Gerry Fitt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Fitt
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| 1st Deputy Chief Executive of Northern Ireland | |
| In office 1 January 1974 – 28 May 1974 |
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| Chief Executive | Brian Faulkner |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party | |
| In office 20 August 1970 – 6 May 1979 |
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| Deputy | John Hume |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | John Hume |
| Member of Parliament for West Belfast |
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| In office 31 March 1966 – 13 May 1983 |
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| Preceded by | James Kilfedder |
| Succeeded by | Gerry Adams |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| In office 14 October 1983 – 26 August 2005 Life Peerage |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 April 1926 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Died | 26 August 2005 (aged 79) London, England, UK |
| Political party | Independent (1979–2005) |
| Other political affiliations |
Dock Labour Party (1950s) Irish Labour (to 1964) Republican Labour (1964–1970) SDLP (1970–1979) |
| Spouse | Ann Fitt |
| Children | 6 |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | Merchant Navy |
| Years of service | 1941–1953 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Gerard Fitt, Baron Fitt (9 April 1926 – 26 August 2005) was an important politician from Northern Ireland. He helped create and was the first leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). This party believed in social democracy and Irish nationalism.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Gerry Fitt was born in Belfast on April 9, 1926. He was adopted by George and Mary Fitt and took their family name. He went to a local Christian Brothers school.
Serving in World War II
From 1941 to 1953, he worked as a stoker in the Merchant Navy. He joined during World War II and helped on ships that traveled in groups called convoys. He saw a ship called HMS Bluebell sink. His older brother, Geordie, was killed during the Battle of Normandy.
First Steps in Politics
Fitt lived in the Beechmount area of the Falls. In 1956, he tried to become a city council member for the Dock Labour Party but did not win. In 1958, he was elected to the Belfast City Council as a member of the Irish Labour Party.
The 1960s: A Voice for Change
In 1962, Fitt won a seat in the Stormont from the Ulster Unionist Party. He was the only Irish Labour member there. Two years later, he left the Irish Labour Party. He joined with Harry Diamond to form the Republican Labour Party.
Entering Westminster
In 1966, Fitt won the Belfast West seat in the Westminster parliament in London. This gave him a bigger platform to speak about Northern Ireland. He used his position to get British politicians interested in the problems there.
Civil Rights Movement
Fitt was a key spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA), which started in 1967. He spoke out against how the police, the RUC, acted at civil rights marches. On August 28, 1968, he asked the House of Commons to ensure people in Northern Ireland had the same rights to protest peacefully as others in the UK.
He was present at a civil rights march in Derry on October 5, 1968. He and others were beaten by the police. TV news showed this event, bringing worldwide attention to the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland.
Fitt also supported Bernadette Devlin in a special election in 1969. Her success meant there was another voice in the British Parliament challenging the Unionist viewpoint. Fitt wanted to build a wider movement to challenge the old ways of governing.
The 1970s: Leading the SDLP
In August 1970, Gerry Fitt became the first leader of the new Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). This party brought together civil rights leaders and Irish nationalists. The SDLP hoped to bring about change and included some Protestants.
Power-Sharing Government
After the Stormont government ended in 1972, a new Northern Ireland Assembly was formed in 1973. Fitt became the Deputy Chief Executive of the short-lived Power-Sharing Executive. This government was created by the Sunningdale Agreement.
On January 1, 1974, the power-sharing Executive began. For the first time, Unionists, the SDLP, and the Alliance parties worked together. However, many Unionists did not like the Sunningdale agreement. The Executive ended when workers went on strike, known as the Ulster Workers' Council strike.
Changing Views and Leaving the SDLP
The SDLP wanted to share power in Northern Ireland and also have closer ties with the Republic of Ireland. Fitt felt that focusing too much on ties with Ireland was pushing Unionists away.
He became more and more unhappy with the SDLP's focus on Irish nationalism. He also spoke out strongly against the Provisional Irish Republican Army. In 1976, his home was attacked by people who supported the republicans.
Fitt also felt that the British government was not handling Northern Ireland well. He believed they were not trying hard enough to find political solutions. In 1979, he chose not to support the Labour government in a very important vote. He said he would not support them because of their policies in Northern Ireland.
By the end of the 1970s, Fitt felt that the SDLP had become too much of a "Catholic nationalist party." He felt alone within the party. In 1979, he left the SDLP completely. He believed the party was no longer focused on socialist ideas.
The 1980s: An Independent Voice
Even after leaving the SDLP, Gerry Fitt remained the Member of Parliament for West Belfast.
Hunger Strikes and Election Loss
In 1981, Fitt spoke out against the hunger strikes happening in the Maze prison. He asked the British government not to give in to the prisoners' demands for special political status. He urged them not to make that mistake.
In June 1983, Fitt lost his seat in Belfast West. Gerry Adams of Sinn Féin won the election. Fitt ran as an Independent Socialist. Even without a party, he still received many votes, but it was not enough to win.
Becoming a Lord
A few months later, on October 14, 1983, he was made a UK life peer. This meant he became Baron Fitt and could sit in the House of Lords. His home in Belfast was attacked with fire a month after he became a Lord, so he moved to London.
Later Career and Beliefs
In his later life, Lord Fitt was an active member of the House of Lords. He often spoke critically about some of the political changes in Northern Ireland. He was unique because he was the only nationalist or republican from Northern Ireland to become a member of the House of Lords for a long time.
Gerry Fitt often said he saw himself as a socialist politician first, rather than just a nationalist. He believed it was hard to be a socialist in Northern Ireland without being labeled.
Death
Lord Fitt passed away on August 26, 2005, at the age of 79. He had a long history of heart problems. He was a widower and was survived by five of his daughters. His daughters were sometimes called 'the Miss Fitts' when they helped him during elections.
See also
- List of Northern Ireland Members of the House of Lords
