May Steele Explained

May Steele
Office:President of the Ulster Unionist Party
Term Start:2016
Term End:8 January 2020
Leader:Mike Nesbitt
Robin Swann
Steve Aiken
Successor:Daphne Trimble
Office1:Member of the Northern Ireland Forum
Constituency1:East Antrim
Term Start1:30 May 1996
Term End1:25 April 1998
Predecessor1:Forum created
Successor1:Forum dissolved
Birth Date:1936 or 1937
Birth Place:Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Death Date:8 January 2020
Party:Ulster Unionist Party

May Steele (8 January 2020) was a Northern Irish Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician who was Party President from 2016 to 2020, and a Member of the Northern Ireland Forum for East Antrim from 1996 to 1998.

Background

Living in Larne, Steele joined the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) in the 1950s, and became active in County Antrim. She was close to Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party leader William Craig, but remained a member of the UUP.[1]

In 1990 Steele was appointed as a Justice of the Peace (JP) for County Antrim.

At the 1993 Northern Ireland local elections and 1997, Steele stood unsuccessfully for the UUP on Larne Borough Council.[2] She also stood in the Northern Ireland Forum election in East Antrim and was elected, although she lost her seat at the 1998 Northern Ireland Assembly election.[3] Despite this loss, and a reputation as a hardliner, she remained a prominent supporter of party leader David Trimble, and called for support of the Good Friday Agreement.

Steele devoted much of her time to the Ulster Women's Unionist Council, becoming Chairman of the organisation.[4] In the 2000 Birthday Honours, she received the MBE for political and public service.[5]

At the 2016 UUP annual conference, the party leader Mike Nesbit made Steele honorary president of the party.

Steele died on 8 January, 2020, at the age of 83.[6]

References

  1. Andrew Brown, "Backing Trimble against the grain", The Guardian, 27 November 1999
  2. "Larne Borough Council Elections 1993-2011", Northern Ireland Elections
  3. "East Antrim", Northern Ireland Elections
  4. Rebecca Black, "UWUC celebrates a centenary of service", Motherwell Times, 24 January 2011
  5. "Queen's Birthday Honours", Belfast Telegraph, 13 June 1998
  6. News: Young . Connla . 2020-01-08 . Tributes paid to UUP honorary president May Steele . The Irish News . 2021-07-21.