Fraser Agnew
{{Short description|Northern Irish politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2010}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix =
|name = Fraser Agnew
|honorific-suffix =
|image =
|imagesize = 150px
|alt =
|caption =
|office = Member of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council
|constituency = Three Mile Water
|term_start = 22 May 2014
|term_end = 18 May 2023
|predecessor = District created
|successor = Stephen Cosgrove
|office1 = Member of Newtownabbey Borough Council
|constituency1 = University
|term_start1 = 19 May 1993
|term_end1 = 22 May 2014
|predecessor1 = District created
|successor1 = Council abolished
|constituency2 = Doagh Road
|term_start2 = 15 May 1985
|term_end2 = 19 May 1993
|predecessor2 = District created
|successor2 = District abolished
|constituency3 = Newtownabbey Area B
|term_start3 = 20 May 1981
|term_end3 = 15 May 1985
|predecessor3 = Ivan Hunter
|successor3 = District abolished
|constituency_AM4 = Belfast North
|assembly4 = Northern Ireland
|majority4 =
|term_start4 = 25 June 1998
|term_end4 = 26 November 2003
|predecessor4 = New Creation
|successor4 = Nelson McCausland
|constituency_AM5 = South Antrim
|assembly5 = Northern Ireland
|term_start5 = 1982
|term_end5 = 1986
|birth_date =
|birth_place = Ballyclare, Northern Ireland
|death_date =
|death_place =
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|nationality =
|party = Ulster Unionist Party (pre 1993; 2011–present)
United Unionist Coalition (1998–2011)
|otherparty = Independent Unionist (1993–2011)
|spouse =
|relations =
|children =
|residence =
|alma_mater = University of Ulster
|occupation =
|profession =
|cabinet =
|committees =
|portfolio =
|religion =
|signature =
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|footnotes =
}}
William Alexander Fraser Agnew, known as Fraser Agnew, is a retired Northern Irish unionist politician who was an Antrim and Newtownabbey Councillor for the Three Mile Water DEA from 2014 to 2023. He was previously an Independent Unionist Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Belfast North from 1998 to 2003.
Career
After growing up in Ballyclare, Agnew studied at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, Belfast Technical College and the College of Business Studies. He worked as a writer and architectural draughtsperson, and was elected to Newtownabbey Borough Council as an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) representative for the Newtownabbey Area B District in 1981.
Agnew was also elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in the 1982 election, as a Member for South Antrim.
In the 1985 Northern Ireland local elections, Agnew was re-elected onto Newtownabbey Council as a member of the newly created Doagh Road District.
In 1990, Agnew served as the Mayor of Newtownabbey. In the early 1990s, he left the UUP and was later re-elected in 1993 as an independent Unionist for the University District.{{Cite web|author=Dr Nicholas Whyte |url=http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/lgnewtownabbey.htm |title=Newtownabbey Council Elections 1993–2005 |publisher=Ark.ac.uk |accessdate=14 September 2010}} In 1996, standing for the 'Independent Templeton' ticket, he was an unsuccessful candidate in the Northern Ireland Forum election in South Antrim.[http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/96sa.htm Northern Ireland elections]
He was elected as an independent in the 1998 Northern Ireland Assembly election, representing North Belfast, when he formed the United Unionist Coalition (UUC) with other anti-Good Friday Agreement unionists.
All three members of the UUC, including Agnew, lost their seats at the 2003 Assembly election. He held his council seat for the UUC in 2005.[http://www.newtownabbey.gov.uk/council/councillor/party.asp ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060926194226/http://www.newtownabbey.gov.uk/council/councillor/party.asp |date=26 September 2006 }} In March 2007, he was awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Newtownabbey.[http://www.newtownabbey.gov.uk/news/article.asp?id=331 ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194358/http://www.newtownabbey.gov.uk/news/article.asp?id=331 |date=27 September 2007 }} In January 2011, he rejoined the UUP."[http://www.uup.org/index.php/news/item/275 Agnew comes home to UUP] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725025911/http://www.uup.org/index.php/news/item/275 |date=25 July 2011 }}", Ulster Unionist Party, 28 January 2011 Tom Elliot, leader of the UUP had this to say regarding his decision: "I strongly believe that voters across the province will return, like Fraser, to their natural Ulster Unionist home and I am looking forward to making sure that the UUP becomes the party of choice for all shades of progressive Unionist opinion."{{cite web|title=Newtownabbey Times Fraser Agnew Article|url=http://www.newtownabbeytoday.co.uk/news/local/fraser-agnew-makes-a-return-to-uup-fold-1-2396017|publisher=Newtown Abbey|accessdate=23 August 2012}}
Agnew was elected onto the newly formed Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council in the 2014 local elections, as a councillor for the Three Mile Water District. He was re-elected in 2019, before retiring at the 2023 local elections.
References
{{Reflist}}
;Sources
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060926052847/http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/members/biogs/fagnew.htm The Northern Ireland Assembly]
{{S-start}}
{{s-par|ni/ass82}}
{{s-new | Assembly }}
{{s-ttl
| title = MPA for South Antrim
| years = 1982–1986
}}
{{s-non | reason = Assembly abolished }}
{{s-par|ni/ass}}
{{s-new | Assembly }}
{{s-ttl
| title = MLA for Belfast North
| years = 1998–2003
}}
{{s-aft | after = Nelson McCausland }}
{{S-civ}}
{{Succession box|title=Mayor of Newtownabbey|years=1990–1991|before=George Herron|after=Ken Robinson}}
{{Succession box|title=Mayor of Newtownabbey|years=2013–2014|before=Victor Robinson|after=Thomas Hogg}}
{{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Agnew, Fraser}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:People from Ballyclare
Category:Members of Newtownabbey Borough Council
Category:Mayors of Newtownabbey
Category:Northern Ireland MPAs 1982–1986
Category:Northern Ireland MLAs 1998–2003
Category:Independent members of the Northern Ireland Assembly