| James McClure | |
| Office: | Chairman of the Democratic Unionist Party |
| Term Start: | 1981 |
| Term End: | 2000 |
| Predecessor: | William Beattie |
| Successor: | Maurice Morrow |
| Office1: | Mayor of Coleraine |
| Term Start1: | 1997 |
| Term End1: | 1999 |
| Predecessor1: | Pauline Armitage |
| Term Start2: | 1983 |
| Term End2: | 1984 |
| Predecessor2: | G.A. Mcllrath |
| Successor2: | William King |
| Office3: | Member of Coleraine Borough Council |
| Constituency3: | Coleraine Central |
| Term Start3: | 19 May 1993 |
| Term End3: | 22 May 2014 |
| Predecessor3: | District created |
| Successor3: | Council abolished |
| Constituency4: | Coleraine Town |
| Term Start4: | 15 May 1985 |
| Term End4: | 19 May 1993 |
| Predecessor4: | District created |
| Successor4: | District abolished |
| Constituency5: | Coleraine Area C |
| Term Start5: | 18 May 1977 |
| Term End5: | 15 May 1985 |
| Predecessor5: | James Edwards |
| Successor5: | District abolished |
| Office6: | Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Londonderry |
| Term Start6: | 20 October 1982 |
| Term End6: | 1986 |
| Predecessor6: | Assembly reconvened |
| Successor6: | Assembly dissolved |
| Office7: | Member of the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention for Londonderry |
| Term Start7: | 1975 |
| Term End7: | 1976 |
| Predecessor7: | Convention established |
| Successor7: | Convention dissolved |
| Birth Date: | 15 June 1926 |
| Birth Place: | Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland |
| Death Date: | 3 August 2014 |
| Party: | Democratic Unionist |
William James McClure MBE (15 June 1926 – 3 August 2014)[1] was a Northern Irish unionist politician, based in Coleraine, who served as President of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).[2]
McClure was also a Coleraine Borough Councillor from 1977 to 2014.
McClure was first elected in 1975 to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention representing Londonderry.[3] He was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1982 for the same constituency.[4] In 1977, he was elected to Coleraine Borough Council, representing the Area C District.[5] serving as Mayor from 1983–84, and from 1997–99, and as Deputy Mayor from 1982–83, 1985–93, and 2004–05. He served on the Coleraine Policing and Community Safety Partnership.
McClure remained a councillor until the reform of local government in 2014, which saw Coleraine Borough Council merge with the Limavady, Ballymoney and Moyle boroughs to create the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
McClure was a fundamentalist Protestant and a member of the Independent Orange Order. He was an opponent of commercial trading, gambling and football games being played on Sundays, arguing that "the Christian Sabbath is a day for God not for gambling. It is a day for worshipping the Saviour, not for sport."[6]
McClure died on 3 August 2014 at the age of 88.[7]