Mary Katherine McSorley MBE is a former

Irish nationalist Irish nationalism is a nationalist political movement which, in its broadest sense, asserts that the people of Ireland should govern Ireland as a sovereign state. Since the mid-19th century, Irish nationalism has largely taken the form of cult ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

Political career

McSorley joined the

Social Democratic and Labour Party The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP; ) is a social democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has eight members in the Northern Ireland Assembly ( MLAs) and two members of Parliament (M ...

(SDLP), and was elected to

Magherafelt District Council Magherafelt District Council was a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. It was merged with Cookstown District Council and Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council on 1 April 2015 under local government reorganisation i ...

in 1981. She was then elected to the

Northern Ireland Assembly The Northern Ireland Assembly (; ), often referred to by the metonym ''Stormont'', is the devolved unicameral legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliam ...

in 1982, representing Mid Ulster. In January 1989, McSorley accepted an MBE. This was against SDLP policy which stated that members should not accept British honours. It prompted talk of a split in the party, but McSorley was persuaded to resign. She held her council seat as an

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

in 1989, but didn't stand for re-election in 1993.Magherafelt District Council Elections 1993–2005
Northern Ireland Elections

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McSorley, Mary Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Members of Magherafelt District Council Members of the Order of the British Empire Northern Ireland MPAs 1982–1986 Social Democratic and Labour Party politicians Independent politicians in Northern Ireland Female members of the Northern Ireland Assembly Women councillors in Northern Ireland