Basil Stanlake Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough, KG, CBE, MC (June 9, 1888-August 18, 1973) was an Irish Unionist politician. He held several ministerial postions in the Government of Northern Ireland. He became the third Prime Minister of Northern Ireland in 1943 and held office until 1963.

Basil Stanlake Brooke was born on June 9, 1888 in Colebrooke, County Fermanagh, the eldest son of Sir Arthur Douglas Brooke, 4th Baronet, whom he succeeded as 5th Baronet on the latter's death in 1907. He was educated at Winchester College and Sandhurst. He was awarded the Military Cross and Croix de Guerre with palm for his service during World War I. In 1920 he left the army to farm his large estate at Colebrooke. In 1921 he was elected to the Northern Ireland Senate, but he resigned the following year to become Commandant of the Ulster Special Constabulary in their fight against the IRA.

In 1929 he was elected to the Northern Ireland House of Commons as Ulster Unionist Party MP for the Lisnaskea division of County Fermanagh. In 1933 he was appointed Minister for Agriculture. He quickly dismissed all Catholic workers on his estates to set an example for other landowners. In 1941 he became Minister for Commerce. In 1943 he succeeded John M. Andrews as Prime Minister. During his twenty years as head of government he never had any dealings with trade unions and he made many incendiary quotes about Roman Catholics. During his premiership he also tried to strengthen the link between the Orange Order and the government.

Brooke resigned as Prime Minister in 1963 due to illness. During his retirement he kept in close touch with politics and publicly opposed the liberal policy of his successor, Terence O'Neill, towards a better relationship with the Republic of Ireland.

Having been appointed CBE in 1921, Brooke was on July 1, 1952 created Viscount Brookeborough, of Colebrooke, County Fermanagh. He was also later made a Knight of the Garter in 1965.

Lord Brookeborough died at his home in Colebrook on August 18, 1973.

READING:

Brian Barton, 'Brookeborough: the making of a Prime Minister,' The Institute of Irish Studies, Queen's University, Belfast, 1988.