |
| Succeeded by | Frank Maguire |
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Member of Parliament for Enniskillen |
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In office 8 May 1954 – 18 July 1973 |
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| Preceded by | Thomas Nelson |
| Succeeded by | Abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
27 March 1917 Enniskillen, Ireland |
| Died | 5 February 2004 (aged 86) Enniskillen, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Ulster Unionist Party |
| Spouse(s) | Maureen Hall |
| Children | 7 |
| Profession | Farmer |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
Henry William West (27 March 1917 – 5 February 2004) was a politician in Northern Ireland who served as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party from 1974 until 1979.
West was born in County Fermanagh and educated at Portora Royal School in Enniskillen. He worked as a farmer, taking an interest in local government, but it was not until 1954 that he entered Stormont as member for the Enniskillen seat, succeeding Thomas Charles Nelson. In 1960 he was appointed Minister of Agriculture in the government of Lord Brookeborough, which he was to retain under Terence O'Neill. However, in 1967 he was dismissed for Ministerial impropriety involving the purchase of land he knew was to be purchased by Fermanagh County Council for the development of Enniskillen/St Angelo Airport.
He became one of a number of Stormont MPs critical of leader Terence O'Neill's conciliatory approach towards Nationalists and in 1969 he had the whip withdrawn, along with William Craig. In 1971 the whip was restored under the new Ulster Unionist leader and Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Brian Faulkner. West became Minister of Agriculture once more and retained that position until the Stormont government was dissolved in 1972.
West emerged as a fierce critic of the negotiations that would lead to the Sunningdale Agreement, and led the "anti-White Paper" Unionists in the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973. When in January 1974 the Ulster Unionist Council voted against Faulkner's course of action the latter was forced into resignation. West succeeded him as leader of the party and sought to regain much of the support that the party had lost to breakaway and other Unionist groupings. In the February 1974 general election West negotiated the United Ulster Unionist Coalition with the Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party, led by Craig, and the Democratic Unionist Party, led by Ian Paisley, which would put up a single anti-Sunningdale Unionist candidate in all twelve constituencies on a platform of abolishing the power-sharing executive. West himself stood in Fermanagh and South Tyrone and won, albeit due to a split nationalist vote.
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