Norman Porter

Who is Norman Porter?

Norman Porter was a loyalist politician in Northern Ireland.

A lay preacher, an Orangeman, an Apprentice Boy and a member of the Royal Black Institution, Porter became the leader of the National Union of Protestants in Northern Ireland in 1948. Ian Paisley joined the Union in about 1950, but left after Porter refused to join his new Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. The Union disintegrated soon after. In 1953, Porter became the Director of the Evangelical Protestant Society. He also edited the Ulster Protestant newspaper, which he produced with William McConnell Wilton.

At the Northern Ireland general election, 1953, Porter was elected as an Independent Unionist MP for Belfast Clifton, standing with the slogan "For God and Ulster". He defeated Samuel Hall-Thompson, who uniquely among Ministers was not a member of the Orange Order and who had faced criticism from loyalists for appearing to compromise with the Roman Catholic Church while Minister of Education.

Porter attended the first meeting of the Ulster Protestant Action group in 1956, but he immediately withdrew. He lost his seat at the 1958 general election to Robin Kinahan. Porter was again defeated in the seat in a 1959 by-election.