92-535: Suspended Ian Paisley DUP Lowercase "d" per here . The 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election was held on Wednesday, 7 March 2007. It was the third election to take place since the devolved assembly was established in 1998. The election saw endorsement of the St Andrews Agreement and the two largest parties, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin , along with
184-707: A Member of the European Parliament . Throughout the Troubles, Paisley was seen as a firebrand and the face of hardline unionism. He opposed all attempts to resolve the conflict through power-sharing between unionists and Irish nationalists / republicans , and all attempts to involve the Republic of Ireland in Northern Irish affairs. His efforts helped bring down the Sunningdale Agreement of 1974. He also opposed
276-582: A Protestant evangelical minister in 1946 and remained one for the rest of his life. In 1951 he co-founded the Reformed fundamentalist Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster and was its leader until 2008. Paisley became known for his fiery sermons and regularly preached anti-Catholicism , anti- ecumenism and against homosexuality . He gained a large group of followers who were referred to as Paisleyites. Paisley became involved in Ulster unionist / loyalist politics in
368-529: A UK parliamentary seat . The First Minister and Deputy First Minister were chosen by the largest parties from the two different political designations. Parties who won seats were then allocated places on the executive committee in proportion to their seats in the Assembly using the D'Hondt method . The major parties standing were the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) on
460-707: A by-election to the Northern Ireland Parliament , Paisley, standing on behalf of the Protestant Unionist Party , won the Bannside seat formerly held by Prime Minister Terence O'Neill. Another PUP candidate, William Beattie , won the South Antrim seat. In the 1970 UK general election , Paisley won the North Antrim seat. These elections were "further evidence of the break-up of the unionist block and
552-471: A civil rights march in Armagh , Paisley and Ronald Bunting arrived in the town in a convoy of cars. Men armed with nail-studded cudgels emerged from the cars and took over the town centre to prevent the march. The RUC halted the civil rights march, sparking outrage from activists. On 25 March 1969, Paisley and Bunting were jailed for organising the illegal counter-demonstration. On 6 May, they were released during
644-742: A commentary on the Epistle to the Romans . Paisley set up his own newspaper in February 1966, the Protestant Telegraph , as a mechanism for further spreading his message. In the 1960s, Paisley developed a relationship with the fundamentalist Bob Jones University located in Greenville, South Carolina . In 1966, he received an honorary doctorate of divinity from the institution and subsequently served on its board of trustees. This relationship would later lead to
736-628: A compromise with the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). The attempt was made via then British Cabinet Secretary, Sir Burke Trend . The papers show that Paisley had indicated he could "reach an accommodation with leaders of the Catholic minority, which would provide the basis of a new government in Stormont." It appears that the move was rejected once it became clear to the SDLP that it would have created
828-771: A crowd of followers that "this Romish man of sin is now in Hell !". He organised protests against the lowering of flags on public buildings to mark the Pope's death. In 1988, having given advance warning of his intentions, Paisley interrupted a speech being delivered by Pope John Paul II in the European Parliament . Paisley shouted "I denounce you as the Antichrist !" and held up a poster reading "Pope John Paul II ANTICHRIST" . Other MEPs jeered Paisley, threw papers at him and snatched his poster, but he produced another and continued shouting. He
920-667: A defiance of lawful authority no less serious in essence than that of the IRA". On 22 July 1966, Paisleyites clashed with the RUC outside Crumlin Road Prison , where Paisley was being held. The next day, Protestant mobs several thousand strong "rampaged through the city, smashing windows and trying to damage businesses owned by Catholics". In response, the authorities banned all meetings and marches in Belfast for three months. On 30 November 1968, hours before
1012-604: A general amnesty for people convicted of political offences. In March–April 1969, the Ulster Protestant Volunteers (UPV) bombed water and electricity installations in Northern Ireland, leaving much of Belfast without power and water. Paisley and the UPV blamed the bombings on the dormant IRA and elements of the civil rights movement. Paisley's Protestant Telegraph called them "the first act of sabotage perpetrated by
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#17330933087041104-651: A meeting in Belfast on 29 September 2010, members of the party agreed to maintain its relationship with the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Commando . Despite the links with the UVF, Billy Hutchinson acknowledges that most UVF members vote for the larger Democratic Unionist Party . Brian Ervine was appointed PUP leader in October 2010. At their manifesto launch for the 2011 Assembly and local elections ,
1196-420: A member, of the party because of its relationship with the UVF and a recent murder attributed to that group. John Kyle was subsequently appointed interim leader, following Purvis's resignation. On 28 August 2010 the former deputy leader, David Rose , resigned from the party. He cited the recent murder attributed to the UVF and his belief that the party was "becoming increasingly conservative in outlook. During
1288-680: A seat in Oldpark for the party. On the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council , Coleraine candidate, Russell Watton , was the first to be elected in that district. Smyth died during the election campaign. The PUP stood six candidates at the 2016 Assembly election , but, despite an increase in their overall vote, no candidates were elected. Their support dipped slightly at the snap election in 2017 , but did see an increase in their votes in North and East Belfast. The party stood candidates at
1380-562: A standstill. Loyalist paramilitaries helped to enforce the strike by blocking roads and intimidating workers. On 17 May, the third day of the strike, loyalists detonated four car bombs in Dublin and Monaghan , in the Republic of Ireland. The bombs killed 33 civilians and injured 300, making it the deadliest attack of the Troubles, and the deadliest terrorist attack in the Republic's history. In an interview nine months before his death, Paisley said he
1472-401: A very one-sided alliance. Speaking about the deal in 2002 Paisley said: The SDLP did not want to go along the road that we would have wanted them to go. I wouldn't say there were talks, there was an exchange of views between us, but it never got anywhere. We were prepared to try and seek a way whereby we could govern Northern Ireland and that people of both faiths could be happy with the way it
1564-425: Is a Free Presbyterian minister; Ian was a DUP MP ; and Rhonda, a retired DUP councillor. He had a brother, Harold, who is also an evangelical fundamentalist. Paisley saw himself primarily as an Ulsterman . However, despite his hostility towards Irish republicanism and the Republic of Ireland , he also saw himself as an Irishman and said that "you cannot be an Ulsterman without being an Irishman". When he
1656-654: Is a terrible step to the total demoralisation of any country". Save Ulster from Sodomy was a campaign launched by Paisley in 1977, in opposition to the Northern Ireland Campaign for Homosexual Law Reform, established in 1974. Paisley's campaign sought to prevent the extension to Northern Ireland of the Sexual Offences Act 1967 , which had decriminalised homosexual acts between males over 21 years of age in England and Wales. Paisley's campaign failed when legislation
1748-496: Is unworkable and destroys the very principle of my Unionism, which is that we are part of the UK and cannot in any way bring into government those who want to destroy Northern Ireland. In one interview during the referendum campaign following the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement , he declared that he was 'opposed to power-sharing with nationalists because nationalists are only power-sharing to destroy Northern Ireland' clearly meaning
1840-745: The 2019 local elections , including all four of their incumbent councillors. No further gains were made, with the party only losing their seat in Oldpark. Following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union , the PUP have been protesting against the Northern Ireland Protocol , part of the arrangements to prevent a 'hard border' in the Irish Sea. The party believes that the Protocol inhibits
1932-655: The Alliance Party , increase their support, with falls in support for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). The 2007 election was held using STV and 18 multi-seat districts, each electing 6 members. At the 2003 election the DUP became the largest party. As it opposed the Belfast Agreement, there was no prospect of the assembly voting for the First and deputy First Ministers. Therefore,
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#17330933087042024-641: The Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985, with less success. His attempts to create a paramilitary movement culminated in Ulster Resistance . Paisley and his party also opposed the Northern Ireland peace process and Good Friday Agreement of 1998. In 2005, Paisley's DUP became the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland, displacing the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), which had dominated unionist politics since 1905 and had been an instrumental party in
2116-473: The August 1969 riots . The 1969 Northern Ireland riots , Divis Street were the worst in Belfast since the 1930s. Catholic Irish nationalists clashed with the police and with loyalists, who invaded Catholic neighbourhoods and burned scores of homes and businesses. This led to the deployment of British troops and is seen by many as the beginning of the Troubles. Journalists Patrick Bishop and Eamonn Mallie said of
2208-507: The British Government did not restore power to the Assembly and the elected members never met. Instead there commenced a protracted series of negotiations. During these negotiations a legally separate assembly, known as The Assembly consisting of the members elected in 2003 was formed in May 2006 to enable the parties to negotiate and to prepare for government. Eventually, in October 2006,
2300-521: The Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council , Russell Watton , the party's current leader. The party was founded by Hugh Smyth in the mid-1970s as the "Independent Unionist Group" given the dissolution of the 1974 Volunteer Political Party . In 1977, two prominent members of the Northern Ireland Labour Party , David Overend and Jim McDonald, joined. Overend subsequently wrote many of the group's policy documents, incorporating much of
2392-539: The Combined Loyalist Military Command announced a ceasefire, former UVF member Billy Hutchinson , who was jailed for the murder of two Catholics in 1974, defined the relationship between the PUP and the UVF: "The relationship is a very strict one in terms of acting as political confidants and providing political analysis for them, but it doesn't go any deeper than that." The PUP participated in elections to
2484-539: The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster , with Paisley, who was just 25 years old at the time. Paisley soon became the leader (or moderator ) of the Free Presbyterian Church and was re-elected every year, for the next 57 years. The Free Presbyterian Church is a fundamentalist , evangelical church, requiring strict separation from "any church which has departed from the fundamental doctrines of
2576-747: The Northern Ireland Forum in May 1996. No constituency candidates were elected, but as one of the tenth best-performing parties on the list vote, they secured two seats, with Smyth and David Ervine both being elected. The PUP supported the Belfast Agreement . The PUP stood candidates for the first time at a general election in 1997 : Hugh Smyth in South Antrim , Ervine in Belfast South and Kenny Donaldson in East Antrim . They amassed 10,928 votes, and no seats. The party fared better at
2668-566: The Principle of consent , leading to Hutchinson saying that the PUP no longer support the Good Friday Agreement in November 2021. Conversely, in an interview on BBC's The View programme, John Kyle stated that the Protocol could have "significant advantages" if "fundamental" changes are made. Kyle's remarks sparked outrage among unionists, with the PUP releasing a statement clarifying that
2760-547: The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) did not remove the tricolour he would lead a march to the office and take it down himself. The Flags and Emblems Act banned the public display of any symbol, with the exception of the Union Flag , that could cause a breach of the peace. In response, armed officers arrived at the building, smashed their way inside and seized the flag. This led to severe rioting between republicans and
2852-595: The Ulster Protestant Volunteers (UPV). At the time, Irish republicans were marking the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising . Although the IRA was inactive, loyalists such as Paisley warned that it was about to be revived and launch another campaign against Northern Ireland. At the same time, a loyalist paramilitary group calling itself the " Ulster Volunteer Force " (UVF) emerged in the Shankill area of Belfast, led by Gusty Spence . Many of its members were also members of
2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election - Misplaced Pages Continue
2944-698: The Ulster Workers' Council (UWC) to mobilise loyalist workers against the Agreement, while the loyalist paramilitary groups ( UDA , UVF etc.) formed the Ulster Army Council (UAC) to co-ordinate their response. Addressing an anti-Agreement rally in January 1974, Paisley declared: Mr Faulkner says it's 'hands across the border' to Dublin. I say if they don't behave themselves in the South , it will be shots across
3036-688: The Unionist side, and Sinn Féin and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) on the Nationalist side. The largest cross-community party, the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland , contested the election in 17 of 18 constituencies. Smaller parties also included the Progressive Unionist Party , the Green Party and the UK Unionist Party . Some independent Unionists also stood. Among
3128-472: The concurrent local elections , but did make a gain in Castlereagh . The PUP put up candidates for the 2003 Assembly election , including both Assembly members and Smyth. Overall, their vote dropped by 1.2% to 8,032 votes, a large decline when compared to their success of over 20,000 votes in 1998. Hutchinson lost his seat, while Ervine held his. With no other candidates elected, this left Ervine as
3220-545: The first-past-the-post voting method. Parties who won seats are allocated places on the Executive Committee using the D'Hondt method and under the St Andrews agreement the largest party gets the right to nominate the first minister and the largest party perceived to be from "the other side" nominates the deputy first minister. Despite the name these offices are in fact of equal right. Note that they are both ministers in
3312-741: The simultaneous local elections , increasing their total number of councillors to seven. Ervine and Hutchinson joined Smyth in Belfast, and gains were made in North Down , Lisburn and Newtownabbey . Following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement , elections to the new Northern Ireland Assembly were held, which the PUP contested. Candidates included: Belfast councillors Smyth, Ervine and Billy Hutchinson , who stood in West , East and North Belfast , respectively. They registered 20,634 votes (2.55%), and both Ervine and Hutchinson were elected to
3404-547: The Agreement. Specifically, they opposed sharing political power with nationalists and saw the Council of Ireland as a step towards a united Ireland . Paisley, along with anti-Agreement Ulster Unionist Party leader Harry West and Ulster Vanguard leader William Craig , formed the United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC) to oppose the Agreement. Its slogan was Dublin is just a Sunningdale away . Loyalists formed
3496-550: The Assembly, leaving the party without representation for the first time since 1998. Ervine himself finished behind Purvis who had run for re-election as an independent. She, too, was not elected. Despite losing their Assembly seat, the PUP did return their two councillors in Belfast. A month after the elections, Ervine announced his resignation as party leader, and later was replaced by veteran west Belfast activist Billy Hutchinson in October 2011. Hutchinson succeeded Hugh Smyth on Belfast City Council in January 2014, following
3588-454: The Assembly. Notably, Smyth missed out on getting elected in West Belfast, in which no unionist candidates were returned in that constituency. Incidentally, the Ulster Democratic Party failed to elect any candidates, making the PUP the only loyalist party to win representation in the Assembly. Ervine was the PUP candidate for the Northern Ireland constituency at the 1999 European elections . He polled 22,494 first-preference votes, and
3680-419: The Bible, expose the Papacy, and to promote, defend and maintain Bible Protestantism in Europe and further afield." Paisley's website describes a number of doctrinal areas in which he believes that the "Roman church" (which he termed 'Popery') has deviated from the Bible and thus from true Christianity. Over the years, Paisley would write numerous books and pamphlets on his religious and political views, including
3772-460: The British government, the PUP debated ending its "special relationship" with the UVF. This was defeated in a closed vote at the party's annual conference in October 2005. In March 2006, the Chairwoman of the PUP, Dawn Purvis , a research associate at the University of Ulster , was appointed as an independent member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board . David Ervine died following a heart attack on 8 January 2007. On 22 January 2007 Dawn Purvis
2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election - Misplaced Pages Continue
3864-445: The Good Friday Agreement. In 2007, following the St Andrews Agreement , the DUP finally agreed to share power with republican party Sinn Féin . Paisley and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness became First Minister and deputy First Minister , respectively, in May 2007. He stepped down as First Minister and DUP leader in mid-2008, and left politics in 2011. Paisley was made a life peer in 2010 as Baron Bannside. Ian Richard Kyle Paisley
3956-408: The Green Party, which won its first Assembly seat, and increased its first preference votes fourfold from 2003. The UK Unionist Party lost its representation in the Assembly. They had contested 12 seats, with Robert McCartney standing in six of them. Overall, Unionist parties were collectively down 4 seats, Nationalist parties were collectively up 2 seats, and others were up 2 seats. The election
4048-614: The IRA since the murderous campaign of 1956", warning that it was "an ominous indication of what lies ahead for Ulster". Many people believed these claims of IRA responsibility. The loyalists also hoped that the bombings would weaken confidence in Prime Minister Terence O'Neill. Unionist support for O'Neill waned, and on 28 April he resigned as Prime Minister. Paisley's approach led him, in turn, to oppose O'Neill's successors as Prime Minister, Major James Chichester-Clark (later Lord Moyola) and Brian Faulkner . The civil rights campaign, and attacks on it by loyalists and police, culminated in
4140-444: The NILP's platform. In 1979, the group was renamed the "Progressive Unionist Party". Their position on the left of the political spectrum differentiates them from other unionist parties (such as the Ulster Unionist Party and the Democratic Unionist Party ) which are ideologically right-wing. The party has had a degree of electoral success. In 1994, PUP leader Hugh Smyth became Lord Mayor of Belfast . In 1995, shortly after
4232-472: The PUP in 1979. Linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Red Hand Commando (RHC), for a time it described itself as "the only left of centre unionist party" in Northern Ireland, with its main support base in the loyalist working class communities of Belfast. Since the Ulster Democratic Party 's dissolution in 2001, the PUP has been the sole party in Northern Ireland representing paramilitary loyalism . The PUP has one elected representative on
4324-426: The PUP revealed their manifesto pledges, including: a balanced economy, greater integrated education and building a full-size replica of the RMS Titanic to be docked in Belfast Harbour. Additionally, Ervine announced that he would be standing in Belfast East, and that the party would be running local candidates in Larne , Castlereagh and Derry as well as in Belfast and Antrim . No PUP candidates were elected to
4416-462: The PUP seeing a 52% drop in their support, compared to 2017. The PUP had four candidates at the May local elections , with one candidate each across Belfast, Causeway Coast and Glens, Antrim and Newtownabbey and Mid and East Antrim. The party polled 2,103 votes (0.3%) overall, and were wiped out in Belfast, with Hutchinson losing out to the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV). In the Causeway Coast and Glens, Watton retained his seat, making him
4508-409: The PUP's only representative in the Assembly. The party had a poor showing at the 2005 local elections , losing half of their seats. This left Ervine and Smyth in Belfast as the only PUP candidates to be returned. Following a loyalist feud between the UVF and Loyalist Volunteer Force , in which four men were murdered by the UVF in Belfast and recognition of the UVF's ceasefire was withdrawn by
4600-405: The RUC. Thirty people, including at least 18 officers, had to be hospitalised. In 1964, a peaceful civil rights campaign began in Northern Ireland. The civil rights movement sought to end discrimination against Catholics and those of Catholic background by the Protestant and unionist government of Northern Ireland . Paisley instigated and led loyalist opposition to the civil rights movement over
4692-407: The SDLP as well as Sinn Féin. The Sunningdale Agreement of December 1973 set up a new government for Northern Ireland in which unionists and nationalists would share power. It also proposed the creation of a Council of Ireland, which would facilitate co-ordination and co-operation between the governments of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Paisley and other hardline unionists opposed
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#17330933087044784-406: The UCDC and UPV, including UCDC secretary and UPV leader Noel Doherty. Paisley publicly thanked the UVF for taking part in a march on 7 April. Paisley forced the Stormont government to mobilise B-Specials for the entire month of April with the hope of outlawing public commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising . Paisley failed in this objective but did succeed in pressuring
4876-405: The UDA, Orange Volunteers and Down Orange Welfare . The UUAC also established its own loyalist vigilante group called the Ulster Service Corps (USC). Progressive Unionist Party The Progressive Unionist Party ( PUP ) is a minor unionist political party in Northern Ireland . It was formed from the Independent Unionist Group operating in the Shankill area of Belfast , becoming
4968-399: The UKUP and independent labels respectively. Ian Paisley Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside , PC (6 April 1926 – 12 September 2014) was a loyalist politician and Protestant religious leader from Northern Ireland who served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from 1971 to 2008 and First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2007 to 2008. Paisley became
5060-423: The UPA increasingly came to focus on the defence of 'Bible Protestantism' and Protestant interests where jobs and housing were concerned. The UPA also campaigned against the allocation of public housing to Catholics. As Paisley came to dominate UPA, he received his first convictions for public order offences. In June 1959, Paisley addressed a UPA rally in the mainly-Protestant Shankill district of Belfast. During
5152-432: The Word of God." At the time of the 1991 census , the church had about 12,000 members, less than 1 per cent of the Northern Ireland population . Paisley promoted a highly conservative form of Biblical literalism and anti-Catholicism , which he described as "Bible Protestantism". The website of Paisley's public relations arm, the European Institute of Protestant Studies , describes the institute's purpose as to "expound
5244-465: The border! On 15 May 1974, the UWC called a general strike aimed at bringing down the Agreement and the new government. A co-ordinating committee was set up to help organise the strike. It included Paisley and the other UUUC leaders, the leaders of the UWC, and the heads of the loyalist paramilitary groups. Its chairman was Glenn Barr , a high-ranking member of Ulster Vanguard and the UDA. In its first meeting, Barr arrived late and found Paisley sitting at
5336-553: The death of the Pope and we would want in no way to interfere with their expression of sorrow and grief at this time." Paisley and his followers also protested against what they saw as instances of blasphemy in popular culture, including the stage productions Jesus Christ Superstar and Jerry Springer: The Opera , as well as being strongly anti-abortion . Paisley preached against homosexuality, supported laws criminalising it and picketed various gay rights events. He denounced it as "a crime against God and man and its practice
5428-413: The establishment of the Free Presbyterian Church of North America in 1977. His honorary doctorate, along with his political obstinacy, led to Paisley's nickname of "Dr. No". When Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother met Pope John XXIII in 1958, Paisley condemned them for "committing spiritual fornication and adultery with the Antichrist ". When Pope John died in June 1963, Paisley announced to
5520-453: The government to ban trains from the Republic transporting people to Northern Ireland for the ceremonies. In May and June, the UVF petrol bombed a number of Catholic homes, schools and businesses. It also shot dead two Catholic civilians as they walked home. These are sometimes seen as the first deaths of the Troubles . Following the killings, the UVF was outlawed and Paisley denied any knowledge of its activities. One of those convicted for
5612-430: The governments and the parties, including the DUP, made the St Andrews Agreement and a new transitional assembly came into effect on 24 November 2006. The British government agreed to fresh elections and the transitional assembly was dissolved on 30 January 2007, after which campaigning began. The election was conducted using the single transferable vote applied to six-seat constituencies, each of which corresponds to
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#17330933087045704-443: The head of the table. Barr told him "you might be chairman of the Democratic Unionist Party but I'm chairman of the co-ordinating committee, so move over". Paisley moved from the head of the table but carried the chair away with him and the two argued over the chair itself, with Paisley eventually allowed to keep it as he claimed to need a chair with arms due to back pain. The strike lasted fourteen days and brought Northern Ireland to
5796-415: The key issues in the election was which two political parties would gain the largest number of Assembly seats. The St Andrews Agreement stated that the First Minister will be chosen from the largest party of the largest political designation and the Deputy First Minister from the largest party from the second largest political designation; however, the actual legislation states that the largest party shall make
5888-404: The killings said after his arrest "I am terribly sorry I ever heard of that man Paisley or decided to follow him". Paisley would later establish two other paramilitary groups: Third Force in 1981 and Ulster Resistance in 1986. On 6 June 1966, Paisley led a march to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church against what he claimed to be its "Romeward trend". The authorities allowed
5980-474: The late 1950s. In the mid-late 1960s, he led and instigated loyalist opposition to the Catholic civil rights movement in Northern Ireland. This contributed to the outbreak of the Troubles in the late 1960s, a conflict that would engulf Northern Ireland for the next 30 years. In 1970 he became Member of Parliament for North Antrim and the following year he founded the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which he would lead for almost 40 years. In 1979 he became
6072-418: The latter's retirement due to ill health. The PUP stood candidates for the new 'super councils' at the 2014 local elections , doubling their total number of representatives from two to four. In Belfast, deputy leader John Kyle was re-elected, this time for the Titanic district , while Hutchinson topped the poll in Court. The party were also joined on the council by Julie Anne Corr-Johnston, who regained
6164-413: The marchers to go through the Catholic Cromac Square neighbourhood carrying placards with anti-Catholic slogans. Catholic youths attacked the march and clashed with the RUC. Many were injured and cars and businesses were wrecked. Following the riots, Paisley was charged with unlawful assembly and sentenced to three months in prison. The Belfast Telegraph declared that Paisley's organisations "represent
6256-426: The next few years. He also led opposition against Terence O'Neill , Prime Minister of Northern Ireland . Although O'Neill was also unionist, Paisley and his followers saw him as being too 'soft' on the civil rights movement and opposed his policies of reform and reconciliation. In April 1966, Paisley and his associate Noel Doherty founded the Ulster Constitution Defence Committee (UCDC) and its paramilitary wing,
6348-475: The nomination regardless of designation. The DUP remained the largest party in the Assembly, making significant gains from the UUP. Sinn Féin made gains from the SDLP and was the largest party among the Nationalists. The only other Assembly Party to make gains was the liberal Alliance Party (winning seven seats, a gain of one), while the Progressive Unionist Party and independent health campaigner Dr Kieran Deeny retained their single seats, and were joined by
6440-450: The other parties that stood, the Conservatives nominated nine and there were six candidates for the Workers' Party . Also there were four candidates for Make Politicians History and two for the Socialist Party . Six Republican Sinn Féin -aligned candidates also stood. As the party had chosen not to register as a political party with the electoral commission, the party name did not appear alongside its candidates on ballot papers. One of
6532-411: The party polled 3,822 votes or 0.6% of the votes cast in Northern Ireland, down 0.6% from the elections of 2003. Purvis retained her party's seat in Belfast East, while no other PUP candidates were elected. The party did not field any candidates for the 2010 general elections - party members were encouraged to vote for a candidate of their choice. In June 2010, Dawn Purvis resigned as leader, and as
6624-638: The party still remains opposed to the Protocol, and that Kyle was giving a personal view. Kyle subsequently resigned as both deputy leader and a member of the party three weeks later, citing "differing approaches" in regard to the Protocol. The party stood only three candidates at the 2022 Assembly election , with Hutchinson standing in North Belfast, Russell Watton in East Londonderry and Karl Bennett in East Belfast. No candidates were elected, with
6716-588: The rioting in Belfast: "Both communities were in the grip of a mounting paranoia about the other's intentions. Catholics were convinced that they were about to become victims of a Protestant pogrom ; Protestants that they were on the eve of an IRA insurrection". After the riots, Paisley is reported to have said: Catholic homes caught fire because they were loaded with petrol bombs; Catholic churches were attacked and burned because they were arsenals and priests handed out sub-machine guns to parishioners. On 16 April 1970, in
6808-791: The same department (Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister). Using this system, the executive appointed in 2007 was as follows: There are two junior ministers in OFMDFM who are, at present, Jeffery Donaldson (DUP) and Gerry Kelly (SF). In April 2010, the Department of Justice was formed, being led by David Ford from the Alliance Party. This is the Alliance Party's first ministerial role. An opinion poll by Ipsos MORI , published in The Belfast Telegraph on 1 March 2007, reported
6900-599: The same united Ireland road as Sinn Fein, so they are fellow travellers. We will be taking on the Sinn Fein frontmen for the IRA and are determined to smash them at the polls. Speaking at the launch of the DUP's policy proposals for devolved government for the briefly revived Northern Ireland Assembly in September 1984, Paisley echoed the document's position on power-sharing with the SDLP: I am totally opposed to power-sharing because it
6992-600: The seat no. 666 in the European Parliament is reserved for the Antichrist. Paisley continued to denounce the Catholic Church and the Pope after the incident. In a television interview for The Unquiet Man , a 2001 documentary on Paisley's life, he expressed his pride at being "the only person to have the courage to denounce the Pope". However, after the death of Pope John Paul in 2005, Paisley expressed sympathy for Catholics, saying "We can understand how Roman Catholics feel at
7084-442: The speech, he shouted out the addresses of some Catholic-owned homes and businesses in the area. These homes and businesses were then attacked by the crowd; windows were smashed, shops were looted and " Taigs out" painted on the doors. During the 1964 UK general election campaign, an Irish republican candidate displayed an Irish tricolour from the window of his office in a republican area of Belfast. Paisley threatened that if
7176-618: The successful Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) candidate in Belfast West , the Church of Ireland minister James Godfrey MacManaway . Independent Unionist MP Norman Porter came to lead the National Union of Protestants, while Paisley became treasurer, but Paisley left after Porter refused to join the Free Presbyterian Church. Paisley first hit headlines in 1956 when Maura Lyons, a 15-year-old Belfast Catholic doubting her faith, sought his help and
7268-460: The unease among a large section of Protestants about the reform measures introduced under Chichester-Clark ". On 30 September 1971, Paisley and Desmond Boal founded the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). From the 1960s, one of his main rivals was civil rights leader and co-founder of the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), John Hume . British Government papers, released in 2002, show that in 1971 Paisley attempted to reach
7360-543: The voting intentions of those who intended to vote and had decided which party to vote for: Notes: Berry and Ennis were originally elected as DUP candidates, Hyland was originally elected as a Sinn Féin candidate. Patricia Lewsley stood down prior to the dissolution of the assembly As a sitting MLA, Norah Beare defected from the UUP to the DUP, and is therefore unselected rather than deselected. Following their de-selection, both Ennis and Hyland unsuccessfully sought election under
7452-704: Was "shocked" by the bombings, but claimed that the Republic's government provoked the attack. The strike led to the downfall of the Agreement on 28 May. In 1977 the United Unionist Action Council (UUAC) was formed out of the UUUC. The council was chaired by Joseph Burns and included Paisley, Ernest Baird (leader of the United Ulster Unionist Movement ), members of the Ulster Workers' Council, and leaders of loyalist paramilitaries including
7544-720: Was a teenager, Paisley decided to follow his father and become a Christian minister. He delivered his first sermon aged 16 in a mission hall in County Tyrone. In the late 1940s he undertook theological training at the Barry School of Evangelism (now called the Wales Evangelical School of Theology ), and later, for a year, at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Hall in Belfast . By June 1950 Paisley
7636-520: Was admonished by Parliamentary President Lord Plumb , who formally excluded him. He was then forcibly removed from the chamber. Paisley claims he was injured by other MEPs—including Otto von Habsburg —who struck him and threw objects at him. Paisley believed the European Union is a part of a conspiracy to create a Roman Catholic superstate controlled by the Vatican . He claimed in an article that
7728-455: Was being governed, but it all rested on the key point – the person with power would be the person that the people gave the power. Promoting the DUP's manifesto at a launch event ahead of the 1983 United Kingdom general election Paisley made clear that the core message of the party's campaign would be to "expose and oppose Provisional Sinn Fein and its fellow travellers, the SDLP." Responding to reporters, Paisley said: [The SDLP] are going down
7820-560: Was born in Armagh , County Armagh, and brought up in the town of Ballymena , County Antrim, where his father James Kyle Paisley was an Independent Baptist pastor who had previously served in the Ulster Volunteers under Edward Carson . His mother was Scottish . Paisley married Eileen Cassells on 13 October 1956. They had five children, daughters Sharon, Rhonda and Cherith and twin sons, Kyle and Ian . Three of their children followed their father into politics or religion: Kyle
7912-598: Was chosen as party leader. She is the second woman to lead a unionist party in Northern Ireland (after Anne Dickson 's short-lived leadership of the Unionist Party of Northern Ireland following Brian Faulkner 's retirement). Dr John Kyle was co-opted on to Belfast City Council to fill Ervine's seat. The PUP fielded three candidates for the 2007 Assembly election : Elaine Martin in North Down , Andrew Park in Belfast South and Dawn Purvis in Belfast East . Overall
8004-526: Was not elected. The PUP stood two candidates for the 2001 general election : Ervine in Belfast East , and Dawn Purvis in Belfast South. In total, the party received 4,781 votes (0.6%), and no seats. Ervine was the best-performing candidate out of the two, winning 10% of the vote in Belfast East, and the only one to retain their deposit. The party held four of the seven seats they were defending at
8096-566: Was notable as it saw the first Chinese -born person to be elected to a parliamentary institution in Europe: Anna Lo of the Alliance Party. Party affiliation of the six Assembly members returned by each constituency. The first column indicates the party of the Member of the House of Commons (MP) returned by the corresponding parliamentary constituency in the 2005 United Kingdom general election under
8188-520: Was passed in 1982 as a result of the previous year's ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Dudgeon v United Kingdom . In 1949, Paisley formed a Northern Irish branch of the National Union of Protestants , the group being led in the UK by his uncle, W. St Clair Taylor. Paisley's first political involvement came at the 1950 general election when he campaigned on behalf of
8280-566: Was preaching at an 'Old Time Gospel Campaign' on waste ground off Moore Street in the lower Ravehill Road area of Belfast. A year later a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) was forbidden by church authorities to hold a meeting in their own church hall at which Paisley was to be the speaker. In response, the leaders of that congregation left the PCI and began a new denomination,
8372-422: Was smuggled illegally to Scotland by members of his Free Presbyterian Church. Paisley publicly played a tape of her religious conversion but refused to help with the search for her, saying he would rather go to prison than return her to her Catholic family. Lyons eventually returned both to her family and Catholicism. In 1956, Paisley was one of the founders of Ulster Protestant Action (UPA). Its initial purpose
8464-448: Was to organise the defence of Protestant areas against anticipated Irish Republican Army (IRA) activity. It carried out vigilante patrols, made street barricades, and drew up lists of IRA suspects in both Belfast and rural areas. The UPA was to later become the Protestant Unionist Party in 1966. UPA factory and workplace branches were formed, including one by Paisley in Belfast's Ravenhill area under his direct control. The concern of
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