David Ervine
Encyclopedia
David Ervine was a Northern Irish
politician and the leader of the Progressive Unionist Party
(PUP).
between the Albertbridge and Newtownards roads. Like many in his situation, he grew up closely identifying with his community and absorbed the Ulster Unionism ideals and opinions that go along with this identity. He left Orangefield High School
at 14, and at the age of 19 Ervine joined the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), believing this to be the only way to ensure the defence of the Protestant community.
he was found guilty of possession of explosives with intent to endanger life, he was sentenced to 11 years and imprisoned in The Maze
.
While in prison, Ervine came under the influence of Gusty Spence
who made him question what his struggle was about. Spence's influence unquestionably changed Ervine's direction: after much study and self-analysis, Ervine emerged with the view that change through politics was the only option.
He also became friends with Billy Hutchinson
while in prison.
. In 1998, he was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly
to represent Belfast East and was re-elected in 2003. He was also a member of Belfast City Council
from 1997
.
to discuss the loyalist ceasefire.
and was one of the few unionist politicians to still actively support the Agreement. At a Labour Party
meeting in 2001, then Northern Ireland Secretary, John Reid, described him as "one of the most eloquent politicians in Northern Ireland". Some of his opponents made references to him having swallowed a dictionary. Some saw Ervine as one of the few politicians actively engaged with conflict resolution.
In the Northern Ireland Assembly
, he was seen as a Unionist sympathetic to the short term demands of Sinn Féin
. He abstained against attempts by the Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP) to exclude Sinn Féin from office in July 2000 and October 2001. In April 2001, he provoked a direct political attack from the DUP over him being the only Unionist to vote against a motion condemning the display of lillies commemorating the 1916 Easter Uprising at Parliament Buildings. He also expressed support for the right of Sinn Féin members to make speeches in Irish (Gaelic
) on the floor of the Assembly. Later, political commentators noted how he sat next to Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness
at the funeral of Northern Ireland football legend George Best
in December 2005 as a sign of how Northern Ireland had moved on.
The PUP, however, had close ties to the loyalist paramilitary organisation, the UVF throughout his involvement in democratic politics.
recommended a continuation of the financial sanctions on his Assembly salary imposed following its report of April 2004. The IMC was of the opinion that the UVF and the PUP maintain strong links while the UVF is heavily involved in criminality such as drug dealing and tobacco and fuel smuggling. It further noted that the UVF was responsible for a number of acts of violence including murder and was actively maintaining its capacity to wage a terrorist campaign. It concluded that 12 months after the sanctions were originally imposed, the PUP leadership was still not doing enough to address the UVF's criminal and paramilitary activities.
Ervine appealed against the IMC's recommendation to newly appointed Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain
on the basis that he could not be held directly responsible for the UVF's actions and thus it was wrong to penalise him personally. Hain accepted his representations and his Assembly salary was fully restored.
The IMC again recommended financial sanctions against him and the PUP in its special report of September 2005 on the violent feud that erupted between the UVF and the Loyalist Volunteer Force
that summer in which a number of murders and attempted murders had been committed. It argued that the PUP leadership was still in a position to significantly influence the UVF and as such, the party could not have it both ways by associating with an active paramilitary organisation and not face any political consequences.
In its final regular reports of Ervine's life in April and October 2006, the IMC concluded that it was satisfied the PUP leadership had taken appropriate action to de-escalate UVF's violence and criminality and withdrew its punitive recommendations.
reconvenes, Ervine would join the Ulster Unionist assembly group, whilst remaining leader of the Progressive Unionists. Under the d'Hondt formula
used for allocating places on the Northern Ireland Executive this would entitle the Ulster Unionists to an additional place.
The Presiding Officer (Speaker) of the Assembly, Ms Eileen Bell
, MLA indicated at the first meeting of the 'shadow' Assembly (May 15, 2006) that she would take legal advice before ruling on whether Mr Ervine could be treated as a member of the UUP group.
On the 11 September 2006 Ms Bell announced that the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly Group did not have a headquarters, at least one party leader and a scheme for financial support thus did not qualify as a political party. This means that the UUPAG could not sit in the Assembly so the alliance was deemed as invalid
and Armagh City F.C.
at The Oval
in Belfast
on Saturday 6 January 2007. It was later confirmed that he had one heart attack
, a stroke and brain haemorrhage. He was taken to the Ulster Hospital
in Dundonald and was later admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital
in Belfast. Ervine did not die until Monday 8 January 2007, however it was reported by RTÉ News at 9pm
and on their website on the previous evening Sunday 7 January, that he had died that day. RTÉ's Northern Editor, Tommie Gorman, later apologised for his wrongly reported story of the death of Ervine in a radio interview.
Ervine was buried in Roselawn Cemetery on 12 January, after a funeral service in east Belfast attended by Mark Durkan
, Gerry Adams
, Peter Hain
, Dermot Ahern
, Hugh Orde
and David Trimble
among others.
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...
politician and the leader of the Progressive Unionist Party
Progressive Unionist Party
The Progressive Unionist Party is a small unionist political party in Northern Ireland. It was formed from the Independent Unionist Group operating in the Shankill area of Belfast, becoming the PUP in 1979...
(PUP).
Biography
David Ervine was the youngest of five children born to Walter and Elizabeth Ervine, and raised in a staunchly Protestant working-class area of east BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
between the Albertbridge and Newtownards roads. Like many in his situation, he grew up closely identifying with his community and absorbed the Ulster Unionism ideals and opinions that go along with this identity. He left Orangefield High School
Orangefield High School
Orangefield High School is a secondary school in east Belfast, Northern Ireland. Formerly Orangefield Boys' Secondary School and Orangefield Girls' Secondary School, it is now coeducational....
at 14, and at the age of 19 Ervine joined the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), believing this to be the only way to ensure the defence of the Protestant community.
Arrest and imprisonment
Ervine was arrested in November 1974, while an active member of the UVF. He was driving a stolen car containing five pounds of commercial explosives, a detonator and fuse wire. After 7 months on remand in Crumlin Road GaolCrumlin Road Gaol
HMP Belfast, also known as Crumlin Road Gaol, is a former prison situated on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the only Victorian era prison remaining in Northern Ireland and has been derelict since 1996...
he was found guilty of possession of explosives with intent to endanger life, he was sentenced to 11 years and imprisoned in The Maze
Maze (HM Prison)
Her Majesty's Prison Maze was a prison in Northern Ireland that was used to house paramilitary prisoners during the Troubles from mid-1971 to mid-2000....
.
While in prison, Ervine came under the influence of Gusty Spence
Gusty Spence
Augustus Andrew "Gusty" Spence was a leader of the Ulster Volunteer Force and a leading loyalist politician. One of the first UVF members to be convicted of murder, Spence was a senior figure in the organisation for over a decade but later renounced violence and joined the Progressive Unionist...
who made him question what his struggle was about. Spence's influence unquestionably changed Ervine's direction: after much study and self-analysis, Ervine emerged with the view that change through politics was the only option.
He also became friends with Billy Hutchinson
Billy Hutchinson
Billy Hutchinson is the leader of the Progressive Unionist Party in Northern Ireland. He was elected to Belfast City Council in 1997 and to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998. He lost his assembly seat in 2003 and his council seat in 2005...
while in prison.
Release
Ervine was released from prison in 1980. He owned a newsagents' in Belfast for several years before taking up full-time politics. He stood in local council elections as a Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) candidate in 1985Northern Ireland local elections, 1985
Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland on 15 May 1985.-1981 elections:The previous elections had been fought in the middle of the hunger strike and the H-Block Prison Protest...
. In 1998, he was elected 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...
to represent Belfast East and was re-elected in 2003. He was also a member of 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...
from 1997
Northern Ireland local elections, 1997
Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland on 21 May 1997, shortly after the 1997 general election across the entire United Kingdom.-Overall:-Belfast:-References:...
.
Loyalist ceasefire
Ervine is said to have played a pivotal role in bringing about loyalist ceasefire of October 1994. He was part of a delegation to Downing Street in June 1996 that met then British Prime Minister John MajorJohn Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
to discuss the loyalist ceasefire.
Progressive
Ervine was considered to be one of the most progressive unionists in Northern Ireland politics. He had been a strong supporter of the Good Friday 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...
and was one of the few unionist politicians to still actively support the Agreement. At a Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
meeting in 2001, then Northern Ireland Secretary, John Reid, described him as "one of the most eloquent politicians in Northern Ireland". Some of his opponents made references to him having swallowed a dictionary. Some saw Ervine as one of the few politicians actively engaged with conflict resolution.
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...
, he was seen as a Unionist sympathetic to the short term demands of 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 abstained against attempts by the Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party 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...
(DUP) to exclude Sinn Féin from office in July 2000 and October 2001. In April 2001, he provoked a direct political attack from the DUP over him being the only Unionist to vote against a motion condemning the display of lillies commemorating the 1916 Easter Uprising at Parliament Buildings. He also expressed support for the right of Sinn Féin members to make speeches in Irish (Gaelic
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
) on the floor of the Assembly. Later, political commentators noted how he sat next to Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness
Martin McGuinness
James Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
at the funeral of Northern Ireland football legend George Best
George Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
in December 2005 as a sign of how Northern Ireland had moved on.
The PUP, however, had close ties to the loyalist paramilitary organisation, the UVF throughout his involvement in democratic politics.
Controversy
In May 2005, the Independent Monitoring CommissionIndependent 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...
recommended a continuation of the financial sanctions on his Assembly salary imposed following its report of April 2004. The IMC was of the opinion that the UVF and the PUP maintain strong links while the UVF is heavily involved in criminality such as drug dealing and tobacco and fuel smuggling. It further noted that the UVF was responsible for a number of acts of violence including murder and was actively maintaining its capacity to wage a terrorist campaign. It concluded that 12 months after the sanctions were originally imposed, the PUP leadership was still not doing enough to address the UVF's criminal and paramilitary activities.
Ervine appealed against the IMC's recommendation to newly appointed Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain
Peter Hain
Peter Gerald Hain is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the Welsh constituency of Neath since 1991, and has served in the Cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, firstly as Leader of the House of Commons under Blair and both Secretary of State for...
on the basis that he could not be held directly responsible for the UVF's actions and thus it was wrong to penalise him personally. Hain accepted his representations and his Assembly salary was fully restored.
The IMC again recommended financial sanctions against him and the PUP in its special report of September 2005 on the violent feud that erupted between the UVF and the Loyalist Volunteer Force
Loyalist Volunteer Force
The Loyalist Volunteer Force is a loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed by Billy Wright in 1996 when he and the Portadown unit of the Ulster Volunteer Force's Mid-Ulster Brigade was stood down by the UVF leadership. He had been the commander of the Mid-Ulster Brigade. The...
that summer in which a number of murders and attempted murders had been committed. It argued that the PUP leadership was still in a position to significantly influence the UVF and as such, the party could not have it both ways by associating with an active paramilitary organisation and not face any political consequences.
In its final regular reports of Ervine's life in April and October 2006, the IMC concluded that it was satisfied the PUP leadership had taken appropriate action to de-escalate UVF's violence and criminality and withdrew its punitive recommendations.
Links with the Ulster Unionists
On 13 May 2006, it was announced that when the Northern Ireland AssemblyNorthern 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...
reconvenes, Ervine would join the Ulster Unionist assembly group, whilst remaining leader of the Progressive Unionists. Under the d'Hondt formula
D'Hondt method
The d'Hondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. The method described is named after Belgian mathematician Victor D'Hondt who described it in 1878...
used for allocating places on the Northern Ireland Executive this would entitle the Ulster Unionists to an additional place.
The Presiding Officer (Speaker) of the Assembly, Ms Eileen Bell
Eileen Bell
Eileen Bell CBE is a Northern Ireland politician, member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for North Down and former deputy leader of the Alliance Party.-Early life:...
, MLA indicated at the first meeting of the 'shadow' Assembly (May 15, 2006) that she would take legal advice before ruling on whether Mr Ervine could be treated as a member of the UUP group.
On the 11 September 2006 Ms Bell announced that the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly Group did not have a headquarters, at least one party leader and a scheme for financial support thus did not qualify as a political party. This means that the UUPAG could not sit in the Assembly so the alliance was deemed as invalid
Illness and death
Ervine was reported as having suffered two massive heart attacks and a stroke after attending a football match between Glentoran F.C.Glentoran F.C.
Glentoran F.C. is a semi-professional, football club in Northern Ireland. The club was founded in 1882 and plays its home games at the Oval in east Belfast. Club colours are green, red, and black.Glentoran's biggest rivals are Linfield...
and Armagh City F.C.
Armagh City F.C.
Armagh City F.C. is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Championship 2. The club, founded in 1964 as Milford Everton, and originally hailed from the village of Milford, just outside Armagh city, but changed their name in 1988 on relocation to Armagh...
at The Oval
The Oval (Belfast)
The Oval is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland.The stadium has been home to Glentoran since 1892. Before that the team used Ormeau Park from 1882 to 1886. Then the team shifted to King's Field in Ballymacarrett for four years until 1890. The team's next destination was Musgrave Park...
in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
on Saturday 6 January 2007. It was later confirmed that he had one heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, a stroke and brain haemorrhage. He was taken to the Ulster Hospital
Ulster Hospital
The Ulster Hospital is a hospital in Dundonald in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is within the townland of Ballyregan, beside the A20 road....
in Dundonald and was later admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital
Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast
The Royal Victoria Hospital is a hospital in Belfast, Northern Ireland....
in Belfast. Ervine did not die until Monday 8 January 2007, however it was reported by RTÉ News at 9pm
RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock
RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock is the flagship evening news programme for Irish television channel RTÉ One. It is presented by Anne Doyle, and deputised by Eileen Dunne. It is the final comprehensive news programme of the day on RTÉ One...
and on their website on the previous evening Sunday 7 January, that he had died that day. RTÉ's Northern Editor, Tommie Gorman, later apologised for his wrongly reported story of the death of Ervine in a radio interview.
Ervine was buried in Roselawn Cemetery on 12 January, after a funeral service in east Belfast attended by Mark Durkan
Mark Durkan
Mark Durkan is an Irish nationalist politician in Northern Ireland who was leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party from 2001 to 2010.-Early life:...
, Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
, Peter Hain
Peter Hain
Peter Gerald Hain is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the Welsh constituency of Neath since 1991, and has served in the Cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, firstly as Leader of the House of Commons under Blair and both Secretary of State for...
, Dermot Ahern
Dermot Ahern
Dermot Christopher Ahern is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Louth constituency from 1987 to 2011...
, Hugh Orde
Hugh Orde
Sir Hugh Stephen Roden Orde, OBE, QPM is the current President of the Association of Chief Police Officers, representing the 44 police forces of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Between 2002-2009 he was the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland .Sir Hugh joined London's...
and David Trimble
David Trimble
William David Trimble, Baron Trimble, PC , is a politician from Northern Ireland. He served as Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party , was the first First Minister of Northern Ireland , and was a Member of the British Parliament . He is currently a life peer for the Conservative Party...
among others.
Tributes
- Brian ErvineBrian ErvineBrian Ervine is a playwright, songwriter and teacher living in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Northern Irish playwright St John Ervine was a distant relative...
, Ervine's elder brother: "He had the guts and the courage to climb out of the traditional trenches, meet the enemy in no-man's land and play ball with him." - Bertie AhernBertie AhernPatrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
(Taoiseach): "(Ervine) was a courageous politician who sought to channel the energies of loyalism in a positive political direction." - Reg EmpeyReg EmpeyReginald Norman Morgan Empey, Baron Empey of Shandon, OBE, – known as Sir Reg Empey prior to 2011 – is a former Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for East Belfast...
MLA: "Northern Ireland has today lost a unique, charismatic and uncharacteristically spin-free politician." - Gerry AdamsGerry AdamsGerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
MLA/MP: "He made a valuable and important contribution to moving our society away from conflict." - George MitchellGeorge J. MitchellGeorge 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...
(Former US Senator): "His legacy is that he has led loyalism out of the Dark Ages." - Mark DurkanMark DurkanMark Durkan is an Irish nationalist politician in Northern Ireland who was leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party from 2001 to 2010.-Early life:...
MLA/MP: ""David emerged from a paramilitary past to pursue a peaceful future. Throughout the talks he played a positive role and worked always to keep loyalism onboard for the Good Friday Agreement." (...) "He also championed a more constructive unionism and argued that we can all gain from political accommodation." - Trevor SargentTrevor SargentTrevor Sargent is an Irish Green Party politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin North constituency from 1992 to 2011...
TD: "His death leaves a major vacuum in terms of the quality of political representatives in Northern Ireland. I hope that the legacy of Mr Ervine's bravery will be taken up by others after him." - Tony BlairTony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
(British Prime Minister): "David was a man who, whatever his past, played a major part in this last 10 years in trying to bring peace to Ulster."
See also
- Unionism (Ireland)
- Progressive Unionist PartyProgressive Unionist PartyThe Progressive Unionist Party is a small unionist political party in Northern Ireland. It was formed from the Independent Unionist Group operating in the Shankill area of Belfast, becoming the PUP in 1979...
- Ulster Volunteer Force
- Ulster Loyalist
External links
- PUP Website
- obituary from The Belfast TelegraphThe Belfast TelegraphThe Belfast Telegraph is a daily evening newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland by Independent News & Media.It was first published as the Belfast Evening Telegraph on 1 September 1870 by brothers William and George Baird...
- Ervine Foundation http://davidervine.com/