Political Career
Bradford first became involved with unionism in 1971 when he joined the Orange Order. From here he became more involved in the political side of the movement and stood as a candidate for the Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party in the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1973 in South Antrim, although he was not elected.
Bradford was first elected as Member of Parliament for South Belfast in the February 1974 British general election, this time under the banner of the United Ulster Unionist Council (an alliance between the Vanguard, the Democratic Unionist Party and the anti-Brian Faulkner Ulster Unionists under Harry West), defeating the sitting MP Rafton Pounder, a pro-Faulkner Unionist. His campaign had been openly supported by the British National Front and, at a September 1974 NF Rally, Martin Webster read out a letter of solidarity from Bradford.
Bradford greatly increased his majority in the October election, after Pounder dropped out, and largely maintained this increased majority in 1979. Between 1974 and 1978 he sat for the Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party until in February 1978 he joined the Ulster Unionist Party (then commonly called the Official Unionist Party), along with Vanguard leader William Craig and most of the membership. He was re-elected in 1979 for the UUP.
Read more about this topic: Robert Bradford (Ulster Unionist Politician)
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