Democratic Unionist Party
Encyclopedia
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is the larger of the two main unionist political parties
in Northern Ireland
. Founded by Ian Paisley
and currently led by Peter Robinson
, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly
and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.
The DUP has strong links to Protestant
churches, particularly the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
, the church Paisley founded, and is considered a Protestant political party.
Following on from the St Andrews Agreement
in October 2006, the DUP has agreed with the Irish republican
party Sinn Féin
to enter into power-sharing
devolved
government in Northern Ireland. In the aftermath of the agreement there were reports of divisions within the DUP. Many of its leading members, including Members of Parliament
(MPs) Nigel Dodds
, David Simpson and Gregory Campbell
were claimed to be in opposition to Paisley. All the party's MPs fully signed up to the manifesto for the 2007 Assembly elections, supporting power sharing in principle. An overwhelming majority of the party executive voted in favour of restoring devolution in a meeting in March 2007; however, the DUP's sole Member of the European Parliament
(MEP), Jim Allister
, and seven DUP councillors later resigned from the party in opposition to its plans to share power with Sinn Féin. They founded the Traditional Unionist Voice
in December 2007.
The DUP is the largest party in Northern Ireland, currently holding eight seats at Westminster and 38 seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. It has one seat in the European Parliament
, where its MEP
, Diane Dodds
, sits as a Non-Inscrit
.
and Desmond Boal
and other members of the Protestant Unionist Party
. Since its foundation it has won seats at local council, province, national and European level. It won eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly of 1973-1974, where it opposed the formation of a power-sharing executive made up of unionists and nationalists following the Sunningdale Agreement
. The DUP were more radically unionist than the UUP. The establishment of this political party arguably stemmed from insecurities of the Protestant working class. Paisley was elected one of Northern Ireland
's three European Parliament
members at the first elections in 1979 and retained that seat in every European election until 2004. In 2004 Paisley was replaced as the DUP MEP by Jim Allister
, who resigned from the party in 2007 while retaining his seat.
The DUP also holds seats in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, and has been elected to each of the Northern Ireland conventions and assemblies set up since the party's creation. It has long been the principal rival to the other major unionist party, the Ulster Unionist Party
(known for a time in the 1970s and 1980s as the Official Unionist Party (OUP) to distinguish it from the then multitude of other unionist parties, some set up by deposed former leaders). However, the DUP's main rivals are currently the Irish Republican Sinn Féin
.
The DUP was originally involved in the negotiations under former United States Senator
George J. Mitchell
that led to the Belfast Agreement
(also known as the Good Friday
Agreement on account of the day on which it was signed). The party withdrew in protest when Sinn Féin
, a republican
party with ties to the Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA), was allowed to participate despite the IRA retaining weapons. The DUP opposed the Agreement in the referendum that followed its signing, and which saw the Agreement approved reasonably comfortably nonetheless.
The DUP fought the resulting election to the Northern Ireland Assembly
and took two seats in the multi-party power-sharing executive but while serving as ministers refused to sit in at meetings of the Executive Committee (cabinet) in protest at Sinn Féin's participation. The Executive ultimately collapsed over an alleged IRA espionage ring at Stormont
. (See Stormontgate
).
In the delayed Northern Ireland Assembly election of 2003, the DUP became the largest political party in the region, with 30 seats. In 2004, it became the largest Ireland party at Westminster
, with the defection of Jeffrey Donaldson
. On 12 December 2004, English MP Andrew Hunter
took the DUP whip, giving the party seven seats, in comparison to the UUP's five, Sinn Féin's four, and the SDLP's three.
In the 2005 general election
, the party reinforced its position as the largest unionist party, winning nine seats, making it the fourth largest party in terms of seats in the British House of Commons behind Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. In terms of votes, the DUP is the fourth largest party on the island of Ireland.
When this is compared to the Ireland local government elections (held on the same day as the Westminister General Election but under proportional representation
), then the final figures would indicate that, had the Westminster General Election been on a Proportional Representation basis instead of the First-past-the-post
system, the DUP would only have had six seats and the UUP and Sinn Féin four seats each. The SDLP would still have its three seats but there would have been another seat for an independent.
At the Local Government election of 2005
, the DUP also emerged as the largest party at Local Government level with 182 Councillors across Northern Ireland's 26 District Councils. The DUP currently has a majority of the members on both Castlereagh Borough Council, which has long been a DUP stronghold and is home to Party Leader Peter Robinson
, also in Ballymena Borough Council, home to the party's founder Ian Paisley, and finally Ards Borough Council. As well as outright control on these councils, the DUP is also the largest party in eight of the other Councils. These are Antrim Borough Council, Ballymoney Borough Council, Banbridge District Council, Belfast City Council
, Carrickfergus Borough Council
, Coleraine Borough Council
, Craigavon Borough Council
and Newtownabbey Borough Council
On 11 April 2006, it was announced that three DUP members were to be elevated to the House of Lords
: Maurice Morrow, Wallace Browne, the former Lord Mayor of Belfast
, and Eileen Paisley, a vice-president of the DUP and wife of DUP Leader Ian Paisley
. None, however, sit as DUP peers.
On 27 October 2006, the DUP issued a four page letter in the Belfast Telegraph newspaper asking the question "Are the terms of Saint Andrew's
a basis of moving forward to devolution?", with responses to be received to its party headquarters by the 8 November. It was part of the party's overall direction of consultation with its electorate before entering a power-sharing assembly.
On 24 November 2006, Ian Paisley refused to nominate himself as First Minister of Northern Ireland designate. There was confusion between all parties whether he actually said that if Sinn Féin supported policing and the rule of law that he would nominate himself on 28 March 2007 after the Assembly elections on 7 March 2007. The Assembly meeting was brought to an abrupt end when they had to evacuate because of a security breach. Ian Paisley later released a statement through the press office stating that he did in fact imply that if Sinn Féin supported policing and the rule of law, he would go into power sharing with Sinn Féin. This was following a statement issued by 12 DUP MLAs stating that what Ian Paisley had said in the chamber could not be interpreted as a nomination.
In February 2007, the DUP suggested that it would begin to impose fines up to £
20,000 on members disobeying the party whip on crucial votes.
On 24 March 2007 the DUP Party Executive overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution put to them by the Party Officers which did not agree to an establishment of devolution and an Executive in Northern Ireland by the Government's deadline of 26 March, but did agree to setting up an Executive on 8 May 2007.
On 27 March 2007, the party's sole Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Jim Allister
, resigned from the party, in opposition to the decision to enter power-sharing with Sinn Féin
, he retained his seat as an Independent MEP as Leader of his new hard-line anti St Andrews Agreement
splinter group that he formed with other disaffected members who had left the DUP over the issue, Traditional Unionist Voice
, a seat which he retained until Diane Dodds
won the seat back for the DUP in 2009. MP Gregory Campbell
has warned on 6 April 2007 that his party will be watching to see if benefits flow from the party's agreement to share power with Sinn Féin
.
On 7 May 2007 the East Antrim MLA George Dawson died after a short battle against cancer. He was replaced by Alastair Ross
, who had previously worked as a Parliamentary Researcher for the East Antrim MP and MLA Sammy Wilson.
Sinn Féin
MLA, Daithí McKay
, used parliamentary privilege to name Sweeney as a member of the DUP in the Assembly, and suggested that there was a strong "conflict of interest" between Mr Sweeney's membership of the DUP and a DUP Minister's decision to "be of a mind" to approve Mr Sweeney's application for a Visitor Centre at the Giant's Causeway
. Questions were raised during an edition of Spotlight (NI)
on 23 September 2007 as to whether or not Mr Paisley had acted improperly when lobbying for Mr Sweeney regarding the Giant's Causeway visitor centre. It has also emerged that Mr Paisley bought one of a series of houses built in Bushmills by Mr Sweeney (at full market value) after a local councillor and the previous landowner had been told that planning permission would not be granted for a development of more than two houses on that site.
After a series of public blunders and further controversy in February 2008 following scrutiny on the employment of family members by politicians after the Derek Conway
scandal when it emerged that Mr Paisley was on his father's payroll as a researcher in the constituency of North Antrim in addition to his roles as an MLA and a Junior Minister
As a result of the scandal Paisley resigned his Junior Minister position on 18 February 2008
On 11 June 2008 the party supported the government's proposal to detain terror suspects for up to 42 days, leading to The Independent
dubbing all of the party's nine MPs as part of "Brown's dirty dozen". The Times
reported that the party had been given "sweetners for Northern Ireland" and "a peerage for the Rev Ian Paisley", amongst other offers to secure Gordon Brown
's bill.
Members of the DUP were lambasted by the press and voters, after MPs' expenses reports were leaked to the media. Several newspapers referred to the "Swish Family Robinson" after party leader Peter Robinson
, and his wife Iris, were to have claimed £571,939.41 in expenses with a further £150,000 being paid to family members. Further embarrassment was caused to the party when its deputy leader, Nigel Dodds, had the highest expenses claims of any Northern Ireland MP, ranking 13th highest out of all UK MPs. Details of all MPs' expenses claims since 2004 were published in July 2009 under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
.
In January 2010, Peter Robinson
was at the centre of a high-profile scandal
relating to his 60 year old MP/MLA wife Iris Robinson
's admitted infidelity with a 19 year old man from the Protestant Community, and alleged serious financial irregularities associated with the scandal. It is thought the consequence of this scandal was the loss of his seat in the 2010 United Kingdom General Election to the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
, through tactical voting by a discontent electorate.
In the 2010 General Election, the party suffered a major upset when its leader, Peter Robinson, lost his Belfast East
seat to Naomi Long of the APNI
on a swing of 22.9%. However, the party maintained its position elsewhere, fighting off a challenge from the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force
in Antrim South
and Strangford
and from Jim Allister's
TUV
in Antrim North
.
and as having a "near pathological obsession with all things gay" by The Observer
. In 1976, its leader Ian Paisley campaigned to "Save Ulster from Sodomy
" by maintaining the laws that defined anal intercourse and any sexual contact between men as crimes. Later, some DUP MPs have spoken out against homosexuality in different ways, while tending to avoid outright calls to punish or discriminate against gay people.
In 2005, DUP Councillor Maurice Mills claimed that Hurricane Katrina
was sent by God to the United States as an act of judgement upon those who practise sodomy
.
In the same year, The Sunday World reported that the DUP's then Westminster candidate Paul Berry had allegedly met a male masseur in a Belfast hotel. Mr Berry later confirmed he was "there for a sports massage". He later resigned from the DUP.
In May 2007, Ian Paisley, Jr.
was criticised for stating during an interview that he was "repulsed" by homosexuals. In this instance, the DUP claim that there was no suggestion of any form of discrimination in any of Mr Paisley Jr's comments though the SDLP's equality spokeswoman, Dolores Kelly
, requested that the assembly censure Mr Paisley. At the time he was a Junior Minister in OFMDFM
with responsibility for equality.
In February 2008, councillor Edwin Poots
condemned gay rugby
team the Ulster Titans
calling it a form of "apartheid". The Lisburn
councillor
had also tried to ban Civil Partnerships from taking place in Lisburn Civic Centre. Councillor Poots, who is also a Stormont
MLA
, was also involved in a row over funding events such as Gay Pride
. Despite strong opposition from within his Church, his party were bound by equality legislation to provide the funds.
In June 2008, Iris Robinson
made controversial comments on the Stephen Nolan
breakfast show on Radio Ulster, saying that "I have a very lovely psychiatrist who works with me in my offices and his Christian background is that he tries to help homosexuals - trying to turn away from what they are engaged in". The psychiatrist in question, Dr Paul Millar, later resigned from his post as advisor to Robinson and from his post as consultant psychiatrist at Belfast's Mater Hospital. A few days later in Westminster, Robinson stated that "There can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality and sodomy, than sexually abusing innocent children". Robinson claimed she was "misrepresented", however Hansard
staff reported this to be a statement of fact.
In October 2008, Peter Robinson
MP, the First Minister of Northern Ireland backed his wife's claims stating "It wasn't Iris Robinson who determined that homosexuality was an abomination, it was The Almighty. This is the Scriptures and it is a strange world indeed where somebody on the one hand talks about equality, but won’t allow Christians to have the equality, the right to speak, the right to express their views".
By January 2009, the Police Service of Northern Ireland
advised that it was forwarding a case against Mrs Robinson to the Public Prosecution Service. It is alleged that she twice contravened Article 9 of the Public Order Act
1987 by using threatening, abusive or insulting words which have the likelihood to stir up hatred and arouse fear.
The police found that no offence had been committed and on 20 March 2009, the Public Prosecution Service confirmed that Robinson would not be prosecuted for her comments.
and intelligent design
, questioning the availability of materials and resources for schools wishing to teach alternative theories to the evolution
. Additionally, one of these members, MP David Simpson, asked for assurances that students who gave creationist answers to examination questions would not be marked lower for it. A spokesman for the DUP confirmed that these views are consistent with party policy.
In May 2010, Nelson McCausland
(the Culture Minister
and the party's North Belfast
MLA) asked Northern Ireland's museums
to include creationism in their exhibits. He was berated by Richard Dawkins
(among others), who said: "If the museum was to go down that road then perhaps they should bring in the Stork
theory of where babies come from. Or perhaps the museum should introduce the flat Earth
theory".
was opposed by the Democratic Unionist Party. The opposition was based on a number of reasons, including:
The Belfast Agreement relied on the support of a majority of unionists and a majority of nationalists in order for it to operate. During the 2003 Assembly Election, the DUP argued for a "fair deal" that could command the support of both unionists and nationalists. After the results of this election the DUP argued that support was no longer present within unionism for the Belfast Agreement. They then went on to publish their proposals for devolution in Ireland entitled Devolution Now.
These proposals have been refined and re-stated in further policy documents including Moving on and Facing Reality.
The DUP has consistently held the view that any party which is linked to a terrorist organisation should not be eligible to hold Government office. The activities of the IRA and the other paramilitary groups have been monitored by the Independent Monitoring Commission
.
Members of the House of Lords
:
:
led the party from its foundation in 1971 onwards, and retired as leader of the party in spring 2008.
Paisley was replaced by former deputy leader Peter Robinson
on 31 May 2008.
Ian Paisley
in July 2010 became a member of the House of Lords and was given the title 'Lord Bannside'.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Founded by Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
and currently led by Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson (politician)
Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party...
, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.
The DUP has strong links to Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
churches, particularly the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
The Free Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination founded by the Rev. Ian Paisley in 1951. Most of its members live in Northern Ireland...
, the church Paisley founded, and is considered a Protestant political party.
Following on from the St Andrews Agreement
St Andrews Agreement
The St Andrews Agreement was an agreement between the British and Irish Governments and the political parties in relation to the devolution of power to Northern Ireland...
in October 2006, the DUP has agreed with the Irish republican
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
party Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
to enter into power-sharing
Consociationalism
Consociationalism is a form of government involving guaranteed group representation, and is often suggested for managing conflict in deeply divided societies...
devolved
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
government in Northern Ireland. In the aftermath of the agreement there were reports of divisions within the DUP. Many of its leading members, including Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MPs) Nigel Dodds
Nigel Dodds
Nigel Alexander Dodds, OBE, MP, BL is a barrister and Northern Irish unionist politician. He is Member of Parliament for Belfast North, and deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. He has been Lord Mayor of Belfast twice, and from 1993 has been General Secretary of the DUP...
, David Simpson and Gregory Campbell
Gregory Campbell (politician)
Gregory Lloyd Campbell is a Northern Irish unionist politician, and the Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, representing the East Londonderry constituency of Northern Ireland....
were claimed to be in opposition to Paisley. All the party's MPs fully signed up to the manifesto for the 2007 Assembly elections, supporting power sharing in principle. An overwhelming majority of the party executive voted in favour of restoring devolution in a meeting in March 2007; however, the DUP's sole Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
(MEP), Jim Allister
Jim Allister
James Hugh "Jim" Allister, QC is a Northern Ireland Unionist politician and senior barrister. He is the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice political party, serving as MLA in the Northern Ireland Assembly, where he represents Antrim North.He was formerly a member of the Democratic Unionist...
, and seven DUP councillors later resigned from the party in opposition to its plans to share power with Sinn Féin. They founded the Traditional Unionist Voice
Traditional Unionist Voice
Traditional Unionist Voice is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland founded on 7 December 2007, as an anti-St Andrews Agreement splinter group from the Democratic Unionist Party . Its first and current leader is Jim Allister who, until 2009, sat as an independent Member of the European...
in December 2007.
The DUP is the largest party in Northern Ireland, currently holding eight seats at Westminster and 38 seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. It has one seat in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, where its MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
, Diane Dodds
Diane Dodds
Diane Dodds is a Democratic Unionist Party politician from Northern Ireland, and a Member of the European Parliament for the Northern Ireland constituency.-Career:...
, sits as a Non-Inscrit
Non-Inscrits
Non-Inscrits are Members of the European Parliament who do not sit in one of the recognized political groups....
.
History
The party was established in 1971 by Ian PaisleyIan Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
and Desmond Boal
Desmond Boal
Desmond Boal is a former Unionist politician and barrister from Northern Ireland.Boal had a legal career before he entered politics in 1960. He was the Unionist member of the Parliament of Northern Ireland for the Shankill constituency between 1960 and 1972...
and other members of the Protestant Unionist Party
Protestant Unionist Party
The Protestant Unionist Party was a unionist political party operating in Northern Ireland from 1966 to 1971. It was set up by Ian Paisley, and was the forerunner of the modern Democratic Unionist Party and emerged from the Ulster Protestant Action movement.The UPA had two councillors elected,...
. Since its foundation it has won seats at local council, province, national and European level. It won eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly of 1973-1974, where it opposed the formation of a power-sharing executive made up of unionists and nationalists following the Sunningdale Agreement
Sunningdale Agreement
The Sunningdale Agreement was an attempt to establish a power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive and a cross-border Council of Ireland. The Agreement was signed at the Civil Service College in Sunningdale Park located in Sunningdale, Berkshire, on 9 December 1973.Unionist opposition, violence and...
. The DUP were more radically unionist than the UUP. The establishment of this political party arguably stemmed from insecurities of the Protestant working class. Paisley was elected one of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
's three European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
members at the first elections in 1979 and retained that seat in every European election until 2004. In 2004 Paisley was replaced as the DUP MEP by Jim Allister
Jim Allister
James Hugh "Jim" Allister, QC is a Northern Ireland Unionist politician and senior barrister. He is the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice political party, serving as MLA in the Northern Ireland Assembly, where he represents Antrim North.He was formerly a member of the Democratic Unionist...
, who resigned from the party in 2007 while retaining his seat.
The DUP also holds seats in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, and has been elected to each of the Northern Ireland conventions and assemblies set up since the party's creation. It has long been the principal rival to the other major unionist party, the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
(known for a time in the 1970s and 1980s as the Official Unionist Party (OUP) to distinguish it from the then multitude of other unionist parties, some set up by deposed former leaders). However, the DUP's main rivals are currently the Irish Republican Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
.
The DUP was originally involved in the negotiations under former United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
George J. Mitchell
George J. Mitchell
George John Mitchell, Jr., is the former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace under the Obama administration. A Democrat, Mitchell was a United States Senator who served as the Senate Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995...
that led to the Belfast Agreement
Belfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
(also known as the Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
Agreement on account of the day on which it was signed). The party withdrew in protest when Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, a republican
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
party with ties to the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA), was allowed to participate despite the IRA retaining weapons. The DUP opposed the Agreement in the referendum that followed its signing, and which saw the Agreement approved reasonably comfortably nonetheless.
The DUP fought the resulting election to the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
and took two seats in the multi-party power-sharing executive but while serving as ministers refused to sit in at meetings of the Executive Committee (cabinet) in protest at Sinn Féin's participation. The Executive ultimately collapsed over an alleged IRA espionage ring at Stormont
Parliament Buildings (Northern Ireland)
The Parliament Buildings, known as Stormont because of its location in the Stormont area of Belfast is the seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Northern Ireland Executive...
. (See Stormontgate
Stormontgate
Stormontgate is the name given to the controversy surrounding an alleged Provisional Irish Republican Army spy-ring and intelligence gathering operation based in Stormont, the parliament building of Northern Ireland...
).
In the delayed Northern Ireland Assembly election of 2003, the DUP became the largest political party in the region, with 30 seats. In 2004, it became the largest Ireland party at Westminster
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, with the defection of Jeffrey Donaldson
Jeffrey Donaldson
Jeffrey Mark Donaldson, MP is a Northern Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley belonging to the Democratic Unionist Party...
. On 12 December 2004, English MP Andrew Hunter
Andrew Hunter (British politician)
Andrew Robert Frederick Ebenezer Hunter is a United Kingdom politician and a member of the Orange Order. He was Member of Parliament for Basingstoke from 1983 until 2005...
took the DUP whip, giving the party seven seats, in comparison to the UUP's five, Sinn Féin's four, and the SDLP's three.
In the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, the party reinforced its position as the largest unionist party, winning nine seats, making it the fourth largest party in terms of seats in the British House of Commons behind Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. In terms of votes, the DUP is the fourth largest party on the island of Ireland.
When this is compared to the Ireland local government elections (held on the same day as the Westminister General Election but under proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
), then the final figures would indicate that, had the Westminster General Election been on a Proportional Representation basis instead of the First-past-the-post
First-past-the-post
First-past-the-post voting refers to an election won by the candidate with the most votes. The winning potato candidate does not necessarily receive an absolute majority of all votes cast.-Overview:...
system, the DUP would only have had six seats and the UUP and Sinn Féin four seats each. The SDLP would still have its three seats but there would have been another seat for an independent.
At the Local Government election of 2005
Northern Ireland local elections, 2005
Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland on 5 May 2005 along with the 2005 general election across the entire United Kingdom and local elections in England.-Results:-Belfast:-Derry:...
, the DUP also emerged as the largest party at Local Government level with 182 Councillors across Northern Ireland's 26 District Councils. The DUP currently has a majority of the members on both Castlereagh Borough Council, which has long been a DUP stronghold and is home to Party Leader Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson (politician)
Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party...
, also in Ballymena Borough Council, home to the party's founder Ian Paisley, and finally Ards Borough Council. As well as outright control on these councils, the DUP is also the largest party in eight of the other Councils. These are Antrim Borough Council, Ballymoney Borough Council, Banbridge District Council, Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council is the local authority with responsibility for the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of , the largest of any district council in Northern Ireland, while also being the fourth smallest by area...
, Carrickfergus Borough Council
Carrickfergus Borough Council
Carrickfergus Borough Council is a district council in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. The council headquarters are in Carrickfergus and the council administers the town, on the north shore of Belfast Lough, and surrounding area, which extends from Greenisland in the south-west to Whitehead in...
, Coleraine Borough Council
Coleraine Borough Council
Coleraine Borough Council is a local council mainly in County Londonderry and partly in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Its headquarters are in the town of Coleraine. Small towns in the area include Garvagh, Portrush, Portstewart and Kilrea...
, Craigavon Borough Council
Craigavon Borough Council
Craigavon Borough Council is a local council in counties Armagh, Down and Antrim, in Northern Ireland. The headquarters of the council is in Craigavon, on the shores of Lough Neagh, a new town built between Lurgan and Portadown. The council area includes the large towns of Lurgan and Portadown, as...
and Newtownabbey Borough Council
Newtownabbey Borough Council
Newtownabbey Borough Council is a Local Council in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Newtownabbey has a population of over 80,000 and is on the north shore of Belfast Lough just immediately north of Belfast. The Borough was founded in 1958 as a result of an Act of Parliament passed in 1957 and...
On 11 April 2006, it was announced that three DUP members were to be elevated to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
: Maurice Morrow, Wallace Browne, the former Lord Mayor of Belfast
Lord Mayor of Belfast
The Lord Mayor of Belfast is the leader and chairman of Belfast City Council, elected annually from and by the City's 51 councillors.The Lord Mayor is Niall Ó Donnghaile of Sinn Féin, while the Deputy Lord Mayor is Ruth Patterson of the Democratic Unionist Party, who were elected in May 2011.The...
, and Eileen Paisley, a vice-president of the DUP and wife of DUP Leader Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
. None, however, sit as DUP peers.
On 27 October 2006, the DUP issued a four page letter in the Belfast Telegraph newspaper asking the question "Are the terms of Saint Andrew's
St Andrews Agreement
The St Andrews Agreement was an agreement between the British and Irish Governments and the political parties in relation to the devolution of power to Northern Ireland...
a basis of moving forward to devolution?", with responses to be received to its party headquarters by the 8 November. It was part of the party's overall direction of consultation with its electorate before entering a power-sharing assembly.
On 24 November 2006, Ian Paisley refused to nominate himself as First Minister of Northern Ireland designate. There was confusion between all parties whether he actually said that if Sinn Féin supported policing and the rule of law that he would nominate himself on 28 March 2007 after the Assembly elections on 7 March 2007. The Assembly meeting was brought to an abrupt end when they had to evacuate because of a security breach. Ian Paisley later released a statement through the press office stating that he did in fact imply that if Sinn Féin supported policing and the rule of law, he would go into power sharing with Sinn Féin. This was following a statement issued by 12 DUP MLAs stating that what Ian Paisley had said in the chamber could not be interpreted as a nomination.
In February 2007, the DUP suggested that it would begin to impose fines up to £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
20,000 on members disobeying the party whip on crucial votes.
On 24 March 2007 the DUP Party Executive overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution put to them by the Party Officers which did not agree to an establishment of devolution and an Executive in Northern Ireland by the Government's deadline of 26 March, but did agree to setting up an Executive on 8 May 2007.
On 27 March 2007, the party's sole Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Jim Allister
Jim Allister
James Hugh "Jim" Allister, QC is a Northern Ireland Unionist politician and senior barrister. He is the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice political party, serving as MLA in the Northern Ireland Assembly, where he represents Antrim North.He was formerly a member of the Democratic Unionist...
, resigned from the party, in opposition to the decision to enter power-sharing with Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, he retained his seat as an Independent MEP as Leader of his new hard-line anti St Andrews Agreement
St Andrews Agreement
The St Andrews Agreement was an agreement between the British and Irish Governments and the political parties in relation to the devolution of power to Northern Ireland...
splinter group that he formed with other disaffected members who had left the DUP over the issue, Traditional Unionist Voice
Traditional Unionist Voice
Traditional Unionist Voice is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland founded on 7 December 2007, as an anti-St Andrews Agreement splinter group from the Democratic Unionist Party . Its first and current leader is Jim Allister who, until 2009, sat as an independent Member of the European...
, a seat which he retained until Diane Dodds
Diane Dodds
Diane Dodds is a Democratic Unionist Party politician from Northern Ireland, and a Member of the European Parliament for the Northern Ireland constituency.-Career:...
won the seat back for the DUP in 2009. MP Gregory Campbell
Gregory Campbell (politician)
Gregory Lloyd Campbell is a Northern Irish unionist politician, and the Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, representing the East Londonderry constituency of Northern Ireland....
has warned on 6 April 2007 that his party will be watching to see if benefits flow from the party's agreement to share power with Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
.
On 7 May 2007 the East Antrim MLA George Dawson died after a short battle against cancer. He was replaced by Alastair Ross
Alastair Ross
Alastair Ross is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Ross studied at the Friends School in Lisburn and at the University of Dundee before returning to study Irish Politics at Queen's University Belfast. While there, he became a Democratic Unionist Party activist...
, who had previously worked as a Parliamentary Researcher for the East Antrim MP and MLA Sammy Wilson.
Ian Paisley, Jr. scandal
There was continued controversy over the summer of 2007 over the nature of the relationship between Mr Paisley and property developer Seymour Sweeney. On 11 September 2007 North AntrimNorth Antrim
North Antrim can refer to:*The northern part of County Antrim*North Antrim *North Antrim *North Antrim...
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
MLA, Daithí McKay
Daithí McKay
Daithí McKay, MLA is an Irish republican politician. He is the Education spokesperson for Sinn Féin and the deputy chair of the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee in the Northern Irish Assembly...
, used parliamentary privilege to name Sweeney as a member of the DUP in the Assembly, and suggested that there was a strong "conflict of interest" between Mr Sweeney's membership of the DUP and a DUP Minister's decision to "be of a mind" to approve Mr Sweeney's application for a Visitor Centre at the Giant's Causeway
Giant's Causeway
The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles northeast of the town of Bushmills...
. Questions were raised during an edition of Spotlight (NI)
Spotlight (NI)
Spotlight is the name given to a BBC Northern Ireland weekly current affairs programme.The programme is aired on BBC1 Northern Ireland at 10.35pm on Tuesday evenings, with a repeat on BBC2. It is available to UK viewers outside of Northern Ireland on BBC iPlayer for a week after the programme...
on 23 September 2007 as to whether or not Mr Paisley had acted improperly when lobbying for Mr Sweeney regarding the Giant's Causeway visitor centre. It has also emerged that Mr Paisley bought one of a series of houses built in Bushmills by Mr Sweeney (at full market value) after a local councillor and the previous landowner had been told that planning permission would not be granted for a development of more than two houses on that site.
After a series of public blunders and further controversy in February 2008 following scrutiny on the employment of family members by politicians after the Derek Conway
Derek Conway
Derek Leslie Conway TD is an English politician and television presenter. A member of the centre-right Conservative Party, Conway served as a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Old Bexley and Sidcup from 2001 to 2010....
scandal when it emerged that Mr Paisley was on his father's payroll as a researcher in the constituency of North Antrim in addition to his roles as an MLA and a Junior Minister
As a result of the scandal Paisley resigned his Junior Minister position on 18 February 2008
Robinson leadership
On 31 May 2008 the party's central Executive Committee met at the offices of Castlereagh Borough Council where Ian Paisley formally stepped down as Party Leader and Peter Robinson was ratified as the new leader with Nigel Dodds as his deputy.On 11 June 2008 the party supported the government's proposal to detain terror suspects for up to 42 days, leading to The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
dubbing all of the party's nine MPs as part of "Brown's dirty dozen". The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
reported that the party had been given "sweetners for Northern Ireland" and "a peerage for the Rev Ian Paisley", amongst other offers to secure Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
's bill.
Members of the DUP were lambasted by the press and voters, after MPs' expenses reports were leaked to the media. Several newspapers referred to the "Swish Family Robinson" after party leader Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson (politician)
Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party...
, and his wife Iris, were to have claimed £571,939.41 in expenses with a further £150,000 being paid to family members. Further embarrassment was caused to the party when its deputy leader, Nigel Dodds, had the highest expenses claims of any Northern Ireland MP, ranking 13th highest out of all UK MPs. Details of all MPs' expenses claims since 2004 were published in July 2009 under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Freedom of Information Act 2000
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that creates a public "right of access" to information held by public authorities. It is the implementation of freedom of information legislation in the United Kingdom on a national level...
.
In January 2010, Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson (politician)
Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party...
was at the centre of a high-profile scandal
Iris Robinson scandal
The Iris Robinson scandal, also known as Irisgate, was a political scandal in Northern Ireland which came to light in early January 2010. In a televised interview on 6 January Peter Robinson, Northern Ireland's First Minister, revealed that his wife Iris Robinson, had an affair in 2008 and...
relating to his 60 year old MP/MLA wife Iris Robinson
Iris Robinson
Iris Robinson is a former Northern Ireland Unionist politician. She is married to Peter Robinson, who is currently the First Minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly....
's admitted infidelity with a 19 year old man from the Protestant Community, and alleged serious financial irregularities associated with the scandal. It is thought the consequence of this scandal was the loss of his seat in the 2010 United Kingdom General Election to the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
, through tactical voting by a discontent electorate.
In the 2010 General Election, the party suffered a major upset when its leader, Peter Robinson, lost his Belfast East
Belfast East (UK Parliament constituency)
Belfast East is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Naomi Long of the Alliance Party, elected in 2010...
seat to Naomi Long of the APNI
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
on a swing of 22.9%. However, the party maintained its position elsewhere, fighting off a challenge from the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force
Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force
The Ulster Conservatives and Unionists, officially registered as the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force , is a bipartisan electoral alliance in Northern Ireland between the Ulster Unionist Party and the Northern Ireland branch of the Conservative Party, the latter party also being...
in Antrim South
South Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)
South Antrim is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:From 1885, this constituency was one of four county divisions of the former Antrim constituency...
and Strangford
Strangford (UK Parliament constituency)
Strangford is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The seat was created in boundary changes in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from parts of North Down...
and from Jim Allister's
Jim Allister
James Hugh "Jim" Allister, QC is a Northern Ireland Unionist politician and senior barrister. He is the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice political party, serving as MLA in the Northern Ireland Assembly, where he represents Antrim North.He was formerly a member of the Democratic Unionist...
TUV
Traditional Unionist Voice
Traditional Unionist Voice is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland founded on 7 December 2007, as an anti-St Andrews Agreement splinter group from the Democratic Unionist Party . Its first and current leader is Jim Allister who, until 2009, sat as an independent Member of the European...
in Antrim North
North Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)
North Antrim is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. Its current member is Ian Paisley Jr.-Boundaries:North Antrim has always been a county constituency comprising the northern part of County Antrim in the north-east of Northern Ireland...
.
Homosexuality
The DUP has been described as an "anti-gay party" by Pink NewsPink News
Pink News is a United Kingdom-based online gay newspaper.The paper version, The Pink News, officially launched at the Law Society on 28 June 2006 by Francis Maude, Chairman of the Conservative Party, Meg Munn, Minister for Equality, Simon Hughes, President of the Liberal Democrats and Meg Hillier,...
and as having a "near pathological obsession with all things gay" by The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
. In 1976, its leader Ian Paisley campaigned to "Save Ulster from Sodomy
Save Ulster from Sodomy
Save Ulster from Sodomy was a political campaign launched in 1977 by the Rev. Ian Paisley, MP, then leader of the Democratic Unionist Party and Free Presbyterian Church, to prevent the decriminalisation of homosexual acts in Northern Ireland...
" by maintaining the laws that defined anal intercourse and any sexual contact between men as crimes. Later, some DUP MPs have spoken out against homosexuality in different ways, while tending to avoid outright calls to punish or discriminate against gay people.
In 2005, DUP Councillor Maurice Mills claimed that Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
was sent by God to the United States as an act of judgement upon those who practise sodomy
Sodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
.
In the same year, The Sunday World reported that the DUP's then Westminster candidate Paul Berry had allegedly met a male masseur in a Belfast hotel. Mr Berry later confirmed he was "there for a sports massage". He later resigned from the DUP.
In May 2007, Ian Paisley, Jr.
Ian Paisley, Jr.
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Jr., MP is the Member of Parliament for North Antrim and member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Democratic Unionist Party and an author. He is the son of the DUP's founder and former leader, Ian Paisley.In 1990, he married Fiona, and they have four children...
was criticised for stating during an interview that he was "repulsed" by homosexuals. In this instance, the DUP claim that there was no suggestion of any form of discrimination in any of Mr Paisley Jr's comments though the SDLP's equality spokeswoman, Dolores Kelly
Dolores Kelly
Cllr Dolores Kelly is a Social Democratic and Labour Party politician and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Upper Bann.Kelly attended the University of Ulster, Jordanstown....
, requested that the assembly censure Mr Paisley. At the time he was a Junior Minister in OFMDFM
Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister
The Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive with overall responsibility for the running of the Executive...
with responsibility for equality.
In February 2008, councillor Edwin Poots
Edwin Poots
Alderman Edwin Poots MLA is a Northern Irish politician and a Democratic Unionist Party Member of the Legislative Assembly for Lagan Valley. He is one of three DUP MLAs for Lagan Valley.-Biography:...
condemned gay rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team the Ulster Titans
Ulster Titans
The Ulster Titans are a Northern Irish rugby team based in Belfast. They play East 2 of the Ulster Magners Minor League and are members of the International Gay Rugby Association and Board. The club colours are black, yellow and white.-History:...
calling it a form of "apartheid". The Lisburn
Lisburn
DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...
councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
had also tried to ban Civil Partnerships from taking place in Lisburn Civic Centre. Councillor Poots, who is also a Stormont
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)
Member of the Legislative Assembly is a representative elected by the voters to the Northern Ireland Assembly in Northern Ireland.- About :...
, was also involved in a row over funding events such as Gay Pride
Gay pride
LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
. Despite strong opposition from within his Church, his party were bound by equality legislation to provide the funds.
In June 2008, Iris Robinson
Iris Robinson
Iris Robinson is a former Northern Ireland Unionist politician. She is married to Peter Robinson, who is currently the First Minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly....
made controversial comments on the Stephen Nolan
Stephen Nolan
Stephen Nolan, born Belfast in 1973, is a radio and television presenter for BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Radio Five Live. He was educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution, and Queen's University Belfast where he studied French and Business Studies....
breakfast show on Radio Ulster, saying that "I have a very lovely psychiatrist who works with me in my offices and his Christian background is that he tries to help homosexuals - trying to turn away from what they are engaged in". The psychiatrist in question, Dr Paul Millar, later resigned from his post as advisor to Robinson and from his post as consultant psychiatrist at Belfast's Mater Hospital. A few days later in Westminster, Robinson stated that "There can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality and sodomy, than sexually abusing innocent children". Robinson claimed she was "misrepresented", however Hansard
Hansard
Hansard is the name of the printed transcripts of parliamentary debates in the Westminster system of government. It is named after Thomas Curson Hansard, an early printer and publisher of these transcripts.-Origins:...
staff reported this to be a statement of fact.
In October 2008, Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson (politician)
Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party...
MP, the First Minister of Northern Ireland backed his wife's claims stating "It wasn't Iris Robinson who determined that homosexuality was an abomination, it was The Almighty. This is the Scriptures and it is a strange world indeed where somebody on the one hand talks about equality, but won’t allow Christians to have the equality, the right to speak, the right to express their views".
By January 2009, the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
advised that it was forwarding a case against Mrs Robinson to the Public Prosecution Service. It is alleged that she twice contravened Article 9 of the Public Order Act
Public Order Act
Public Order Act is a stock short title used for legislation in Rhodesia, Sierra Leone, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom, relating to public order offences.-Rhodesia:...
1987 by using threatening, abusive or insulting words which have the likelihood to stir up hatred and arouse fear.
The police found that no offence had been committed and on 20 March 2009, the Public Prosecution Service confirmed that Robinson would not be prosecuted for her comments.
Creationism
In 2007, two DUP members raised the issue of creationismCreationism
Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...
and intelligent design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
, questioning the availability of materials and resources for schools wishing to teach alternative theories to the evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
. Additionally, one of these members, MP David Simpson, asked for assurances that students who gave creationist answers to examination questions would not be marked lower for it. A spokesman for the DUP confirmed that these views are consistent with party policy.
In May 2010, Nelson McCausland
Nelson McCausland
Nelson McCausland, MLA is a unionist politician from Northern Ireland. He is the current Minister for Social Development in the Northern Irish Government.-Education:...
(the Culture Minister
Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure is a devolved Northern Irish government department in the Northern Ireland Executive...
and the party's North Belfast
Belfast North (Assembly constituency)
Belfast North is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
MLA) asked Northern Ireland's museums
Ulster Museum
The Ulster Museum, located in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast, has around 8,000 square metres of public display space, featuring material from the collections of fine art and applied art, archaeology, ethnography, treasures from the Spanish Armada, local history, numismatics, industrial...
to include creationism in their exhibits. He was berated by Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins
Clinton Richard Dawkins, FRS, FRSL , known as Richard Dawkins, is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author...
(among others), who said: "If the museum was to go down that road then perhaps they should bring in the Stork
Stork
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families....
theory of where babies come from. Or perhaps the museum should introduce the flat Earth
Flat Earth
The Flat Earth model is a belief that the Earth's shape is a plane or disk. Most ancient cultures have had conceptions of a flat Earth, including Greece until the classical period, the Bronze Age and Iron Age civilizations of the Near East until the Hellenistic period, India until the Gupta period ...
theory".
Northern Ireland Executive Ministers
| Portfolio | Name |
|---|---|
| First Minister First Minister and deputy First Minister The First Minister and the Deputy First Minister , sometimes abbreviated to FM/DFM, are positions in the Northern Ireland... |
Peter Robinson Peter Robinson (politician) Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party... MLA |
| Junior Minister at Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister The Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive with overall responsibility for the running of the Executive... |
Robin Newton Robin Newton Robin Newton is a Unionist politician for the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland. He is an MLA for East Belfast. Newton was sworn in as a Junior Minister within the Office of First and deputy First Minister on 1 July 2009... MLA |
| Culture, Arts and Leisure Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure is a devolved Northern Irish government department in the Northern Ireland Executive... |
Nelson McCausland Nelson McCausland Nelson McCausland, MLA is a unionist politician from Northern Ireland. He is the current Minister for Social Development in the Northern Irish Government.-Education:... MLA |
| Enterprise, Trade and Investment Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive... |
Arlene Foster Arlene Foster Arlene Isabel Foster is a politician in Northern Ireland. She is one of two Democratic Unionist Party MLAs representing the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly. She became Minister of the Environment on 8 May 2009 and was subsequently reshuffled into the... MLA |
| Environment Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) The Department of the Environment is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility for the department is the Minister for the Environment.-Aim:... |
Edwin Poots Edwin Poots Alderman Edwin Poots MLA is a Northern Irish politician and a Democratic Unionist Party Member of the Legislative Assembly for Lagan Valley. He is one of three DUP MLAs for Lagan Valley.-Biography:... MLA |
| Finance and Personnel Department of Finance and Personnel The Department of Finance and Personnel is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive... |
Sammy Wilson Sammy Wilson Samuel Wilson is a politician from Northern Ireland who is a Member of Parliament and a Member of the Legislative Assembly for East Antrim. He served as Lord Mayor of Belfast in 1986 – 1987; and again from June 2000 to June 2001. He was the first person from the Democratic Unionist Party ... MP MLA |
Party spokespersons - Westminster
| Responsibility | Spokesperson |
|---|---|
| Party Leader | Peter Robinson Peter Robinson (politician) Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party... MLA |
| Deputy Leader | Nigel Dodds Nigel Dodds Nigel Alexander Dodds, OBE, MP, BL is a barrister and Northern Irish unionist politician. He is Member of Parliament for Belfast North, and deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. He has been Lord Mayor of Belfast twice, and from 1993 has been General Secretary of the DUP... MP MLA |
| Defence, Culture, Media and Sport | Gregory Campbell Gregory Campbell (politician) Gregory Lloyd Campbell is a Northern Irish unionist politician, and the Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, representing the East Londonderry constituency of Northern Ireland.... MP MLA |
| Education and Skills, Housing | Sammy Wilson Sammy Wilson Samuel Wilson is a politician from Northern Ireland who is a Member of Parliament and a Member of the Legislative Assembly for East Antrim. He served as Lord Mayor of Belfast in 1986 – 1987; and again from June 2000 to June 2001. He was the first person from the Democratic Unionist Party ... MP MLA |
| Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | William McCrea William McCrea (politician) Robert Thomas William McCrea is a politician from Northern Ireland, and a member of the Democratic Unionist Party.-Career:... MP MLA |
| Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Europe | Ian Paisley Ian Paisley Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding... MP MLA |
| Health, Youth and Women | |
| Home Affairs, Justice | Peter Robinson Peter Robinson (politician) Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party... MLA |
| Trade and Industry | David Simpson MP MLA |
| Transport, International Development | Jeffrey Donaldson Jeffrey Donaldson Jeffrey Mark Donaldson, MP is a Northern Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley belonging to the Democratic Unionist Party... MP MLA |
| Treasury, Work and Pensions, Shadow Leader of the House | Nigel Dodds Nigel Dodds Nigel Alexander Dodds, OBE, MP, BL is a barrister and Northern Irish unionist politician. He is Member of Parliament for Belfast North, and deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. He has been Lord Mayor of Belfast twice, and from 1993 has been General Secretary of the DUP... MP MLA |
Party spokespersons - Assembly
| Responsibility | Spokesperson |
|---|---|
| Party Leader | Peter Robinson Peter Robinson (politician) Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party... MLA |
| Deputy Leader | Nigel Dodds Nigel Dodds Nigel Alexander Dodds, OBE, MP, BL is a barrister and Northern Irish unionist politician. He is Member of Parliament for Belfast North, and deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. He has been Lord Mayor of Belfast twice, and from 1993 has been General Secretary of the DUP... MP MLA |
| Agriculture and Rural Development | William McCrea William McCrea (politician) Robert Thomas William McCrea is a politician from Northern Ireland, and a member of the Democratic Unionist Party.-Career:... MP MLA |
| Culture, Arts and Leisure | Gregory Campbell (politician) Gregory Campbell (politician) Gregory Lloyd Campbell is a Northern Irish unionist politician, and the Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, representing the East Londonderry constituency of Northern Ireland.... MLA |
| Education | Mervyn Storey Mervyn Storey Cllr Mervyn Storey MLA is a Northern Ireland politician and a Democratic Unionist Party MLA for North Antrim.-Biography:Mervyn Storey is a former member of the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland. Storey was elected to Ballymoney council in 2001 and again in 2005. He is a member of the Ballymoney... MLA |
| Employment and Learning | Tom Buchanon MLA |
| Enterprise, Trade and Investment | Peter Weir MLA |
| Environment | Alastair Ross MLA |
| Finance and Personnel | Ian Paisley Jnr MLA |
| Health, Social Services and Public Safety | |
| Regional Development | Michelle McIlveen |
| Social Development | Simon Hamilton |
Belfast Agreement
The 1998 Belfast AgreementBelfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
was opposed by the Democratic Unionist Party. The opposition was based on a number of reasons, including:
- The early release of terrorist prisoners
- The mechanism to allow Sinn FéinSinn FéinSinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
to hold Government office despite ongoing IRA activity. - The lack of accountability of Ministers within the ExecutiveNorthern Ireland ExecutiveThe Northern Ireland Executive is the executive arm of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland. It is answerable to the Assembly and was established according to the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which followed the Good Friday Agreement...
. - The lack of accountability of the North/South Ministerial CouncilNorth/South Ministerial CouncilThe North/South Ministerial Council is a body established under the Belfast Agreement to co-ordinate activity and exercise certain governmental powers across the whole island of Ireland...
and all-Ireland Implementation Bodies.
The Belfast Agreement relied on the support of a majority of unionists and a majority of nationalists in order for it to operate. During the 2003 Assembly Election, the DUP argued for a "fair deal" that could command the support of both unionists and nationalists. After the results of this election the DUP argued that support was no longer present within unionism for the Belfast Agreement. They then went on to publish their proposals for devolution in Ireland entitled Devolution Now.
These proposals have been refined and re-stated in further policy documents including Moving on and Facing Reality.
The DUP has consistently held the view that any party which is linked to a terrorist organisation should not be eligible to hold Government office. The activities of the IRA and the other paramilitary groups have been monitored by the Independent Monitoring Commission
Independent Monitoring Commission
The Independent Monitoring Commission was an organization founded on 7 January 2004, by an agreement between the British and Irish governments, signed in Dublin on 25 November 2003...
.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Members of the House of Commons:- Gregory CampbellGregory Campbell (politician)Gregory Lloyd Campbell is a Northern Irish unionist politician, and the Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, representing the East Londonderry constituency of Northern Ireland....
- East LondonderryEast Londonderry (UK Parliament constituency)East Londonderry is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The seat was created in boundary changes in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from the old Londonderry constituency... - Jeffrey DonaldsonJeffrey DonaldsonJeffrey Mark Donaldson, MP is a Northern Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley belonging to the Democratic Unionist Party...
- Lagan ValleyLagan Valley (UK Parliament constituency)Lagan Valley is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.- Boundaries :The seat was created in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from parts of South Antrim and North Down. In their original... - Nigel DoddsNigel DoddsNigel Alexander Dodds, OBE, MP, BL is a barrister and Northern Irish unionist politician. He is Member of Parliament for Belfast North, and deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. He has been Lord Mayor of Belfast twice, and from 1993 has been General Secretary of the DUP...
- Belfast NorthBelfast North (UK Parliament constituency)Belfast North is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The seat was created in 1922 when, as part of the establishment of the devolved Stormont Parliament for Northern Ireland, the number of MPs in the Westminster Parliament was drastically cut... - William McCreaWilliam McCrea (politician)Robert Thomas William McCrea is a politician from Northern Ireland, and a member of the Democratic Unionist Party.-Career:...
- South AntrimSouth Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)South Antrim is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:From 1885, this constituency was one of four county divisions of the former Antrim constituency... - Ian Paisley, Jr.Ian Paisley, Jr.Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Jr., MP is the Member of Parliament for North Antrim and member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Democratic Unionist Party and an author. He is the son of the DUP's founder and former leader, Ian Paisley.In 1990, he married Fiona, and they have four children...
- North AntrimNorth Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)North Antrim is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. Its current member is Ian Paisley Jr.-Boundaries:North Antrim has always been a county constituency comprising the northern part of County Antrim in the north-east of Northern Ireland... - Jim ShannonJim ShannonRichard James Shannon is a unionist politician from Northern Ireland.-Early life:Shannon was educated at Ballywalter Primary School and Coleraine Academical Institution. He was in the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1973-75 and 1976–77 and was awarded the General Service Medal. He served in the Royal...
- StrangfordStrangford (UK Parliament constituency)Strangford is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The seat was created in boundary changes in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from parts of North Down... - David Simpson - Upper BannUpper Bann (UK Parliament constituency)Upper Bann is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current Member of Parliament for Upper Bann is David Simpson.-Boundaries:...
- Sammy WilsonSammy WilsonSamuel Wilson is a politician from Northern Ireland who is a Member of Parliament and a Member of the Legislative Assembly for East Antrim. He served as Lord Mayor of Belfast in 1986 – 1987; and again from June 2000 to June 2001. He was the first person from the Democratic Unionist Party ...
- East AntrimEast Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)East Antrim is a Parliamentary Constituency in the House of Commons and also an Assembly constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly. It has voted for Unionist candidates since its re-creation in 1983.-Boundaries:...
Members of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
:
- Baron Browne of Belmont
- Baron Morrow of Clogher Valley
- Baroness Paisley of St George's
- Baron BannsideIan PaisleyIan Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
Northern Ireland Assembly
Members of the 2007 Northern Ireland AssemblyMembers of the Northern Ireland Assembly elected in 2007
This is a list of the 108 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly elected in 2007. All members elected at the assembly elections, held on 7 March 2007 are listed.-Results:11121315152571727932122232616268182810431323337...
:
- Allan BreslandAllan BreslandAllan Bresland is a unionist politician in Northern Ireland. He served in the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Democratic Unionist Party member for West Tyrone from 2007-11....
- West TyroneWest Tyrone (Assembly constituency)West Tyrone is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996... - Baron Browne of Belmont - Belfast EastBelfast East (Assembly constituency)Belfast East is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
- Thomas Buchanan - West TyroneWest Tyrone (Assembly constituency)West Tyrone is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996...
- Gregory CampbellGregory Campbell (politician)Gregory Lloyd Campbell is a Northern Irish unionist politician, and the Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, representing the East Londonderry constituency of Northern Ireland....
- East LondonderryEast Londonderry (Assembly constituency)East Londonderry is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996... - Trevor ClarkeTrevor ClarkeTrevor Clarke MLA is a unionist politician in Northern Ireland. He was elected in 2007, and re-elected in 2011 to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Democratic Unionist Party member for South Antrim....
- South AntrimSouth Antrim (Assembly constituency)South Antrim is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973... - Jonathan CraigJonathan CraigJonathan Craig MLA is a unionist politician in Northern Ireland. He was elected in 2007 to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Democratic Unionist Party member for Lagan Valley and re-elected at the 2011 election....
- Lagan ValleyLagan Valley (Assembly constituency)Lagan Valley is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996. Since 1998, it has elected members to the current Assembly.... - Nigel DoddsNigel DoddsNigel Alexander Dodds, OBE, MP, BL is a barrister and Northern Irish unionist politician. He is Member of Parliament for Belfast North, and deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. He has been Lord Mayor of Belfast twice, and from 1993 has been General Secretary of the DUP...
- Belfast NorthBelfast North (Assembly constituency)Belfast North is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973... - Alex EastonAlex EastonAlex Easton MLA is a Northern Ireland Unionist politician.He was educated at Bangor Technical College and since 1989 he has worked in the Health Service in the accident and emergency department in Newtownards Hospital...
- North DownNorth Down (Assembly constituency)North Down is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973... - Paul FrewPaul FrewPaul Frew is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland. He was elected at the Northern Ireland local elections, 2005 for the Democratic Unionist Party to Ballymena Borough Council....
- North DownNorth Antrim (Assembly constituency)North Antrim is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
(replaced Ian Paisley Jr MP, June 2010 - Arlene FosterArlene FosterArlene Isabel Foster is a politician in Northern Ireland. She is one of two Democratic Unionist Party MLAs representing the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly. She became Minister of the Environment on 8 May 2009 and was subsequently reshuffled into the...
- Fermanagh and South TyroneFermanagh and South Tyrone (Assembly constituency)Fermanagh and South Tyrone is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973... - Paul GivanPaul GivanPaul Jonathan Givan is a unionist politician in Northern Ireland. He was co-opted in June 2010 to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Democratic Unionist Party member for Lagan Valley, replacing the previous MLA, Jeffrey Donaldson, MP...
- Lagan ValleyLagan Valley (Assembly constituency)Lagan Valley is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996. Since 1998, it has elected members to the current Assembly....
(replaced Jeffrey DonaldsonJeffrey DonaldsonJeffrey Mark Donaldson, MP is a Northern Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley belonging to the Democratic Unionist Party...
MP, June 2010 - Simon HamiltonSimon HamiltonSimon Hamilton MLA is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland. He was elected in 2007 to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Democratic Unionist Party member for Strangford....
- StrangfordStrangford (Assembly constituency)Strangford is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996... - William Hay - FoyleFoyle (Assembly constituency)Foyle is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996. Since 1998, it has elected members to the current Assembly....
- David HilditchDavid HilditchAlderman David Hilditch MLA is a Northern Irish politician for the Democratic Unionist Party . He is an MLA for East Antrim.David Hilditch was born in 1963 in Carrickfergus....
- East AntrimEast Antrim (Assembly constituency)East Antrim is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996. Since 1998, it has elected members to the current Assembly.... - William Irwin - Newry and ArmaghNewry and Armagh (Assembly constituency)Newry and Armagh is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996. Since 1998, it has elected members to the current Assembly....
- Nelson McCauslandNelson McCauslandNelson McCausland, MLA is a unionist politician from Northern Ireland. He is the current Minister for Social Development in the Northern Irish Government.-Education:...
- Belfast NorthBelfast North (Assembly constituency)Belfast North is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973... - Ian McCreaIan McCreaIan McCrea, MLA is a British politician. He was elected in 2007 to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Democratic Unionist Party member for Mid Ulster.Born in Magherafelt in 1976, he now lives in Cookstown with his wife and three children...
- Mid UlsterMid Ulster (Assembly constituency)Mid Ulster is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973... - William McCreaWilliam McCrea (politician)Robert Thomas William McCrea is a politician from Northern Ireland, and a member of the Democratic Unionist Party.-Career:...
- South AntrimSouth Antrim (Assembly constituency)South Antrim is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973... - Michelle McIlveenMichelle McIlveenMichelle McIlveen, MLA is a politician from Northern Ireland. She was elected in 2007 to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Democratic Unionist Party member for Strangford....
- StrangfordStrangford (Assembly constituency)Strangford is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996... - Adrian McQuillanAdrian McQuillanAdrian McQuillan, MLA is a DUP politician in Northern Ireland.A joiner by trade and postman for 18 years McQuillan was first elected to Coleraine Borough Council in 2001. He was subsequently elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a member for East Londonderry at the 2007 Assembly elections...
- East LondonderryEast Londonderry (Assembly constituency)East Londonderry is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996... - Baron Morrow of Clogher Valley - Fermanagh and South TyroneFermanagh and South Tyrone (Assembly constituency)Fermanagh and South Tyrone is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
- Stephen MoutrayStephen MoutrayAlderman Stephen Moutray MLA is a unionist politician from Northern Ireland. He is a member of the Democratic Unionist Party and is currently Mayor of Craigavon Borough Council....
- Upper BannUpper Bann (Assembly constituency)Upper Bann is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996... - Robin NewtonRobin NewtonRobin Newton is a Unionist politician for the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland. He is an MLA for East Belfast. Newton was sworn in as a Junior Minister within the Office of First and deputy First Minister on 1 July 2009...
- Belfast EastBelfast East (Assembly constituency)Belfast East is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973... - Lord Paisley, Baron of BannsideIan PaisleyIan Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
- North AntrimNorth Antrim (Assembly constituency)North Antrim is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973... - Edwin PootsEdwin PootsAlderman Edwin Poots MLA is a Northern Irish politician and a Democratic Unionist Party Member of the Legislative Assembly for Lagan Valley. He is one of three DUP MLAs for Lagan Valley.-Biography:...
- Lagan ValleyLagan Valley (Assembly constituency)Lagan Valley is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996. Since 1998, it has elected members to the current Assembly.... - George RobinsonGeorge Robinson (politician)Alderman George Robinson MLA is a unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Robinson was educated at Limavady Technical College and is a retired civil servant...
- East LondonderryEast Londonderry (Assembly constituency)East Londonderry is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996... - Peter RobinsonPeter Robinson (politician)Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party...
- Belfast EastBelfast East (Assembly constituency)Belfast East is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973... - Alastair RossAlastair RossAlastair Ross is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Ross studied at the Friends School in Lisburn and at the University of Dundee before returning to study Irish Politics at Queen's University Belfast. While there, he became a Democratic Unionist Party activist...
- East AntrimEast Antrim (Assembly constituency)East Antrim is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996. Since 1998, it has elected members to the current Assembly....
(replaced George DawsonGeorge Dawson (politician)George Dawson was a Northern Irish politician and a member of the Democratic Unionist Party since 1979. He was an MLA for East Antrim from November 2003 until his death following a short battle with cancer....
, who died on 7 May 2007) - Jim ShannonJim ShannonRichard James Shannon is a unionist politician from Northern Ireland.-Early life:Shannon was educated at Ballywalter Primary School and Coleraine Academical Institution. He was in the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1973-75 and 1976–77 and was awarded the General Service Medal. He served in the Royal...
- StrangfordStrangford (Assembly constituency)Strangford is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996... - David Simpson - Upper BannUpper Bann (Assembly constituency)Upper Bann is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996...
- Jimmy SprattJimmy SprattJimmy Spratt is a Unionist politician from Northern Ireland.In 2007, he was elected as a Democratic Unionist Party member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for South Belfast. He chairs the Assembly and Executive Review Committee, is one of the DUP representatives on the Northern Ireland Policing...
- Belfast SouthBelfast South (Assembly constituency)Belfast South is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973... - Mervyn StoreyMervyn StoreyCllr Mervyn Storey MLA is a Northern Ireland politician and a Democratic Unionist Party MLA for North Antrim.-Biography:Mervyn Storey is a former member of the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland. Storey was elected to Ballymoney council in 2001 and again in 2005. He is a member of the Ballymoney...
- North AntrimNorth Antrim (Assembly constituency)North Antrim is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973... - Peter WeirPeter Weir (politician)Peter Weir MLA is a Northern Ireland unionist politician.A past chairman of the Young Unionists , Weir is a barrister by profession. He attended Bangor Grammar School and graduated from the Queen's University of Belfast in Law and Accountancy. He was called to the Northern Ireland Bar in 1992 and...
- North DownNorth Down (Assembly constituency)North Down is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973... - Jim Wells - South DownSouth Down (Assembly constituency)South Down is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
- Sammy WilsonSammy WilsonSamuel Wilson is a politician from Northern Ireland who is a Member of Parliament and a Member of the Legislative Assembly for East Antrim. He served as Lord Mayor of Belfast in 1986 – 1987; and again from June 2000 to June 2001. He was the first person from the Democratic Unionist Party ...
- East AntrimEast Antrim (Assembly constituency)East Antrim is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996. Since 1998, it has elected members to the current Assembly....
Leadership
Founder Ian PaisleyIan Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
led the party from its foundation in 1971 onwards, and retired as leader of the party in spring 2008.
Paisley was replaced by former deputy leader Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson (politician)
Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party...
on 31 May 2008.
Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
in July 2010 became a member of the House of Lords and was given the title 'Lord Bannside'.
See also
External links
- Democratic Unionist Party (official website)