William Joseph Norton (2 November 1900 – 4 December 1963) was an Irish Labour Party politician who served as Tánaiste from 1948 to 1951 and from 1954 to 1957, Leader of the Labour Party from 1932 to 1960, Minister for Social Welfare from 1948 to 1951 and Minister for Industry and Commerce from 1954 to 1957.
On constitutional matters, Norton opposed the introduction into force of the Executive Authority (External Relations) Act 1936 which continued a role for the British King after the King was removed from the Constitution of Ireland.
In Norton’s view, the association with the British King should have ended when Edward VIII “voluntarily relinquished his objectionable role here”.
Garvin places him with a cross party group including Gerard Sweetman and Daniel Morrissey of Fine Gael as well as Seán Lemass of Fianna Fáil who were pushing a modernising agenda.
In the Second Inter-Party Government from 1954 to 1957, Norton served as Tánaiste and Minister for Industry and Commerce.