Jonathan Bell (UK politician)
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Fergus Bell MLA is a Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP) politician in Northern Ireland
. He was selected in 2010 to fill the vacancy for the Strangford constituency
of the Northern Ireland Assembly
following the resignation
of Iris Robinson
. In the 2011 Assembly election he won the seat, and was on 16 May 2011 endorsed by the Assembly as a Junior Minister in the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister
.
He sat on Craigavon Borough Council
from 1997 until 2005, where he served as both deputy mayor and mayor. Bell was originally elected for the Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP) but dissatisfied with the leadership of David Trimble
, quit the party in March 2000. In 1999 he was the organiser and spokesperson of a demonstration in favour of Protestant/Unionist rights, the Long March. By the time of the 2001 local elections
he had joined the DUP. When he was appointed as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), he was a councillor for the DUP in Ards. On accepting the invitation to replace Robinson as an MLA he resigned his position as a member of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
, as the Northern Ireland Act 1998
stipulated that membership of the Commission was incompatible with Assembly membership. Bell had, with UUP member Daphne Trimble
, been one of two Commissioners to publicly oppose the Commission's stance on a Bill of Rights
for Northern Ireland.
Bell was the fourth person to be appointed an MLA under the Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) (Amendment) Order 2009. Under these arrangements where a vacancy arises due to the death or resignation of an MLA who was a member of a political party, instead of a by-election the nominating officer of the party concerned nominates a person to fill the vacancy.
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) politician 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...
. He was selected in 2010 to fill the vacancy for the Strangford constituency
Strangford (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...
of 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...
following the resignation
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...
of 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....
. In the 2011 Assembly election he won the seat, and was on 16 May 2011 endorsed by the Assembly as a Junior Minister in the 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...
.
Biography
Bell graduated from Queen's University Belfast, with a degree in psychology, and obtained a postgraduate diploma and a Masters degree in social work. He worked until 2010 in child care social work.He sat on 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...
from 1997 until 2005, where he served as both deputy mayor and mayor. Bell was originally elected for 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...
(UUP) but dissatisfied with the leadership of 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...
, quit the party in March 2000. In 1999 he was the organiser and spokesperson of a demonstration in favour of Protestant/Unionist rights, the Long March. By the time of the 2001 local elections
Northern Ireland local elections, 2001
Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland on 7 June 2001 along with the 2001 general election across the entire United Kingdom.-Overall:-Belfast:-References:...
he had joined the DUP. When he was appointed as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), he was a councillor for the DUP in Ards. On accepting the invitation to replace Robinson as an MLA he resigned his position as a member of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is a non-departmental public body funded through the Northern Ireland Office but operating independently of government as the national human rights institution for Northern Ireland...
, as the Northern Ireland Act 1998
Northern Ireland Act 1998
The Northern Ireland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which established a devolved legislature for Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Assembly, after decades of direct rule from Westminster....
stipulated that membership of the Commission was incompatible with Assembly membership. Bell had, with UUP member Daphne Trimble
Daphne Trimble
Daphne Elizabeth Trimble is a Northern Ireland academic and former politician. Having served as a member of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, she was appointed as a part-time Commissioner in the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission in 2008, and publicly opposed its proposals for...
, been one of two Commissioners to publicly oppose the Commission's stance on a Bill of Rights
Bill of rights
A bill of rights is a list of the most important rights of the citizens of a country. The purpose of these bills is to protect those rights against infringement. The term "bill of rights" originates from England, where it referred to the Bill of Rights 1689. Bills of rights may be entrenched or...
for Northern Ireland.
Bell was the fourth person to be appointed an MLA under the Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) (Amendment) Order 2009. Under these arrangements where a vacancy arises due to the death or resignation of an MLA who was a member of a political party, instead of a by-election the nominating officer of the party concerned nominates a person to fill the vacancy.