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Craig was from Cookstown, County Tyrone. After serving in the Royal Air Force during World War II he became a solicitor. He was active in the Ulster Unionist Party and led the Young Unionist Council. He was elected to the Stormont Parliament in a byelection in 1960 for Larne, and became a Minister in 1963Events January-March January 11 The Whisky A Go-Go night club in Los Angeles, the first disco in the USA, is opened. January 14 George Wallace becomes governor of Alabama. January 22 Elysee treaty between France and Germany January 28 Black student Harvey. He held several portfolios under Terence O'NeillCaptain Terence O'Neill ( September 10, 1914 June 12, 1990), was the fourth Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Terence O'Neill was born on September 10, 1914 in County Antrim. He was the son of Capt. Arthur O'Neill, the first MP to be killed as a result, eventually as Minister for Home Affairs. His most reknowned action while in this office was to ban the march of NICRA (Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association) on 5th October 1968. He also accused the civil rights movement of being a political front for the IRAThere are several paramilitary groups which claim or have claimed the title Irish Republican Army IRA , and advocate a unitary Irish state with no ties to the United Kingdom. All claim descent from the original 'Irish Republican Army', the 'army' of the I.

On December 11December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 20 days remaining. Events 1205 John Grey, Bishop of Norwich, elected Archbishop of Canterbury 1792 King Louis XVI of France goes on trial for treason 1816, 1968Events Undated Booker Prize for Fiction is established by Booker plc. 1968 is known as the year of the Prague Spring and also the year of the Paris riots. The ASCII character code is standardized as ANSI Standard X3. Nauru adopt his national anthem of the O'Neill dismissed Craig when he suspected Craig was a supporter of an independent Northern Ireland. Craig began to build a powerbase for himself within Unionism, becoming Head of the Ulster Loyalist Association. The official Unionist Party withdrew the whip from him in May 1970Events January events January 1 Construction begins on Arcosanti, by Paolo Soleri, in Mayer, Arizona, located 65, miles north of Phoenix, Arizona. January 1 Unix epoch at 00:00:00 UTC. January 12 Biafra capitulates, ending the Nigerian civil war. January and Craig then began to prepare his own political party. The Ulster Vanguard movement was formed on February 9February 9 is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 325 days remaining, 326 in leap years. Events 474 Zeno crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. 1621 Gregory XV becomes Pope. 1775 American Revolutionary War: English Parlia, 19721972 is a leap year starting on Saturday (click link for calendar). Events January events January 2 the Pierre Hotel Heist Six men rob the safety deposit boxes of the Pierre Hotel in New York City. Loot is at least $4 million January 5 President of the Un under Craig's leadership (the Deputy Leaders were the Rev. Martin Smyth and Captain Austin Ardill ).

Ulster Vanguard advocated a semi-independent Northern Ireland. Vanguard held a large rally on March 18 1972 in Belfast's Ormeau Park at which Craig said "We must build up the dossiers on the men and women who are a menace to this country, because one day, ladies and gentlemen, if the politicians fail, it will be our duty to liquidate the 'enemy'". Vanguard also staged a two-day strike in protest at the prorogation of the Stormont Parliament. In April 1972 Vanguard issued a policy statement 'Ulster - A Nation' which said that Northern Ireland might have to consider Independence. Vanguard progressed in March 1973 into the Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party.

The Vanguard Unionists under Craig formed part of the United Ulster Unionist Council which opposed the power-sharing Sunningdale Agreement. Craig was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly created under Sunningdale, and he won a seat in the UK Parliament at the February 1974 election for East Belfast. However, in the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention in the mid-1970s, Craig broke with the majority of his party to support voluntary power-sharing. The Vanguard Unionists fell apart, with one section forming the United Ulster Unionist Party, and Craig lead the remains of Vanguard to rejoin the Ulster Unionist Party in 1978, but lost his seat in the 1979 election.

Craig subsequently broke with the Ulster Unionists once more. When in 1982 elections were held for the new Northern Ireland Assembly, Craig , revived the name Vanguard for his candidacy in East Belfast. However he failed to get elected.

This marked the effective end of Craig's political career.