DUP - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party Following the Retirement of Peter Robinson
Arlene Foster's appointed to the Privy Council is approved by HM The Queen.
Job Titles:
- Assembly Spokesperson for Education and Skills ( FE and Higher Education )
- the DUP Member of the European Parliament
Diane was brought up on a small family farm outside Rathfriland. Educated at Annaclone Primary School and then Banbridge Academy, Diane graduated in History and English from Queen's University, where she joined the Democratic Unionist Party
She qualified as a teacher from Stranmillis College, taking up a teaching post at Laurelhill High School in Lisburn where she taught History and English as well as pupils with learning difficulties.
In 1998 Diane began working in the North Belfast constituency, developing the DUP constituency service to three offices dealing with 17,000 constituency cases.
In the 2003 Assembly election Diane became the first Unionist to win a seat in West Belfast for over 20 years. Diane was elected to Belfast City Council in 2005 with the highest individual vote of any candidate across Northern Ireland.
Diane was elected as DUP MEP for Northern Ireland in June 2009, a position she retained in the 2014 and 2019 European Elections. Although unaffiliated to any groupings in Brussels, Diane served on the Conference of Presidents and secured full membership of the EU Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and also representation on the EU Fisheries Committee.
In 2020, Diane returned to the Northern Ireland Assembly as MLA for Upper Bann and served as Minister for the Economy from January 2020 until June 2021.
Diane Dodds is returned as the leading unionist MEP and the DUP emerges as the largest party in local government once again in the first election for the new 11 District Councils with 130 seats.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Secretary
- Assembly Spokesperson for Communities / Childcare / Early Years
Job Titles:
- Vice Chairman
- Assembly Spokesperson for Institutional Reform, Hard to Reach Communities
Edwin was educated at the Wallace High School, Lisburn, and then studied at Greenmount Agricultural College. Married with four children, he is a farmer and previously served on Lisburn City Council.
Edwin was first elected to Lisburn City Council in 1997, and was made Deputy Mayor of Lisburn on June 23rd 2008 until he stepped down in 2010 to concentrate on his NI Assembly duties.
On 8 May 2007, he was appointed Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure in the Northern Ireland Executive, a post he held until 9 June 2008.
Edwin served as the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety from 2011 until September 2014.
Since January 2020, Edwin has been the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in the Northern Ireland Executive.
In May 2021, Edwin was elected Leader of the DUP until he stepped down on 30 June 2021.
Following the death of Christopher Stalford, Edwin resigned as MLA for Lagan Valley and was co-opted as the MLA for Belfast on 7 March 2022.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Leader
- Deputy Leader and Westminster Spokesperson for Defence & Home Affairs
Gavin is a lifelong East Belfast resident. He attended Grosvenor Grammar School in East Belfast. While he was further educated at Queen's University Belfast, he read Law and attained a Masters in Irish Politics before commencing practice as a barrister.
Gavin was a member of Belfast City Council from 2010 until 2015, first for the Pottinger District Electoral Area and then for the newly created Titanic DEA.
He served as the Lord Mayor of Belfast from June 2012 until June 2013 when his leadership was recognised during a difficult period for the city.
Gavin was elected as the Member of Parliament for East Belfast on 7th May 2015 and has since been re-elected in 2017 and 2019. He is currently the DUP spokesperson for Defence and Home Affairs. He also sits on the Defence Committee.
Gavin was elected as the Deputy Leader of the DUP on 9th JUne 2023.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Spokesperson
- Westminster Spokesperson International Development
Gregory was first elected to Londonderry City Council in 1981 and represented the Waterside DEA until he stepped down in March 2011. During this time, he served as the DUP Group Leader on the Council.
Gregory was also elected to the 1982 Assembly representing Co Londonderry, and the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue in 1996. He has been the Security spokesman for the DUP since 1994.
Gregory was elected as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998 representing the East Londonderry constituency and has been re-elected on every occasion since. He served as the Minister for Regional Development from July 2000 until September 2001. He also served as the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure from June 2008 until June 2009. He remained a member of the Assembly until he stepped down at the 2016 Assembly election.
Gregory also represents the Party on the Social Development Committee, Assembly and Executive Review Committee as well as the All-Party Group on Disability.
Gregory was elected as the Member of Parliament for East Londonderry in 2001 and re-elected in 2005, 2010, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Gregory is currently the DUP spokesperson on International Development and the Cabinet Office. He also sits on the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.
Job Titles:
- Spokesperson
- Westminster Spokesperson - Health
Jim was first elected to Ards Borough Council in 1985 and served as Mayor in 1991/92.
He was elected as a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue in 1996 until it completed its work in 1998. He was then subsequently elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly representing Strangford.
Within the NI Assembly Jim served on both the Public Accounts Committee and Agriculture Committee. He was re-elected in both 2003 and 2007, stepping down from the NI Assembly in 2010.
Jim was elected to Parliament at the General Election of 2010 where he received nearly 15,000 votes, with the next closest unionist receiving just over 9,000. He was again re-elected in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Jim is currently the DUP spokesperson on Health and Human Rights. He is also a member of the Ecclesiastical (Joint) Committee.
Lord Morrow has served as Chairman of the DUP since 2000, and in 2006 he was made a Life Peer. After attending Ballygawley Primary School, Dungannon Secondary and Dungannon Technical College, he pursued a career as an estate agent, before entering public life.
His political career began in 1973 when he was elected to Dungannon District Council. He served as a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly from 1998 until 2017. In 2000 he became Minister for Social Development in the Northern Ireland Executive, a position held until October 2001.
Lord Morrow is married and has two daughters and maintains an interest in rural development.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Assembly Spokesperson for Environment, Climate & Fisheries
Michelle was member of Ards Borough Council representing Newtownards Town from 2005, until she stepped down in December 2010 to concentrate on her Assembly duties.
This is Michelle's fourth term as Assembly Member for Strangford having been successfully returned in 2011. She served as the Chair on the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee until September 2014 when she was appointed as Chair of the Education Committee.
On 11th May 2015 Michelle was appointed as Junior Minister in the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. After the Ulster Unionist Party walked away from the Executive in August 2015 Michelle took on the role of Minister for Regional Development. Following the 2016 Assembly Election Michelle was appointed as Minister for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.
From January 2020 - June 2021, Michelle was the Chairperson for the Committee on Infrastructure.
She is also an All-Party Group member on issues concerning Football, Children and Young People and Social Enterprise.
In June 2021, Michelle was appointed as Minister for Education in the Northern Ireland Executive.
Job Titles:
- Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party and First Minister of Northern Ireland After Dr Paisley Steps Down from Both Positions
Job Titles:
- Leader
- Party Leader
- Party Leader & Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley
Sir Jeffrey was first elected to the (1982-86) Northern Ireland Assembly in a by-election in 1985 aged 22. From 1983 to 1985 Jeffrey also served as Agent to the Rt Hon Enoch Powell MP.
In 1997 Sir Jeffrey was elected as the Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley and he has been re-elected at every subsequent election. He is Northern Ireland's longest serving sitting MP.
In 2003 Sir Jeffrey was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly and represented Lagan Valley at Stormont until he stepped down in 2010. Whilst an Assembly Member Sir Jeffrey served as Chairman of the Assembly & Executive Review Committee and subsequently as a Junior Minister in the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister with special responsibility for issues including children and young people, policy on older people and support for the victims of terrorism.
Sir Jeffrey has been elected by the people of Lagan Valley seven times, most recently in 2019.
On Thursday 30th June 2021, Sir Jeffrey became Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party.
Jeffrey Donaldson is ratified by the Party Executive and becomes the fifth leader of the DUP.
Timothy Johnston was appointed as Chief Executive of the Democratic Unionist Party in September 2017.
Timothy was born in Portadown, County Armagh and was educated at Killicomaine Junior High School and Portadown College before studying law at The Queen's University of Belfast.
Following graduation Timothy worked in Belfast and London with one of the UK's big four accountancy and audit firms prior to being appointed as the DUP's Director of Communications in 2002, a position which he held until 2007 when he was appointed as Special Adviser to the First Minister of Northern Ireland, the late Dr Ian Paisley.
Upon the retirement of Dr Paisley in 2008, Timothy was reappointed by Peter Robinson as Special Adviser to the First Minister, a position he held until Mr Robinson's retirement in 2016. Arlene Foster subsequently reappointed him when she became First Minister in January 2016, a position he held until January 2017.
Mr Johnston has been involved in all major talks processes over the last twenty years as well as assisting the party in the discussions leading to the Confidence and Supply Agreement between the DUP and the Conservative Party in June 2017.