ENGLISH UNIONIST

Like all years, 2008 is no exception in the sense that it marks a number of significant anniversaries, most notably the 90th Anniversary of the Representation of the People Act 1918 (granting women the right to vote and be elected to Parliament) which received Royal Assent on 6th February 1918; the 50th Anniversary of the Life Peerages Act (which created peerages for men and women for life, and saw women sit in the House of Lords for the first time) which received Royal Assent on 30th April 1958; whilst 8th February 2008 marked the 10th anniversary of the premature death of the late Rt Hon. J. Enoch Powell MBE (arguably the greatest Prime Minister the United Kingdom never had, with the possible exception of Former Ulster Unionist Leader The Rt Hon. Lord Molyneaux of Killead KBE).

Thirteen years ago, the then Conservative MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, Dame Jill Knight, now Baroness Knight of Collingtree DBE, published her autobiography entitled "About The House: A Parliamentarian’s Commentary"*. In it, Lady Knight explains how and why at the age of thirteen she decided to become an MP. Lady Knight goes on to recall her early political career as a Member of Northampton Borough Council from 1956 to 1966 before first being returned to Westminster as Tory MP for Birmingham Edgbaston in 1966.

Her autobiography is filled from cover to cover with on one hand amusing, and on the other hand serious, events which spawned Lady Knight’s long and distinguished career in the House of Commons – prior to her being raised to the peerage in 1997 – throughout which time she was a doughty opponent of the 1967 Abortion Act (which legalised abortion in England, Scotland and Wales, if not thankfully Northern Ireland). One chapter entitled “Hurling Glasses Across Russia” gives expert advice to any budding Foreign Secretary or visitor to Russia on how to avoid drinking excessive amounts of vodka without offending the Russians at official functions!

Another chapter in her memoirs entitled “Ted Heath and the Ulstermen” explains how the late Ted Heath prematurely withdrew the Conservative and Unionist Whip from the Ulster Unionist MPs as the results of the February 1974 General Election were coming in, which not only lost the Tories that election but consigned the Ulster Unionist Parliamentary Party to being a permanent independent Centre-Right opposition party in the House of Commons. It is surprising how many Conservative MPs – who have entered the House since 1974 – are unaware of this incident, yet when it is explained to them they understand more clearly why Ulster Unionists are sceptical about their policies.

A further chapter “Night of Decision” reminds readers of the pivotal role Ulster Unionist MPs played in bringing down the Callaghan Government by voting with the then Conservative Opposition in a motion of “No Confidence” on 28th March 1979.

Perhaps the most disappointing chapter in this 215-page book is one entitled “If You Can’t Stand The Heat” which completely misunderstands the late Enoch Powell’s reasons for leaving the Conservative Party and joining the Ulster Unionist Party. This is surprising as one would have thought that Lady Knight – who broadly shared Powell’s views on the economy, immigration and Northern Ireland, if not the European Union – would have appreciated that Powell always put loyalty to his country above loyalty to his party: a laudable position of any politician even if, sadly, one held by so few.

Apart from Lady Knight’s misunderstanding of Powell, the only other sore point about her autobiography book is the absence of an index of events and individuals mentioned in it. That said, it is sufficiently gripping to ensure that as soon as one begins to read it, one is loath to put it down until one has finished it. It is a fascinating book that will commend itself to Unionists of all ages, and one which deserves to be read.

Here are ten facts about women in Parliament you may not know:-

1. Constance Markiewicz (in 1918) was the first woman MP to be elected to the House of Commons although, as a Sinn Fein Member, she did not take her seat.
2. Baroness Swanborough was the first female Member of the House of Lords (in 1958) to take her seat on the famous red benches of the House of Lords.
3. Baroness Strange of Knokin was the first female hereditary peer (in 1963) to take her seat in the House of Lords.
4. Baroness Young was the first female Leader of their Lordships’ House (from 1981 to 1983).
5. Baroness Llewellyn-Davies of Hastoe was the first female Chief Whip in the House of Lords (from 1973 to 1982).
6. Baroness Hale of Richmond was the first woman to be made a Law Lord in 2004.
7. Baroness Ashton of Upholland is the current Leader of the House of Lords.
8. Baroness D’Souza is the current Convenor of Crossbench Peers.
9. Members of the House of Lords elected Baroness Hayman as the first Lord Speaker in 2006.
10. May Blood MBE, a Founding-Member of the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition and a Former Information Officer with the Greater Shankill Partnership, was raised to the peerage as Baroness Blood of Blackwatertown in the County of Armagh in 1999.

Incidentally, the late Sir James Craig Bt, MP (later 1st Lord Craigavon) originally founded Friends of Ulster Loyal Orange Lodge No. 1688 House of Commons for Members of – or persons connected to – the Imperial House of Commons on 5th November 1919, thus preceding the recently-established Houses of Parliament Loyal Orange Lodge. Friends of Ulster LOL 1688 (House of Commons) continued to sit until 1941 when, due to the war effort, meetings of the Lodge were prorogued and it was not until 19th July 1955 that the Lodge was reconvened by the late Captain Willie Orr (who preceded Enoch Powell as Ulster Unionist MP for South Down and later held office as Grand Master of the Grand Orange Lodge of England), whilst on 19th September 1981 a company of Orangewomen established Friends of Ulster Ladies Loyal Orange Lodge No. 1 (House of Commons) to provide a home for the Loyal Orange Ladies of London. For further information about Orangeism in London please visit Metropolitan Provincial Grand Orange Lodge.

* About The House: A Parliamentarian’s Commentary by Jill Knight is published by the Churchill Press. ISBN: 0-902782-29-0

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THE UNION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND, UNLIKE THE EUROPEAN UNION, DESERVES (AND NEEDS) TO BE MAINTAINED AND STRENGTHENED DAILY.