Dawn Purvis

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Dawn Purvis
Leader of PUP
Incumbent
Assumed office 2007
Preceded by	David Ervine

Born	1967 Donegall Pass, Belfast
Political party	Progressive Unionist Party
Website	Progressive Unionist Party

Dawn Purvis MLA (born 1967) is the current leader of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) in Northern Ireland, and was previously party Chairperson.

Born in the Donegall Pass area of Belfast, Purvis joined the PUP in 1994.^[1] She stood for the party in the 1996 Northern Ireland Forum election in Belfast South^[2], and then in the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998 in Belfast East, here taking only 271 votes.^[3].

By 1999, Purvis was the PUP's Spokesperson on Women's Affairs.^[4] She took a degree in Women's Studies, Social Policy and Social Anthropology and began working full time for the party.^[5]

Purvis stood in Belfast South in the 2001 UK general election, finishing in sixth place with a total of 1112 votes (2.9%).^[6]

In 2006, Purvis was appointed to the Northern Ireland Policing Board. Her appointment was later criticised by the Democratic Unionist Party, due to the PUP's links with the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force.^[1]

In January 2007, Purvis suceeded the late David Ervine as leader of the PUP and MLA for Belfast East. Commenting on her new role she said:

I am deeply honoured to have been made the leader of the PUP. However this is also tinged with sadness given the huge loss of David. It is a huge challenge to step into this role, especially after the good work he did. But this gives us an opportunity to rebuild and continue to serve working class loyalists and unionist communities. ^[7]

In her maiden speech in the Assembly she said "As long as there is poverty, and as long as there is inequality in education, health and gender, it will be my duty to articulate the needs of the working and workless classes in East Belfast."

In 2007, Purvis took up the Belfast East Northern Ireland Assembly seat, which had become vacant following the death of David Ervine.^[8] She was re-elected in the constituency at the Assembly election held on 7 March 2007, on the tenth and final round of counting. ^[9]