Clarke became active in the Ulster Unionist Party, and was elected for the Laganbank area on Belfast City Council at the 1989 Northern Ireland local elections.
[1] He held his seat in 1993,[2] and was then also elected to the Northern Ireland Forum, representing Belfast South.
[3] However, he failed to hold this seat at the 1998 Northern Ireland Assembly election.
[3] In 1998, Clarke served as High Sheriff of Belfast,[4] and he held his council seat in both 1997 and 2001 before standing down in 2005.
[5] In 2000, it was announced that Clarke owed nine years' back subscription to the UUP's National Association of Councillors.