Democratic Unionist Party

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This article is about the political party in Northern Ireland. For other parties with the name, see Democratic Unionist Party (disambiguation).
Democratic Unionist Party
Leader Peter Robinson MP MLA
Founded 30 September 1971
Headquarters 91 Dundela Avenue
Belfast, Northern Ireland
BT4 3BU
Political Ideology Unionism
Protestantism
Conservatism
National conservatism
Social conservatism
Political Position Right-wing
Centre-right
International Affiliation none
European Affiliation none
European Parliament Group Non-Inscrits
Colours
Website http://www.dup.org.uk/
See also Politics of the UK

Political parties
Elections

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Led by Peter Robinson, it is the largest party in Northern Ireland and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The DUP has strong links to Protestant churches, particularly the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, the church Ian Paisley founded, and is considered a Protestant political party.[1] The party has a youth wing at Queen's University Belfast under the title Democratic Unionist Association (DUA).

Following on from the St Andrews Agreement in October 2006, the DUP has agreed with the Irish republican party Sinn Féin to enter into power-sharing devolved government in Northern Ireland. In the aftermath of the agreement there were reports of divisions within the DUP. Many of its leading members, including Members of Parliament (MPs) Nigel Dodds, David Simpson and Gregory Campbell were claimed to be in opposition to Paisley. All the party's MPs fully signed up to the manifesto for the 2007 Assembly elections, supporting power sharing in principle. An overwhelming majority of the party executive voted in favour of restoring devolution in a meeting in March 2007[2]; however, the DUP's sole Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Jim Allister[3], and seven DUP councillors[4] later resigned from the party in opposition to its plans to share power with Sinn Féin. They founded the Traditional Unionist Voice on 2007-12-07.[5]

Contents

[edit] History

The party was established in 1971 by Ian Paisley and Desmond Boal and other members of the Protestant Unionist Party. It has won seats at local council, province, national and European level. It won eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly of 1973-1974, where it opposed the formation of a power-sharing executive made up of unionists and nationalists following the Sunningdale Agreement. The DUP were more radically unionist than the UUP; also, the DUP had a stronger working-class element and consequently relatively centre-left economic policies.[citation needed] The establishment of this political party arguably stemmed from insecurities of the Protestant working class.[6] Paisley was elected one of Northern Ireland's three European Parliament members at the first elections in 1979 and retained that seat in every European election until 2004. In 2004 Paisley was replaced as the DUP MEP by Jim Allister, who resigned from the party in 2007 while retaining his seat.[3]

The DUP also holds seats in the British House of Commons, and has been elected to each of the Northern Ireland conventions and assemblies set up since the party's creation. It has long been the major rival to the other major unionist party, the Ulster Unionist Party (known for a time in the 1970s and 1980s as the Official Unionist Party (OUP) to distinguish it from the then multitude of other unionist parties, some set up by deposed former leaders). However, the DUP's main rivals are the Irish Republican Sinn Féin and the Irish nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP).[citation needed]

The DUP was originally involved in the negotiations under former United States Senator George J. Mitchell that led to the Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement on account of the day on which it was signed). The party withdrew in protest when Sinn Féin, a republican party with ties to the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), was allowed to participate despite the IRA retaining weapons. The DUP opposed the Agreement in the referendum that followed its signing, and which saw the Agreement approved reasonably comfortably nonetheless.

The DUP fought the resulting election to the Northern Ireland Assembly and took two seats in the multi-party power-sharing executive but while serving as ministers refused to sit in at meetings of the Executive Committee (cabinet) in protest at Sinn Féin's participation.[citation needed] The Executive ultimately collapsed over an alleged IRA espionage ring at Stormont. (see Stormontgate).

In the delayed Northern Ireland Assembly election of 2003, the DUP became the largest political party in the region, with 30 seats. In 2004, it became the largest Northern Ireland party at Westminster, with the defection of Jeffrey Donaldson. On December 12, 2004, English MP Andrew Hunter took the DUP whip, giving the party seven seats, in comparison to the UUP's five, Sinn Féin's four, and the SDLP's three.

In the 2005 general election, the party reinforced its position as the largest unionist party, winning nine seats, making it the fourth largest party in terms of seats in the British House of Commons behind Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. In terms of votes, the DUP is the fourth largest party in Ireland.

When this is compared to the Northern Ireland local government elections (held on the same day as the Westminster General Election but under Proportional Representation), then the final figures would indicate that, had the Westminster General Election been on a Proportional Representation basis instead of the First-past-the-post system, the DUP would only have had six seats and the UUP and Sinn Féin four seats each. The SDLP would still have its three seats but there would have been another seat for an independent.

At the Local Government election of 2005, the DUP also emerged as the largest party at Local Government level with 182 Councillors across Northern Ireland's 26 District Councils.2005 Local Government Election Results The DUP currently has a majority of the members on both Castlereagh Borough Council, which has long been a DUP stronghold and is home to Deputy Leader Peter Robinson, and in Ballymena Borough Counciland finally Ards Borough Council, home to Ian Paisley. As well as outright control on both of these councils, the DUP is also the largest party in eight of the other Councils. These are Antrim Borough Council, Ballymoney Borough Council, Banbridge District Council, Belfast City Council, Carrickfergus Borough Council, Coleraine Borough Council, and Craigavon Borough Council.

[edit] Policies

[edit] Constitutional position

The DUP supports the maintenance of Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom.

  • Constitutional Monarchist
  • Supports a devolved Government for Northern Ireland if certain conditions are met by Sinn Féin.
  • Seeks the establishment of a Northern Ireland Assembly with an Executive Government made up of democratic parties with no links to an active terrorist organisation.
  • Supports practical co-operation with the Republic of Ireland on issues of mutual concern and provided that decisions taken are accountable to the people of Northern Ireland.

[edit] Policy papers

[edit] Opposition to teaching evolution

In 2007, two DUP members raised the issue of creationism and intelligent design, questioning the availability of materials and resources for schools wishing to teach alternative theories to the evolution. Additionally, one of these members, MP David Simpson, asked for assurances that students who gave creationist answers to examination questions would not be marked lower for it. A spokesman for the DUP confirmed that these views are consistent with party policy. [7]

[edit] Party spokesmen - Westminster

Policy issue Spokesperson
Party Leader Peter Robinson
Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds
Defence, Culture, Media and Sport Gregory Campbell
Education and Skills, Housing Sammy Wilson
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs William McCrea
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Europe Ian Paisley
Health, Youth and Women Iris Robinson
Home Affairs, Justice Peter Robinson
Trade and Industry David Simpson
Transport, International Development Jeffrey Donaldson
Treasury, Work and Pensions, Shadow Leader of the House Nigel Dodds

[edit] Belfast Agreement

The 1998 Belfast Agreement was opposed by the Democratic Unionist Party. The opposition was based on a number of reasons, including:

  • The early release of republican prisoners
  • The mechanism to allow Sinn Féin to hold Government office despite ongoing IRA activity.
  • The lack of accountability of Ministers within the Executive.
  • The lack of accountability of the North/South Ministerial Council and all-Ireland Implementation Bodies.

The Belfast Agreement relied on the support of a majority of unionists and a majority of nationalists in order for it to operate.[citation needed] During the 2003 Assembly Election, the DUP argued for a "fair deal" that could command the support of both unionists and nationalists. After the results of this election the DUP argued that support was no longer present within unionism for the Belfast Agreement. They then went on to publish their proposals for devolution in Northern Ireland entitled 'Devolution Now'

These proposals have been refined and re-stated in further policy documents including 'Moving on'PDF (483 KiB) and 'Facing Reality'PDF (914 KiB)

The DUP has consistently held the view that any party which is linked to a terrorist organisation should not be eligible to hold Government office.[citation needed] The activities of the IRA and the other paramilitary groups have been monitored by the Independent Monitoring Commission.

[edit] Elected representatives

[edit] Parliament of the United Kingdom

Members of Parliament:

[edit] Northern Ireland Assembly

Members of the 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly:

[edit] Recent developments

 This article or section may contain an inappropriate mixture of prose and timeline.
Please help convert this timeline into prose or, if necessary, a list.

On 11 April 2006, it was announced that three DUP members were to be elevated to the House of Lords: Maurice Morrow, Wallace Browne, the former Lord Mayor of Belfast, and Eileen Paisley, a vice-president of the DUP and wife of DUP Leader Ian Paisley. None, however, sit as DUP peers.

On 27 October 2006, the DUP issued a four page letter in the Belfast Telegraph newspaper asking the question "Are the terms of Saint Andrew's a basis of moving forward to devolution?", with responses to be received to its party headquarters by the 8 November. It was part of the party's overall direction of consultation with its electorate before entering a power-sharing assembly.[citation needed]

On 24 November 2006, Ian Paisley refused to nominate himself as First Minister of Northern Ireland designate. There was confusion between all parties whether he actually said that if Sinn Féin supported policing and the rule of law that he would nominate himself on 28 March 2007 after the Assembly elections on 7 March 2007. The Assembly meeting was brought to an abrupt end when they had to evacuate because of a security breach. Ian Paisley later released a statement through the press office stating that he did in fact imply that if Sinn Féin supported policing and the rule of law, he would go into power sharing with Sinn Féin. This was following a statement issued by 12 DUP MLAs stating that what Ian Paisley had said in the chamber could not be interpreted as a nomination.[8]

The DUP has recently suggested that it would begin to impose fines up to £20,000 on members disobeying the party whip on crucial votes. [9]

On 24 March 2007 the DUP Party Executive overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution put to them by the Party Officers which did not agree to an establishment of devolution and an Executive in Northern Ireland by the Government's deadline of 26th March, but did agree to setting up an Executive on 8th May 2007. DUP Executive agrees devolution date

On 27 March 2007, the party's sole Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Jim Allister, resigned from the party, in opposition to the decision to enter powersharing with Sinn Féin, he will retain his seat as an Independent MEP. MP Gregory Campbell has warned on April 6, 2007 that his party will be watching to see if benefits flow from the party's agreement to share power with Sinn Féin.[10]

On 7 May 2007 The East Antrim MLA George Dawson passed away after a short battle against cancer. He was replaced by Alastair Ross, who had previously worked as a Parliamentary Researcher for the East Antrim MP and MLA Sammy Wilson.

On 30 May 2008 the DUP held a farewell event to mark the retirement of Ian Paisley as leader of the Party. It was held at the Balmoral Hall, part of the Kings Hall complex in Belfast.

on 31 May 2008 the Party's central Executive Committee met at the offices of Castlereagh Borough Council where Ian Paisley formally stepped down as Party Leader and Peter Robinson was ratified as the new leader with Nigel Dodds as his deputy.

On 11 June 2008 the party supported the governments proposal to detaine terror suspects for up to 42 days.

[edit] Political Links

On Sinn Fein's website it explained that a Sinn Féin assembly member said that he wanted to understand why the DUP's 'Kick the Pope' flute band" is "listed to appear alongside a right wing neo Nazi organisation, the British Ulster Alliance." [11] The BUA has denied in one of its articles called "Divided we fall"[12] that the North Belfast News said the BUA was linked to Combat 18. The DUP does not seem to know this so their position has not been clear on this problem.

[edit] Leadership

Founder Ian Paisley led the party from its foundation in 1971 onwards, but was forced to bring forward his retirement to the spring of 2008. He was replaced by former deputy leader Peter Robinson on 31 May 2008.

[edit] The DUP and Homosexuality

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 It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Iris Robinson. (Discuss)

Several members of the DUP have been criticised for their opinions on Homosexuality in Northern Ireland, most recently Iris Robinson. On the Stephen Nolan breakfast show on Radio Ulster Mrs Robinson said with help, gay people could be "turned around"[13].

Merge arrows
 It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ian Paisley, Jr.. (Discuss)

In May 2007, Ian Paisley, Jr. was criticised for stating during an interview that he was "repulsed" by homosexuals[14]. In this instance, the DUP claim that there was no suggestion of any form of discrimination in any of Mr Paisley Jr's comments though the SDLP's equality spokeswoman, Dolores Kelly, requested that the assembly censure Mr Paisley. At the time he was a Junior Minister in OFMDFM with responsibility for equality.

In 2005, DUP Councillor Maurice Mills claimed that Hurricane Katrina was sent by God to the United States as an act of judgment upon those who practise sodomy.[15]

[edit] See also

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Freston, Paul (2004). Protestant Political Parties: A Global Survey. Aldershot: Ashgate, pp. 47–51. ISBN 978-0754640622. 
  2. ^ "DUP 'would share power in May'", BBC News Online, BBC, 2007-03-24. Retrieved on 2007-04-07. 
  3. ^ a b "Allister quits power-sharing DUP", BBC News Online, BBC, 2007-03-27. Retrieved on 2007-03-27. 
  4. ^ "Seventh councillor leaves the DUP", BBC News Online, BBC, 2007-04-05. Retrieved on 2007-04-07. 
  5. ^ BBC NEWS | UK | Northern Ireland | New unionist group to be launched
  6. ^ Beyond the Sectarian Divide: the Social Bases and Political Consequences of Nationalist and Unionist Party Competition in Northern Ireland by Geoffrey Evans and Mary Duffy. In British Journal of Political Science, Vol. 27, No. 1. (Jan., 1997), p.58
  7. ^ Lesley-Anne Henry (September 26, 2007). Tussle of Biblical proportions over creationism in Ulster classrooms - Education - News - Belfast Telegraph. Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved on 2008-04-23.
  8. ^ BBC NEWS | Northern Ireland | Paisley 'will accept nomination'
  9. ^ Sunday Times, page 1.10, February 4, 2007
  10. ^ "Agreement must bring benefits, Congressmen are told", Noel McAdam, Belfast Telegraph, 2007-04-06. Retrieved on 2007-04-06. 
  11. ^ [1]
  12. ^ [2]
  13. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7439661.stm
  14. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6705637.stm
  15. ^ http://www.ivanfoster.org/article.asp?date=12/3/2005&seq=7

[edit] DUP logo gallery

United Unionists logo

Previous logo

Democratic Unionist Association logo

[edit] External links

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#Although Sinn Féin have five elected members and have offices at Westminster, they are abstentionist and therefore do not take their seats
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