Northern Ireland Forum
Encyclopedia
The Northern Ireland Forum (formally called the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue) was a body set up in 1996 as part of a process of negotiations that eventually led to the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement
in 1998.
The forum was elected, with five members being elected for each Westminster Parliamentary constituency
for Northern Ireland, under the D'Hondt method
of party-list proportional representation
. There was also a "topup" of two seats for the ten parties polling most votes; this ensured that two loyalist parties associated with paramilitary groups were represented. See members of the Northern Ireland Forum
for a complete list.
All parties shown.
The party was listed on the ballot paper as "Democratic Unionist Party
DUP Ian Paisley
"
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...
in 1998.
The forum was elected, with five members being elected for each Westminster Parliamentary constituency
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...
for Northern Ireland, under the D'Hondt method
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...
of party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation systems are a family of voting systems emphasizing proportional representation in elections in which multiple candidates are elected...
. There was also a "topup" of two seats for the ten parties polling most votes; this ensured that two loyalist parties associated with paramilitary groups were represented. See members of the Northern Ireland Forum
Members of the Northern Ireland Forum
This is a list of members of the Northern Ireland Forum. The Forum was elected in 1996. Most members were elected on a constituency basis, but the ten highest political parties winning the most votes were each allocated two top-up seats....
for a complete list.
Results
The results of the election were:| Party | Votes | Vote % | Constituency seats |
Top-up seats |
Total seats |
Regional list candidates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 181,829 | 24.17 | 28 | 2 | 30 | 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... , John Taylor John Taylor, Baron Kilclooney John David Taylor, Baron Kilclooney, PC , is a former Ulster Unionist Party MP and a life peer. He was deputy leader of the UUP from 1995 to 2001, and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly.-Career and family:... , John Gorman John Gorman (politician) Sir John Reginald Gorman, CVO, CBE, MC, DL, was between 1998 and 2003 an Ulster Unionist Party MLA for North Down, and one of the tiny number of Roman Catholics to be elected as a Unionist representative in Northern Ireland.-Early life:Born in Omagh, County Tyrone in 1923 and educated at Rockport... , Antony Alcock Antony Alcock Antony Evelyn Alcock was a historian and Ulster Unionist politician.Born in Valletta, Malta, he grew up in Devon and Hampshire while at Harrow School from 1950 to 1954. Following his education he was Commissioned during National Service into the Seaforth Highlanders... , Jack Allen Jack Allen (politician) Jack Allen is a former politician in Northern Ireland.Working as a businessman, Allen became a member of the Ulster Unionist Party . He was elected to Londonderry City Council, and in 1974 - 5 served as Mayor of Derry.... , Fred Parkinson, Josias Cunningham Josias Cunningham Sir Josias Cunningham, DL was a Northern Irish stock broker, farmer and politician.-Early life:Josias Cunningham, known as "Joe", the grandson of Samuel Cunningham, was born into a well-off family of stock brokers, the family firm being... , Dennis Rogan, James Cooper, Jim Nicholson Jim Nicholson (UK politician) James Frederick "Jim" Nicholson is a Northern Ireland Ulster Unionist Party politician, who is currently a Member of the European Parliament .-Career:... |
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| 160,786 | 21.36 | 19 | 2 | 21 | John Hume John Hume John Hume is a former Irish politician from Derry, Northern Ireland. He was a founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, and was co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize, with David Trimble.... , Seamus Mallon Seamus Mallon Seamus Frederick Mallon born 17 August 1936, in Markethill, County Armagh, is an Irish politician and former Deputy Leader of the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland... , Eddie McGrady Eddie McGrady Edward Kevin McGrady, known as Eddie McGrady is an Irish nationalist politician and a former member of the British Parliament.One of eleven children, McGrady was educated at St... , Joe Hendron Joe Hendron Joseph Gerard Hendron is a Northern Ireland politician, a member of the moderate Irish nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party .... , Jonathan Stephenson Jonathan Stephenson Jonathan Stephenson is a former Irish nationalist politician.Stephenson was elected to Belfast City Council at the Northern Ireland local elections, 1993, representing the Social Democratic and Labour Party in the Castle area. He also became Deputy Chairperson of the SDLP in the mid-1990s.In... , Dorita Field Dorita Field Dorita Field was a South African-born town planner and politician in Northern Ireland.Born as Dorita Wilson to a Protestant family in Pietermaritzburg, she studied zoology and mathematics at the University of South Africa. During World War II, she served in the South African Women's Naval Service... , Margaret Ellen, Patricia Walsh, Marietta Farrell, Rosaleen Hughes, Anne McQuillan |
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| 141,413 | 18.80 | 22 | 2 | 24 | 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... , Peter Robinson Peter Robinson (politician) Peter David Robinson is the current First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party... , William McCrea William McCrea (politician) Robert Thomas William McCrea is a politician from Northern Ireland, and a member of the Democratic Unionist Party.-Career:... , 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... , 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 ... , 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.... , Eric Smyth Eric Smyth Eric Smyth is a unionist politician and religious minister in Northern Ireland.Smyth was first elected to Belfast City Council for the Democratic Unionist Party in 1981, representing 'Area F' which was equivalent to the modern wards of Falls, Clonard, Blackstaff and Shaftesbury... , Ruth Allen, Harry Smith, William McClure James McClure (Northern Irish politician) William James McClure MBE is a Unionist politician based in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. He is President of the Democratic Unionist PartyMcClure was first elected in 1975 to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention representing Londonderry... |
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| 116,377 | 15.47 | 15 | 2 | 17 | Lucilita Bhreatnach Lucilita Bhreatnach Lucilita Bhreatnach is an Irish republican politician and member of Sinn FéinGrowing up in Dublin, Bhreatnach joined Sinn Féin at the age of sixteen and was subsequently active in the Anti H-Block campaign, becoming the Chair of the Stop Strip-Searching Campaign. She is the daughter of the... , Pat Doherty Pat Doherty Patrick "Pat" Doherty is an Irish republican politician and abstentionist Member of Parliament for West Tyrone. He has been a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the same constituency since 25 June 1998... , Rita O'Hare Rita O'Hare Rita O'Hare is the General Secretary of Sinn Féin and the current Sinn Féin Representative to the United States .She was born Rita McCulloch and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the daughter of a Catholic nationalist mother and a Protestant Socialist father... , 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... , 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.... , Bairbre de Brún Bairbre de Brún Bairbre de Brún is an Irish politician and Member of the European Parliament, representing Northern Ireland.- Political work :... , Mitchel McLaughlin Mitchel McLaughlin John Mitchel McLaughlin is the former General Secretary of Sinn Féin and an MLA.McLaughlin was born in Derry city, Northern Ireland and educated at Long Tower Boys School, Derry and Christian Brothers Technical College, Derry.... , Gearóid Ó hEára Gearóid Ó hEára Gearóid Ó hEára is a Sinn Féin politician and a former Mayor of Derry,... , Joe Cahill Joe Cahill Joe Cahill was a prominent Irish republican and former chief of staff of the Provisional Irish Republican Army .- Background :In May 1920, Cahill was born in Divis Street in West Belfast, Ireland, where his parents had been neighbours of the Scottish-born Irish revolutionary James Connolly.Cahill... , Dodie McGuinness Dodie McGuinness Dodie McGuinness is an Irish Republican politician.Born Anne Harkin, McGuinness worked at Altnagelvin Hospital before becoming involved in the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, then joining Sinn Féin in 1972. She was present at the events of Bloody Sunday.Harkin married the brother of... |
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| 49,176 | 6.54 | 5 | 2 | 7 | John Alderdice, Seamus Close Seamus Close Seamus Close OBE is a Northern Ireland politician, former member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley and a former deputy leader of the Alliance Party.... , Sean Neeson Séan Neeson Seán Neeson is a politician in Northern Ireland who served as leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland between 1998 and 2001.- Education and early life :... , Steve McBride Steve McBride (politician) -Career:McBride is active in the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland . He became the Chairman of APNI in the 1990s, and in 1996 was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum, representing Belfast South. At the 1997 general election, McBride took 12.9% of the vote and fourth place in the Westminster seat... , 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:... , Anne Gormley, Elizabeth McCaffrey, Mary Clark-Glass Mary Clark-Glass Mary Clark-Glass is an academic, medical administrator and former politician in Northern Ireland.Clark-Glass became a lecturer in law at the Queens University of Belfast in 1974, and became a known as a commentator on legal and human rights issues and as a prominent feminist... , Susan O'Brien, Wendy Watt |
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| 27,774 | 3.69 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Robert McCartney Robert McCartney (politician) Robert Law McCartney QC is a Northern Ireland barrister and former leader of the UK Unionist Party.He was initially a member of the Ulster Unionist Party but was expelled in June 1987 when he refused to withdraw from the general election of that year... , Cedric Wilson Cedric Wilson Cedric Wilson is a politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Belfast, Wilson became the director of a private nursing home. In 1981, he was elected to Castlereagh Borough Council for the Democratic Unionist Party, a post he held until 1989... , Conor Cruise O'Brien Conor Cruise O'Brien Conor Cruise O'Brien often nicknamed "The Cruiser", was an Irish politician, writer, historian and academic. Although his opinion on the role of Britain in Northern Ireland changed over the course of the 1970s and 1980s, he always acknowledge values of, as he saw, the two irreconcilable traditions... , Patrick Roche Patrick Roche (politician) Patrick Roche is a former Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.After working in banking, Roche studied Economics and Politics at Trinity College, Dublin, followed by Political Philosophy at the University of Durham... , Ronnie Crawford, Alan Field, Valerie Kinghan, Stephen Nicholl, Graeme Jardin, Freda Woods |
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| 26,082 | 3.47 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Hugh Smyth Hugh Smyth Cllr Hugh Smyth is a former leader of the Progressive Unionist Party. He is a long-serving member of Belfast City Council and former Lord Mayor of Belfast. He is also the longest-serving member of the council, having represented the Upper Shankill areas since 1973... , David Ervine David Ervine David Ervine was a Northern Irish politician and the leader of the Progressive Unionist Party .-Biography:... , 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... , William Smith, David Kirk, Patricia Laverty, Dawn Purvis Dawn Purvis Dawn Purvis was an Independent Unionist member of the Northern Ireland Assembly. She was previously the leader of the Progressive Unionist Party until she resigned in 2010. She lost her seat in the Assembly in the 2011 election.-Biography:... , Edward Kinner, 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... , Winston Churchill Rea Winston Churchill Rea Winston Churchill Rea , known as Winkie Rea, is the former leader of the Red Hand Commando loyalist paramilitary organisation in Northern Ireland.... |
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| 16,715 | 2.22 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Gary McMichael Gary McMichael Gary McMichael is the son of former Ulster Defence Association leader John McMichael and was the leader of the now defunct Ulster Democratic Party during the peace process.... , John White John White (loyalist) John White is a former leading loyalist in Northern Ireland. He was sometimes known by the nickname 'Coco'. White was a leading figure in the loyalist paramilitary Ulster Defence Association and, following a prison sentence for murder, entered politics as a central figure in the Ulster Democratic... , David Adams David Adams (loyalist) David Adams is a Northern Irish loyalist activist and former politician. He was instrumental in bringing about the loyailst ceasefire of 1994 and played a leading role in the early stages of the Northern Ireland peace process.-Emergence in politics:... , Joe English Joe English (loyalist) Joe English is a former Ulster loyalist activist. English was a leading figure in both the Ulster Defence Association and the Ulster Democratic Party and was instrumental in the early stages of the Northern Ireland peace process. He is a native of the Rathcoole area of Newtownabbey, Northern... , Tommy Kirkham Tommy Kirkham Tommy Kirkham is a Northern Ireland loyalist political figure and former councillor. He was previously associated with the Ulster Defence Association and the Ulster Political Research Group although he has since been expelled from both groups. He was a former deputy mayor of Newtownabbey and was... , David Nicholl, Robert Girvan, Thomas English, Ester McCracken English, Elizabeth Cathcart McIlwaine |
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| 7,731 | 1.03 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Monica McWilliams Monica McWilliams Monica McWilliams is a Northern Ireland academic and former politician. From 2005 to 2011 she served as the second Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.... , Pearl Sagar Pearl Sagar Pearl Sagar is a former politician in Northern Ireland.Brought up a Protestant, Sagar became a social worker in East Belfast, and married a soldier in the British Army.... , Anne Campbell, Kathleen Fearon, Sheila Fairon, Joan Cosgrove, Diane Greer, Brenda Callaghan, Felicity Huston, Mairead Abraham |
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| 6,425 | 0.85 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Malachi Curran Malachi Curran Malachi Curran is a politician in Northern Ireland.Curran was elected to Down District Council in 1993 for the Social Democratic and Labour Party . He resigned from the SDLP to stand as a Labour Coalition candidate for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996... , Hugh Casey Hugh Casey Hugh Thomas "Fireman" Casey was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Chicago Cubs , the Brooklyn Dodgers , the Pittsburgh Pirates , and the New York Yankees .... , Mark Langhammer Mark Langhammer Mark Langhammer is a trade unionist, employed as Director of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers and elected onto the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in 2008, being re-elected in 2010... , John McLaughlin, Lucy Simpson, Peter Hadden Peter Hadden Peter Hadden was a leading member of the Socialist Party in Northern Ireland.Born in Strabane, Hadden studied at the University of Sussex, where he joined the Trotskyist Militant Tendency... , Margaret Lawrence, Fionnuala Harbinson, Michael Duffy, David Morrison |
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| 3,647 | 0.49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Paddy McEvoy, Peter Emerson, Jenny Jones Jenny Jones (Green politician) Jenny Jones is an English politician and prominent member of the Green Party of England and Wales. She currently represents the Green Party in the London Assembly, and is standing to be Mayor of London in the 2012 elections. She was Deputy Mayor of London from May 2003 to June 2004... , Nuala Ahern Nuala Ahern Nuala Ahern is a former Irish Green Party member of the European Parliament representing Leinster in Ireland from 1994–2004. Ahern became active in politics in 1991 becoming elected to Wicklow County Council... , Molly Scott Molly Scott Cato Molly Scott Cato Ph.D. is green economist and prominent member of the Green Party of England and Wales. She is a Reader in Green Economics at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff and Director of Cardiff Institute for Co-operative Studies Molly is the Green Party's Economics Spokesperson... , Robin Harper Robin Harper Robin Harper FRSSA is a Scottish politician, and was a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Lothians region. He was co-convener of the Scottish Green Party... |
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| 3,595 | 0.48 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Barbara Finney, Esmond Birnie Esmond Birnie Dr John Esmond Birnie, is an author, economist, and Ulster Unionist Party politician. He is a former Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for South Belfast.... |
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| 3,530 | 0.47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Tom French Tom French (politician) Tom French is a former President of the Workers' Party of Ireland and former member of Craigavon Borough Council.Born in Belfast in 1934, French joined Sinn Féin as a youth and remained with the party as it evolved into the Workers' Party.... , John Lowry John Lowry For the 19th-century baseball player, see John Lowry .John Lowry is the General Secretary of the Workers' Party in Ireland. He is a native of the Lower Falls area of Belfast.... , Marian Donnelly Marian Donnelly Marian Donnelly is a former President of the Workers' Party of Ireland and is a member of the District Policing Partnership for the Magherafelt district of Northern Ireland.... , Ellen Rush, Margaret Smith, Tommy Owens, Brendan Heany, Eilish Duffy, Vivian Hutchinson, Michael McCorry |
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| 2,125 | 0.47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Hugh Ross Hugh Ross (politician) Hugh Ross is a Presbyterian minister and member of the Orange Order, who was previously the leader of the now defunct Ulster Independence Movement .-UIM leadership:... , Josephine Fulton-Challis, Sandra Jones, Walter Millar Walter Millar Walter Millar is a unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Millar grew up on a farm in Newmills, County Tyrone. He became the founding secretary of the Newmills Apprentice Boys in 1982. He was elected to Cookstown District Council for the Democratic Unionist Party at the Northern Ireland local... , David Kerr, Dierdre Speer-White, Ken Kerr Ken Kerr Kenneth Jason Kerr, known as "Ken", is a Northern Irish loyalist activist. He was a leading figure within the Ulster Defence Association and its political wing, the Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party... , Donal Casey, Kenneth McClinton, Norman McLelland |
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| 1,215 | 0.16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Mary McMahon, Seamus Lynch Seamus Lynch Seamus Lynch is a former Irish republican and socialist politician.Born in North Belfast, Lynch became a republican activist around the start of The Troubles, and sided with the Official wing of Sinn Féin in the split of 1970. He was imprisoned from October 1971 until the following year... , Patrick John McClean, Gerry Cullen, Veronica McEneaney, Frank McElroy, Teresa McVeigh, Jean Craig, Mary Vernon, Monica Hynds |
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| 1,046 | 0.14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | David Bleakley David Bleakley The Right Hon. David Bleakley, OBE is a politician in Northern Ireland.Born in the Strandtown district of Belfast, Bleakley worked as an electrician in the Harland and Wolff dockyards while becoming increasingly active in his trade union. He studied economics at Ruskin College in Oxford, where he... , Paul Smyth, Maureen McCaughan, Adrian McKinney, Pearl Snowden, Edwin Sloan, Charles McKee, William Lewis, Erin Tunney |
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| 927 | 0.12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Oliver McMullan Oliver McMullan Oliver McMullan is an Irish Sinn Féin politician who was elected as an MLA to the Northern Ireland Assembly to represent the East Antrim constituency in May 2011 and elected to Larne Borough Council in the 2011 local elections.... , John Robb, John McDowell, Wesley H. Holmes, William Dunbar, William Cunning, Helen Craig, Philip Dugdale, Charles Maunsell, Sinead McMullan |
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| 567 | 0.08 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Alan Chambers, Joseph Coggle, Mary Chambers, James Arbuthnot, Robert Irvine, Violet Chambers, Linda Chambers, William Chambers, Ruth Patty, Pearl Brown | ||
| 389 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | James Anderson, Thomas Mullins, Richard Johnson, John Patrick Lyons, John Small | ||
| 388 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Thomas Henry O'Brien, William Baxter, Cecil Braniff, Tara Martin Alexandra, Stuart William O'Brien | ||
| 350 | 0.05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | ||
| 204 | 0.03 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Andrew Thompson, Sarah Thompson, Bernard McGrath, Susan McGrath, Edward Phillips, Trevor Richards, Christopher Carter, Fidelma Carter, Betty Carter, Susan Carter | ||
| 66 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | ||
| Ulster Christian Democrats | 31 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
All parties shown.
The party was listed on the ballot paper as "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 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...
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