Protestant Coalition facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Protestant Coalition
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| Leader | Robert McKee |
| Founded | 24 April 2013 |
| Dissolved | 4 November 2015 |
| Headquarters | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Ideology | Irish Unionism Ulster loyalism British nationalism Christian fundamentalism |
| Political position | Far-right |
| Religion | Protestantism |
| Colours | Red, white and blue |
| Northern Ireland Assembly |
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| Local government in Northern Ireland |
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The Protestant Coalition was a political party in Northern Ireland. It was formed by people who strongly supported Ulster loyalism, which means they wanted Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom. The party officially started on April 24, 2013, in a hotel near Belfast. It stopped being a political party in November 2015 and never ran in any elections.
Contents
Why the Party Started
The Protestant Coalition was formed after a big disagreement in Belfast. On December 3, 2012, the Belfast City Council made a decision. They voted to stop flying the Union flag (the flag of the United Kingdom) every day over Belfast City Hall. Instead, they decided to fly it only on certain special days, about 20 days a year.
This decision was made by 29 votes against 21. The parties that voted for the change included the Alliance Party, Sinn Féin, and the Social Democratic and Labour Party. Those who voted against it were mainly from the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
After this decision, many people protested across Northern Ireland. Some of these protests became violent. People who protested felt that the decision about the flag showed a lack of respect for their identity. They called themselves the PUL community, which stands for Protestant, Unionist, and Loyalist.
Who Led the Party
The Protestant Coalition was started by several people. These included Willie Frazer, who was known for speaking out against Irish republicanism. Another founder was Davy Nicholl, who had been part of other loyalist groups. Jim Dowson, who used to help raise money for another political party, was also involved.
Other people who helped launch the party were Alice Dowson (Jim's daughter), Robert Magee, and Bill Hill.
At the time the party started, Jim Dowson was officially listed as the leader with the Electoral Commission. However, he said that the party did not have just one leader. Paul Golding, who led another political group called Britain First, was listed as the party's treasurer.
What the Party Believed In
The Protestant Coalition called itself "an anti politics, political party." This meant they were a political party but were against how traditional politics worked.
Their main goals included:
- Opposing the two main unionist parties, the DUP and UUP.
- Being willing to work with other parties like the TUV, UKIP, and PUP for what they saw as the greater good.
- Asking elected members from other unionist parties to join them.
- Protecting and securing Northern Ireland's British history and identity.
- Representing the Protestant, Unionist, and Loyalist people.
- Standing against what they called a "cultural and political 'war'" from Sinn Féin/IRA against the British majority in Northern Ireland.
In 2015, the party also started a campaign. They wanted to stop refugees from countries like Syria from settling in Northern Ireland.
Party History
When the Protestant Coalition first launched, they said they had over 500 members. They also announced that they planned to exist for three years. During this time, they wanted to run in the 2014 Northern Ireland local elections for new local councils in May 2014. They also mentioned using methods from American political campaigns, like a call center.
The party aimed to share their skills and technology with other loyalist groups. This was to help the PUL community become more professional and spread their message. Jim Dowson said that anyone who thought the party was not serious would be surprised.
However, just a few weeks after its launch, the party faced problems. Several important supporters left. Jim Dowson left by the end of May 2013, and Davy Nicholl also left due to health reasons. Bill Hill was also said to be keeping a low profile.
In 2014, a local branch of the party was set up in Magherafelt. This happened because some local unionists were unhappy with the DUP.
Even though they had planned to, the Protestant Coalition did not put forward any candidates in the local government elections in May 2014.
The party officially stopped being a political party on November 4, 2015.
Images for kids
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Party office on York Road, Belfast
