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153-596: Iris Robinson (née Collins ; born 6 September 1949) is a former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician in Northern Ireland . She is married to Peter Robinson , who was First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2008 to 2016. Robinson was first elected councillor for Castlereagh Borough Council in 1989, and served as Mayor in 1992 and 1995. She was a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue from 1995 to 1997. In 1998 she
306-550: A perverse incentive to use more energy and increase their carbon footprint to those who signed up to it since they could claim £1.60 for every £1 spent on heating with, for example, wood pellets. With no cost controls, it could cost the public purse up to £490 million. Foster refused calls to step down as First Minister over her alleged role in the RHI scandal. In January 2017 this led Martin McGuinness to resign in protest and
459-468: A university constituency if a university graduate. Once elected, Members of Parliament normally continue to serve until the next dissolution of Parliament. But if a member dies or ceases to be qualified (see qualifications below), their seat falls vacant. It is also possible for the House of Commons to expel a member, a power exercised only in cases of serious misconduct or criminal activity. In each case,
612-797: A 19-year-old man, and alleged serious financial irregularities associated with the scandal. In the 2010 general election , the party suffered a major upset when its leader, Peter Robinson, lost his Belfast East seat to Naomi Long of the APNI on a swing of 22.9%. However, the party maintained its position elsewhere, fighting off a challenge from the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force in Antrim South and Strangford and from Jim Allister's Traditional Unionist Voice in Antrim North . The DUP were strongly criticised after
765-649: A DUP fundraiser in May 2018, with his main financial backer, Arron Banks , stating that he would support a bid by Farage to seek office as a DUP candidate after the end of his tenure as Member of the European Parliament in 2019. In her capacity as Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in 2012, Foster oversaw the establishment of a green energy scheme, which led to the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal (RHI scandal). The scheme gave
918-503: A London clinic from January 2010 and returned to Northern Ireland on 19 September 2010 to continue treatment. Robinson made her first appearance in public almost seven months after her return, at the funeral of her mother at Bethany Free Presbyterian Church in County Armagh on 14 April 2011. Among the mourners was deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness who embraced Robinson on the steps of the church. Her husband stated his wife
1071-493: A Protestant loyalist volunteer militia —called the (Ulster) Third Force —which would work alongside the police and army to fight the Irish Republican Army (IRA). They organized large rallies where men were photographed in military formation waving firearms certificates . Paisley declared: "This is a small token of the men who are placed to devastate any attempt by Margaret Thatcher and Charles Haughey to destroy
1224-555: A Tory PM." The DUP would later withdraw their support over new Prime Minister Boris Johnson's revised proposal for a deal with the EU. At the 2019 UK general election , the DUP lost vote share and lost two of its seats. Due to the RHI scandal and deadlock between the DUP and Sinn Féin, Northern Ireland did not have an Executive and the Assembly did not meet for three years. In January 2020,
1377-448: A basis of moving forward to devolution?", with responses to be received to its party headquarters by 8 November. It was part of the party's policy of consultation with its electorate before entering a power-sharing government. 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
1530-577: A bill so as to insert a taxation or supply-related provision, but the House of Commons often waives its privileges and allows the Lords to make amendments with financial implications. Under a separate convention, known as the Salisbury Convention , the House of Lords does not seek to oppose legislation promised in the government's election manifesto . Hence, as the power of the House of Lords has been severely curtailed by statute and by practice,
1683-477: A bill that seeks to extend a parliamentary term beyond five years requires the consent of the House of Lords. By a custom that prevailed even before the Parliament Acts, only the House of Commons may originate bills concerning taxation or supply . Furthermore, supply bills passed by the House of Commons are immune to amendments in the House of Lords. In addition, the House of Lords is barred from amending
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#17327796245521836-479: A business venture. According to a BBC investigation, the payments she arranged from two property developers to McCambley were £50,000. As the £50,000 was not declared to the Northern Ireland Assembly , this action broke the law. Robinson subsequently asked McCambley for £5,000 in cash; as well as a cheque made out to Dundonald's Light 'n Life Church, where Peter Robinson's sister, Rev. Pat Herron
1989-555: A campaign of mass civil disobedience . There were strikes and mass protest rallies. On 23 June 1986, DUP politicians occupied the Stormont Parliament Building in protest at the Agreement, while 200 supporters protested outside and clashed with police. The DUP politicians were forcibly removed by police the next day. On 10 July, Paisley and deputy DUP leader Peter Robinson led 4,000 loyalist supporters in
2142-569: A citizen of either Britain, a British overseas territory , Ireland , or a member of the Commonwealth of Nations . British citizens living abroad are allowed to vote for 15 years after leaving. It is a criminal offence for a person to vote in the ballot of more than one seat which is vacant at any election. This has not always been the case: before 1948 plural voting was permitted as voters qualified by home ownership or residence and could vote under both entitlements simultaneously, as well as for
2295-733: A citizen of the United Kingdom, of a British overseas territory, of the Republic of Ireland , or of a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations . These restrictions were introduced by the British Nationality Act 1981 , but were previously far more stringent: under the Act of Settlement 1701 , only natural-born subjects were qualified. Members of the House of Lords may not serve in the House of Commons, or even vote in parliamentary elections; however, they are permitted to sit in
2448-475: A deal whereby his close ally, Paul Givan , would become First Minister. In return, he would let Westminster pass Irish language law for Northern Ireland, which the DUP had earlier agreed to implement by signing the New Decade, New Approach agreement. Most DUP MLAs opposed Poots's decision, forcing him to step down. On 22 June, Jeffrey Donaldson was confirmed to be succeeding Poots, as the only candidate in
2601-756: A murderer can be redeemed by the blood of Christ , so can a homosexual.... If anyone takes issue, they're taking issue with the word of God ". Her comments were rebuffed by representatives of the Royal College of Psychiatrists , the Rainbow Project , the Alliance Party , Sinn Féin , and the Social Democratic and Labour Party . The psychiatrist in question, Dr. Paul Miller later resigned as her adviser and stood down from his post of consultant psychiatrist at Belfast's Mater hospital. He
2754-553: A new mechanism which remains in force) three days after becoming prime minister. The new session of Parliament was delayed to await the outcome of his by-election, which happened to be already under way due to a recent death. As anticipated, he won that election, which was for the highest-majority seat in Scotland among his party; otherwise he would have been constitutionally obliged to resign. Since 1990, almost all cabinet ministers, save for three whose offices are an intrinsic part of
2907-553: A new tax targeting wealthy landowners. This measure failed in the heavily Conservative House of Lords, and the government resigned. The resulting general election returned a hung parliament , but Asquith remained prime minister with the support of the smaller parties. Asquith then proposed that the powers of the Lords be severely curtailed. Following a further election in December 1910 , the Asquith Government secured
3060-657: A non-binding statement released by parliament after the debate. This new technique was used to pass the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2019 in March, as well as the No. 2 Act in September, both relating to Brexit . 2019 was the year Labour and Co-operative MPs became the fourth-largest political group in the House of Commons. In 2020, new procedures for hybrid proceedings were introduced from 22 April. These mitigated
3213-529: A number of theories, including the suggestion that it was to coincide with market day; this would ease voting for those who had to travel into the towns to cast their ballot. A candidate for a seat must submit nomination papers signed by ten registered voters from that area, and pay £500, which is refunded if the candidate wins at least five per cent of the vote. Such a deposit seeks to discourage frivolity and very long ballot papers which would cause vote splitting (and arguably voter confusion). Each constituency
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#17327796245523366-665: A party leader or as a private Member of Parliament. Customarily, members of the Government party/coalition and members of the Opposition alternate when asking questions. Members may also make inquiries in writing. In practice, this scrutiny can be fairly weak. Since the first-past-the-post electoral system is employed, the governing party often enjoys a large majority in the Commons, and ministers and departments practise defensive government, outsourcing key work to third parties. If
3519-652: A petition calling on British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to reprimand DUP MP Iris Robinson over her controversial remarks about homosexuality" and "[Fewer than] 30 people have signed an opposing petition calling on the Prime Minister to allow the comments to go un-reprimanded as a matter of personal opinion and religion". As a result of her comments, Robinson was named " Bigot of the Year " for 2008 by Stonewall . In April 2009, both Iris and Peter Robinson came under fire after Commons MPs' expenses accounts were leaked to
3672-611: A physical assault on a homosexual man in Northern Ireland, she made comments on the BBC Radio Ulster 's The Nolan Show offering to recommend homosexuals to psychiatric counselling. While condemning the attack, she called homosexuality an "abomination" that made her feel "sick" and "nauseous", and offered to refer homosexuals to a psychiatrist she knew. In a subsequent interview, Robinson defended her views and denied prejudice against homosexuals, saying that "just as
3825-594: A political settlement for Northern Ireland. In the election to the convention, the UUUC (which included the DUP) won 53% of the vote. The UUUC opposed a power-sharing government and recommended only a return to majority rule (i.e. unionist rule). As this was unacceptable to nationalists, the convention was dissolved. The DUP opposed UK membership of the European Economic Community (EEC). In June 1979, in
3978-463: A protest in which they 'occupied' the town of Hillsborough . Hillsborough Castle is where the Agreement had been signed. On 7 August, Robinson led hundreds of loyalist supporters in an invasion of the village of Clontibret , in the Republic of Ireland. The loyalists marched up and down the main street, vandalised property, and attacked two Irish police officers ( Gardaí ) before fleeing back over
4131-492: A substantive, "the common body of the people of any place; the community or commonalty" in the singular; "the common people, the commonalty; the lower order, as distinguished from those of noble or knight or gentle rank", or "the burgers of a town; the body of free citizens, bearing common burdens, and exercising common rights; (hence) the third estate in the English constitution; the body of people, not ennobled, and represented by
4284-444: A two-thirds supermajority of the house. These provisions were first used by Theresa May to trigger the 2017 snap election . The Recall of MPs Act 2015 created a mechanism for recalling Members of Parliament. Under the act, proceedings are initiated only if an MP is found guilty of wrongdoing fulfilling certain criteria. A petition is successful if at least one in ten voters in the constituency sign. Successful petitions result in
4437-550: A working-class area in the east of the city. She describes herself as a born again Christian and attends Metropolitan Tabernacle Church in Belfast. She comes from family with a mixed religious background as ten of her first cousins are Roman Catholics. She attended Cregagh Primary School, Knockbreda Intermediate School and Cregagh Technical College before becoming a secretary. She married Peter Robinson on 26 July 1970. They were
4590-481: Is a maximum: prime ministers can choose to dissolve parliament at earlier times, with the permission of the monarch, and often have. This was a return to the historic system that had been replaced by the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 , which fixed the term at five years. As of 9 July 2024, five of the twelve last prime ministers have attained office as the immediate result of a general election;
4743-730: Is also Eurosceptic and supported Brexit . The DUP evolved from the Protestant Unionist Party and has historically strong links to the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster , the church Paisley founded. During the Troubles , the DUP opposed sharing power with Irish nationalists or republicans as a means of resolving the conflict, and likewise rejected attempts to involve the Republic of Ireland in Northern Irish affairs. It campaigned against
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4896-405: Is also called a seat (as it was in 1885 ), as it returns one member, using the first-past-the-post electoral system, under which the candidate with a plurality of votes wins, that is greatest number of votes. Minors (that is, anyone under the age of 18), members of the House of Lords, and prisoners are not qualified to become members of the House of Commons. To vote, one must be a UK resident and
5049-469: Is dissolved , an action which is part of the royal prerogative . By convention the timing of the dissolution is chosen by the Prime Minister (see relationship with the Government above). Under the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 , if no early election is called, dissolution is automatic on the fifth year after its first meeting day. This Act effectively postponed the automatic date of
5202-482: Is dissolved . The House of Commons of England began to evolve in the 13th and 14th centuries. In 1707 it became the House of Commons of Great Britain after the political union with Scotland , and from 1801 it also became the House of Commons for Ireland after the political union of Great Britain and Ireland . In 1922, the body became the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland after
5355-479: Is more serious. The House of Commons technically retains the power to impeach Ministers of the Crown (or any other subject, even if not a public officer) for their crimes. Impeachments are tried by the House of Lords, where a simple majority is necessary to convict. This power has fallen into disuse, however; the House of Commons exercises its checks on the government through other means, such as no confidence motions;
5508-823: Is no longer a consultant psychiatrist within the NHS and has been reported to the General Medical Council (GMC). A police investigation followed these comments, over 100 complaints were made, and gay rights activist Robert Toner also made a complaint to the Equality Commission. Robinson subsequently repeated her views in parliamentary session. Speaking in a 17 June 2008 Northern Ireland Grand Committee session on Risk Assessment and Management of Sex Offenders , she said: "There can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality and sodomy , than sexually abusing innocent children ." She reiterated her statement to
5661-417: Is pastor. It is alleged that Peter pressed his wife to return this money – however, he did not inform the proper authorities about the large monetary transactions, which is a breach of his duty and responsibility as First Minister of Northern Ireland. Reports have been made of further affairs, with among others, Kirk McCambley's father Billy, who died in 2008. Robinson's intention to retire from elected office
5814-549: The Belfast Telegraph on 21 June 2008, but later stated that she had been "misrepresented" in Hansard . This statement was challenged when Alliance Party Executive Director Gerry Lynch confirmed with Hansard staff that Robinson's comments were in fact correctly quoted. Further controversy was caused on 17 July 2008 when on The Nolan Show Robinson stated "it is the government's responsibility to uphold God's law". In
5967-476: The Oxford English Dictionary , the historical dictionary of the English language, can only attest to the word meaning advocated by Pollard from the 19th and 20th centuries onwards, whereas sources for the meaning given in the previous section date from the late Middle Ages, i.e. the time of the establishment of the House of Commons. The current Commons' layout is influenced by the use of
6120-685: The 2001 general election , replacing the Ulster Unionist Party 's John Taylor . She was re-elected at the 2005 general election . Since taking up her seat in the House of Commons , Robinson has voted in 32 per cent of votes in parliament, below the average among MPs. In her maiden speech she spoke about the "betrayal" felt by the Royal Ulster Constabulary, criticising the Government's policy on policing. Robinson's voting record shows that she voted strongly against introducing foundation hospitals , very strongly for
6273-627: The 2003 Northern Ireland 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 Good Friday Agreement. They went on to publish their proposals for devolution in Ireland entitled Devolution Now . These proposals have been refined and re-stated in further policy documents including Moving on and Facing Reality . In
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6426-627: The Acts of Union 1800 brought about the abolition of the Parliament of Ireland and enlarged the Commons at Westminster with 100 Irish members, creating the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The Middle English word common or commune , which is derived from the Anglo-Norman commune , meant "of general, public, or non-private nature" as an adjective and, as
6579-854: The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act . Since 1950, every constituency has been represented by a single Member of Parliament. There remains a technical distinction between county and borough constituencies ; its only effects are on the amount of money candidates are allowed to spend during campaigns and the rank of the local authority co-opted Returning Officer who presides over the count. Geographic boundaries are determined by four permanent and independent Boundary Commissions , one each for England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland . The commissions conduct general reviews of electoral boundaries once every 8 to 12 years, and interim reviews. In drawing boundaries, they are required to prefer local government boundaries, but may deviate from these to prevent great disparities in electorate; such disparities are given
6732-538: The Iraq War , moderately for an investigation into said war, voted moderately against LGBT rights , and never voted on transparent Parliament or on replacing Trident . Robinson also voted for Labour's 42-day terror detention, part of the Counter-Terrorism Bill . Robinson was suspended from Stormont for a day on 19 November 2007 after refusing to withdraw "unparliamentary" comments she had made about
6885-531: The Northern Ireland Assembly on 30 June 2008, in a discussion about "LGBT Groups: Mental-Health Needs", Robinson said that "Homosexuality, like all sin, is an abomination", and suggested that teenagers needed help deciding whether they were homosexual or heterosexual. During this period, Robinson herself was having an extra-marital affair with a 19-year-old man. By late July 2008, the Belfast Telegraph reported that "[A]lmost 11,000 people have signed
7038-617: The Northern Ireland peace process of the 1990s, the DUP was initially involved in the negotiations under former United States Senator George J. Mitchell that led to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, but withdrew in protest when Sinn Féin, an Irish republican party with links to the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), was allowed to participate while the IRA kept its weapons. The DUP opposed
7191-475: The Parliament Act 1949 ). Since the passage of these Acts, the House of Commons has become the dominant branch of Parliament. Since the 17th century, government ministers were paid, while other MPs were not. Most of the men elected to the Commons had private incomes, while a few relied on financial support from a wealthy patron. Early Labour MPs were often provided with a salary by a trade union, but this
7344-556: The Red Sky scandal in which DUP ministers attempted to influence a decision at a meeting of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive . The decision related to an £8 million contract of east Belfast firm Red Sky. The Housing Executive cancelled Red Sky's contract after a BBC Spotlight investigation into the company, which was shown to be overcharging taxpayers. The DUP cited "sectarian bias" in relation to
7497-604: The Sunningdale Agreement of 1973, the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985, and the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. In the 1980s, the DUP was involved in setting up the loyalist paramilitary movements Third Force and Ulster Resistance , the latter of which helped smuggle a large shipment of weapons into Northern Ireland. For most of the DUP's history, the Ulster Unionist Party was the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland; however, by 2004,
7650-524: The Ulster Unionist Party . Paisley, a well-known Protestant fundamentalist minister, was the founder and leader of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster . He would lead both the DUP and the Free Presbyterian Church for the next 37 years, and his party and church would be closely linked. When the DUP formed, Northern Ireland was in the midst of an ethnic-nationalist conflict known as the Troubles , which began in 1969 and would last for
7803-574: The coronavirus pandemic with measures including a limit of 50 MPs in the chamber, physical distancing and remote participation using video conferencing . Hybrid proceedings were abolished in August 2021. Later in December 2020, the Conservative government published a draft Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 (Repeal) Bill, later retitled the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill when it
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#17327796245527956-527: The first election to the European Parliament , Paisley won one of the three Northern Ireland seats. He topped the poll, with 29.8% of the first preference votes. He retained that seat in every European election until 2004, when he was replaced by Jim Allister , who resigned from the DUP in 2007 while retaining his seat. During 1981, the DUP opposed the then-ongoing talks between British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Taoiseach Charles Haughey . That year, Paisley and other DUP members attempted to create
8109-490: The " alternative vote " (AV) method. The proposal to introduce AV was rejected by 67.9% of voters on a national turnout of 42%. The Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 was passed by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition , transferring the power to call an early election from the Prime Minister to Parliament, and setting out the procedure for this. Under the act, calling an early election required
8262-467: The 1980s and 1990s, DUP councillors attempted to exclude Sinn Féin councillors by ignoring them, boycotting their speeches, or drowning them out by making as much noise as possible – such as by heckling and banging tables. In early January 1994, the UDA released a document calling for the repartition of Ireland with the goal of making Northern Ireland wholly Protestant. The plan was to be implemented should
8415-497: The 19th century still retained their ancient right of electing two members, in addition to other boroughs that had never been important, such as Gatton . Among the most notorious of these " rotten boroughs " were Old Sarum , which had only six voters for two MPs, and Dunwich , which had largely collapsed into the sea from coastal erosion . At the same time, large cities such as Manchester received no separate representation (although their eligible residents were entitled to vote in
8568-518: The 2003 Northern Ireland Assembly election, the DUP won 30 seats, the most of any party. In January 2004, it became the largest Northern Ireland party at Westminster , when MP Jeffrey Donaldson joined after defecting from the UUP. In December 2004, English MP Andrew Hunter took the DUP whip after earlier withdrawing from the Conservative Party , giving the party seven seats, in comparison to
8721-543: The 2019 Outburst Queer Arts Festival at the Lyric Theatre. It toured Belfast and Dublin in 2022, before receiving its London premiere at the Southbank Arts Centre in May 2023. Democratic Unionist Party The Democratic Unionist Party ( DUP ) is a unionist , loyalist , British nationalist and national conservative political party in Northern Ireland . It was founded in 1971 during
8874-402: The Agreement in the Good Friday Agreement referendum , in which the Agreement was approved with 71.1% of the electorate in favour. The DUP's opposition was based on a number of reasons, including: The DUP contested the 1998 Northern Ireland Assembly election that resulted from the Good Friday Agreement, winning 20 seats, the third-highest of any party. It then took up two of the ten seats in
9027-499: The British Army withdraw from Northern Ireland. The Irish Catholic/nationalist-majority areas would be handed over to the Republic, and those left in the rump state would be "expelled, nullified , or interned ". DUP press officer Sammy Wilson spoke positively of the document, calling it a "valuable return to reality" and lauded the UDA for "contemplating what needs to be done to maintain our separate Ulster identity". During
9180-532: The British mainland, but not Northern Ireland, advocating a 'Leave' vote. On 4 October 2016, First Minister Arlene Foster and DUP MPs held a champagne reception at the Conservative Party conference , marking what some have described as an "informal coalition" or an "understanding" between the two parties to account for the Conservatives' narrow majority in the House of Commons . The relationship between
9333-416: The Commons (as opposed to the unelected Lords) and their direct accountability to that House, together with empowerment and transparency, ensures ministerial accountability. Responsible government is an international constitutional paradigm. The prime minister chooses the ministers, and may decide to remove them at any time, although the appointments and dismissals are formally made by the Sovereign, acting on
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#17327796245529486-421: The Council's first woman mayor in 1992 and served as mayor again in 1995. She was a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue from 1995 to 1997. She was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998, representing the constituency of Strangford . She acted as the DUP health spokesperson. Robinson was elected as the DUP Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Strangford at
9639-408: The DUP had overtaken the UUP in terms of seats in both the Northern Ireland Assembly and the UK House of Commons . In 2006, the DUP co-signed the St Andrews Agreement and the following year agreed to enter into power-sharing devolved government with Sinn Féin , who agreed to support the Police Service , courts, and rule of law. Paisley became joint First Minister of Northern Ireland . However,
9792-461: The DUP held its first ever leadership election in May 2021, with Edwin Poots becoming leader after narrowly defeating Jeffrey Donaldson. This caused a fracture in the party. Some DUP members spoke of their "disgust" at the way in which Foster had been ousted. There were claims that Poots supporters engaged in bullying and intimidation during the leadership election, and some party members walked out before his speech. Police also investigated claims
9945-417: The DUP on 27 seats, the same number as Sinn Féin. In the 2017 UK general election, the DUP had 10 seats overall, 3 seats ahead of Sinn Féin. With no party having received an outright majority in the UK Parliament, the DUP entered into an agreement to support government by the Conservative Party. A DUP source said: "The alternative is intolerable. For as long as Corbyn leads Labour, we will ensure there’s
10098-474: The DUP over the issue, Traditional Unionist Voice , a seat which he retained until Diane Dodds won the seat back for the DUP in 2009. MP Gregory Campbell warned on 6 April 2007 that his party would be watching to see if benefits flow from its agreement to share power with Sinn Féin. 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
10251-442: The DUP said that it had cut its links with the URM in 1987. In the mid-1980s, the Irish republican party Sinn Féin began to contest and win seats in local council elections. In response, the DUP fought elections under the slogan "Smash Sinn Féin" and vowed to exclude Sinn Féin councillors from all council business. Their 1985 manifesto said "The Sinn Féiners must be ostracised and isolated" at all local government bodies. Throughout
10404-412: The DUP's only Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Jim Allister , and seven DUP councillors left the party in protest, founding the Traditional Unionist Voice . Ian Paisley was succeeded as DUP leader and First Minister by Peter Robinson (2008–2015), then by Arlene Foster (2015–2021). After Foster was ousted, Edwin Poots briefly became leader and nominated Paul Givan as First Minister, but
10557-470: The Government's deadline of 26 March, but did agree to setting up an executive on 8 May 2007. 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 a power-sharing government with Sinn Féin. He retained his seat as an independent MEP as leader of his new hard-line anti-St Andrews Agreement splinter group that he formed with other disaffected members who had left
10710-410: The House of Commons Andrea Leadsom , Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, former International Development Secretary Priti Patel , Sports Minister Tracey Crouch , Defence Select Committee chair Julian Lewis , and European Research Group chair Jacob Rees-Mogg headlined various fundraising events for the DUP from 2017 onwards. Former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage also spoke at
10863-458: The House of Commons is clearly the more powerful chamber of Parliament. The British parliament of today largely descends, in practice, from the Parliament of England , although the 1706 Treaty of Union , and the Acts of Union that ratified the Treaty, created a new Parliament of Great Britain to replace the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland , with the addition of 45 MPs and sixteen Scottish representative peers . Later still
11016-449: The House of Commons or the House of Lords. A handful have been appointed from outside Parliament, but in most cases they then entered Parliament in a by-election or by receiving a peerage (being made a peer). Since 1902, all but one prime ministers have been members of the Commons at time of appointment; the sole exception was during the long summer recess in 1963: Alec Douglas-Home , then the 14th Earl of Home, disclaimed his peerage (under
11169-401: The House of Lords by creating pro-Reform peers. To avoid this, the Lords relented and passed the bill in 1832. The Reform Act 1832 , also known as the "Great Reform Act", abolished the rotten boroughs, established uniform voting requirements for the boroughs, and granted representation to populous cities, but still retained some anomalies. In the ensuing years, the Commons grew more assertive,
11322-534: The House of Lords, have belonged to the Commons. Few major cabinet positions (except Lord Privy Seal , Lord Chancellor and Leader of the House of Lords ) have been filled by a peer in recent times. Notable exceptions are Sir Alec Douglas-Home ; who served as Foreign Secretary from 1960 to 1963; Peter Carington, 6th Lord Carrington , who also served as Foreign Secretary from 1979 to 1982; David Cameron , former Prime Minister who served as Foreign Secretary from 2023 to 2024; David Young, Lord Young of Graffham , who
11475-479: The House of Lords. The Lords may not delay a money bill (a bill that, in the view of the Speaker of the House of Commons, solely concerns national taxation or public funds) for more than one month. Moreover, the Lords may not delay most other public bills for more than two parliamentary sessions, or one calendar year. These provisions, however, only apply to public bills that originate in the House of Commons. Moreover,
11628-515: The IRA ourselves!" In December, Paisley claimed that the Third Force had 15,000–20,000 members. James Prior , Secretary of State for Northern Ireland , replied that private armies would not be tolerated. The Anglo-Irish Agreement was signed by the British and Irish governments in November 1985, following months of talks between the two. The Agreement confirmed there would be no change in
11781-528: The Lower House of Parliament" in the plural. The word has survived to this day in the original Anglo-Norman phrase soit baillé aux communes , with which a bill is transmitted from the House of Lords to the House of Commons. The historian Albert Pollard held a somewhat different view on the word's origins in 1920. He agreed that commons could be derived from Anglo-Norman communes , but that it referred to "civil associations" or "the counties". However,
11934-448: The MP vacating the seat, triggering a by-election. In 2019, MPs used "standing order 24" (a parliamentary procedure that triggers emergency debates) as a means of gaining control of the parliamentary order paper for the following day, and passing legislation without the incumbent government's consent. This unusual process was achieved through tabling amendments to the "motion in neutral terms",
12087-497: The Northern Ireland Executive collapsed. A snap election followed after Sinn Féin refused to re-nominate a deputy First Minister. In this Northern Ireland Assembly election , held in March 2017, the DUP lost 10 seats, leaving them only one seat and 1,200 votes ahead of Sinn Féin, a result described by the Belfast Telegraph as "catastrophic". The withdrawal of the party whip from Jim Wells in May 2018 left
12240-469: The Rev Ian Paisley", amongst other offers, to secure the bill. Members of the DUP were lambasted by the press and voters, after MPs' expenses reports were leaked to the media. Several newspapers referred to the "Swish Family Robinson" after Peter Robinson, and his wife Iris, claimed £571,939.41 in expenses with a further £150,000 being paid to family members. Further embarrassment was caused to
12393-514: The Speaker that the member was suffering from a mental disorder. However, this disqualification was removed by the Mental Health (Discrimination) Act 2013 . There also exists a common law precedent from the 18th century that the deaf-mute are ineligible to sit in the Lower House; this precedent, however, has not been tested in recent years. Anyone found guilty of high treason may not sit in Parliament until she or he has either completed
12546-568: The Speakership). Most members also claim for various office expenses (staff costs, postage, travelling, etc.) and, in the case of members for seats outside London, for the costs of maintaining a home in the capital. There are numerous qualifications that apply to Members of Parliament. One must be aged at least 18 (the minimum age was 21 until s.17 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 came into force), and must be
12699-686: The Troubles by Ian Paisley , who led the party for the next 37 years. It is currently led by Gavin Robinson , who initially stepped in as an interim after the resignation of Jeffrey Donaldson . It is the second-largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly , and won five seats in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom at the 2024 election . The party has been mostly described as right-wing and socially conservative , being anti-abortion and opposing same-sex marriage . The DUP sees itself as defending Britishness and Ulster Protestant culture against Irish nationalism and republicanism . It
12852-613: The URM helped smuggle a large shipment of weapons into Northern Ireland, which were shared out between the URM, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the Ulster Defence Association (UDA). Most, but not all, of the weaponry was seized by police in 1988. In 1989, URM members attempted to trade Shorts ' missile blueprints for weapons from the apartheid South African regime. Following these revelations,
13005-475: The UUP and its founding arguably stemmed from worries of the Ulster Protestant working class that the UUP was not paying them enough heed. The DUP opposed the Sunningdale Agreement of 1973. The Agreement was an attempt to resolve the conflict by setting up a new assembly and government for Northern Ireland in which unionists and Irish nationalists would share power. The Agreement also proposed
13158-551: The UUP's five, Sinn Féin's four, and the Social Democratic and Labour Party 's (SDLP) three. In the 2005 UK 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 was the fourth largest party on
13311-496: The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) threatened members of Donaldson's campaign team. Poots admitted party members were "bruised" but denied claims of intimidation. Several party members resigned, including councillors. On 17 June 21 days after becoming DUP leader, Poots announced he would be resigning after an internal party revolt. He said he would stay in post until a successor was elected. He had agreed
13464-582: The Union". The DUP helped organize a loyalist 'Day of Action' on 23 November 1981, to pressure the British government to take a harder line against the IRA. Paisley addressed a Third Force rally in Newtownards , where thousands of masked and uniformed men marched before him. He declared: "My men are ready to be recruited under the crown to destroy the vermin of the IRA. But if they refuse to recruit them, then we will have no other decision to make but to destroy
13617-626: The United Kingdom The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Like the upper house , the House of Lords , it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 members known as members of Parliament (MPs), who are elected to represent constituencies by the first-past-the-post system and hold their seats until Parliament
13770-613: The affair. It was announced on 9 January 2010 that her membership of the DUP had been terminated, and that she would stand down from elected office. On 12 January 2010 she resigned from the Northern Ireland Assembly, and on 13 January 2010, she resigned from the House of Commons and from Castlereagh Borough Council. The oldest of seven children, Iris Collins was born in Belfast , Northern Ireland to Mary McCarten and Joseph Collins, an English soldier. She grew up in
13923-601: The border. Robinson was arrested and convicted for unlawful assembly . On 10 November 1986, a rally was held in which DUP politicians Paisley, Robinson and Ivan Foster announced the formation of the Ulster Resistance Movement (URM). This was a loyalist paramilitary group whose purpose was to "take direct action as and when required" to bring down the Agreement and defeat republicanism. Recruitment rallies were held in towns across Northern Ireland and thousands were said to have joined. The following year,
14076-761: The chamber during debates (unlike the King, who cannot enter the chamber). A person may not sit in the Commons if they are the subject of a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order (applicable in England and Wales only), or if they are adjudged bankrupt (in Northern Ireland), or if their estate is sequestered (in Scotland). Previously, MPs detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 for six months or more would have their seat vacated if two specialists reported to
14229-583: The continued existence of the BBC (as the DUP, UKIP and Conservatives had made a number of statements criticising the institution) and support for same-sex marriage . However, in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live deputy leader of the DUP Nigel Dodds told BBC Newsline that the DUP was "against discrimination based on religion ... or sexual orientation". On 10 September 2015, Peter Robinson stepped aside as First Minister and other DUP ministers, with
14382-449: The corresponding county seat). Also notable were the pocket boroughs , small constituencies controlled by wealthy landowners and aristocrats, whose "nominees" were invariably elected. The Commons attempted to address these anomalies by passing a Reform Bill in 1831. At first, the House of Lords proved unwilling to pass the bill, but it was forced to relent when the prime minister, Charles, 2nd Earl Grey , advised King William IV to flood
14535-568: The creation of a Council of Ireland, which would facilitate co-operation between the governments of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The DUP won eight seats in the 1973 election to the Assembly . Along with other anti-Agreement unionists, the DUP formed the United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC) to oppose the Agreement. In the February 1974 UK election , the UUUC won 11 out of 12 Northern Ireland seats, while
14688-561: The decision. The party suspended DUP councillor Jenny Palmer , who sat on the executive board, after she confessed that DUP special adviser Stephen Brimstone pressured her into changing her vote at the meeting. In the 2015 general election , when the result was expected to be a hung parliament , the issue of DUP and the UK Independence Party forming a coalition government with the UK Conservative Party
14841-471: The exception of Arlene Foster , resigned their portfolios. Arlene Foster became leader of the DUP on 17 December 2015, and served as First Minister of Northern Ireland from January 2016 to January 2017. Two days before the UK Brexit referendum , held on 23 June 2016, the DUP paid £282,000 for a four-page glossy wrap-around to the free newspaper Metro , which is distributed in major towns and cities in
14994-468: The first husband and wife ever to represent Northern Ireland constituencies in Parliament at the same time. They have three grown-up children: Jonathan, Gareth and Rebekah. Gareth Robinson is also a former Councillor on Castlereagh Borough Council. Outside politics Robinson listed her interests as charity fundraising for multiple sclerosis , interior design and horseriding. Robinson was first elected councillor for Castlereagh (borough) in 1989. She became
15147-506: The fixed election date of the first Thursday in May five years after the previous election, which occurred (as a special case) on 7 May 2015 . As an ordinary Act, it was also possible for parliament to bypass it with a special purpose Act of Parliament passed by simple majorities in both houses, which occurred in 2019 . All general elections in the UK since 1935 have been held on a Thursday. The origins of this convention are unknown but there are
15300-601: The following year replaced almost all multi-member constituencies with single-member constituencies. In 1908, the Liberal Government under H. H. Asquith introduced a number of social welfare programmes, which, together with an expensive arms race , forced the Government to seek higher taxes. In 1909, the Chancellor of the Exchequer , David Lloyd George , introduced the "People's Budget", which proposed
15453-660: The formal term malapportionment . The proposals of the Boundary Commissions are subject to parliamentary approval, but may not be amended. After their next Periodic Reviews, the Boundary Commissions will be absorbed into the Electoral Commission , which was established in 2000. As of 2024, the UK is divided into 650 constituencies , with 543 in England, 32 in Wales, 57 in Scotland, and 18 in Northern Ireland. General elections occur whenever Parliament
15606-407: The government has a large majority, it has no need or incentive to compromise with other parties. Major modern British political parties tend to be so tightly orchestrated that their MPs often have little scope for free action. A large minority of ruling party MPs are paid members of the Government. Since 1900 the Government has lost confidence motions thrice—twice in 1924, and once in 1979. However,
15759-449: The government's agenda. The annual Budget is still considered a matter of confidence. When a government has lost the confidence of the House of Commons, the prime minister is expected either to resign, making way for another MP who can command confidence, or request the monarch to dissolve Parliament, thereby precipitating a general election. Since the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 Parliament sits for up to five years. This
15912-584: The health minister, Michael McGimpsey . In an interview with the Sunday Tribune in April 2008, anticipating becoming " First Lady " of Northern Ireland, Iris spoke out against Hillary Clinton alluding to her husband's affair with Monica Lewinsky : "No woman would put up with what she tolerated from her husband when he was president. She was thinking only of her future political career. It's all about power and not principle." In June 2008, shortly after
16065-511: The house between the government and opposition benches is 13 feet (3.96 m), said to be equivalent to two swords' length, though this is likely to be purely symbolic given weapons have been banned in the chamber for hundreds of years. The House of Commons underwent an important period of reform during the 19th century. Over the years, several anomalies had developed in borough representation. The constituency boundaries had not been changed since 1660, so many towns whose importance had declined by
16218-570: The independence of the Irish Free State . Under the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 , the Lords' power to reject legislation was reduced to a delaying power. The government is solely responsible to the House of Commons and the prime minister stays in office only as long as they retain the confidence of a majority of the Commons. Although the House of Commons does not formally elect the prime minister, by convention and in practice,
16371-467: The influence of the House of Lords having been reduced by the Reform Bill crisis, and the power of the patrons reduced. The Lords became more reluctant to reject bills that the Commons had passed with large majorities, and it became an accepted political principle that the confidence of the House of Commons alone was necessary for a government to remain in office. Many more reforms were introduced in
16524-480: The island of Ireland. At the local government election of 2005 , the DUP emerged as the largest party at local government level with 182 councillors across Northern Ireland's 26 district councils. The DUP had a majority of the members on Castlereagh Borough Council , which had long been a DUP stronghold and was home to party leader Peter Robinson , also in Ballymena Borough Council , home to
16677-408: The last impeachment was that of Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville in 1806. Bills may be introduced in either house, though bills of importance generally originate in the House of Commons. The supremacy of the Commons in legislative matters is assured by the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 , under which certain types of bills may be presented to the sovereign for royal assent without the consent of
16830-552: The latter half of the 19th century. The Reform Act 1867 lowered property requirements for voting in the boroughs, reduced the representation of the less populous boroughs, and granted parliamentary seats to several growing industrial towns. The electorate was further expanded by the Representation of the People Act 1884 , under which property qualifications in the counties were lowered. The Redistribution of Seats Act of
16983-591: The leader of the second-largest party becomes the leader of the Opposition . The Commons may indicate its lack of support for the government by rejecting a motion of confidence or by passing a motion of no confidence. Confidence and no confidence motions are phrased explicitly: for instance, "That this House has no confidence in His Majesty's Government." Many other motions were until recent decades considered confidence issues, even though not explicitly phrased as such: in particular, important bills that were part of
17136-512: The leadership contest. Jeffrey Donaldson was ratified as DUP leader on 30 June 2021, and said his top priority was to get rid of the Northern Ireland Protocol , the post- Brexit trade arrangements. Hours after he became leader, MLA Alex Easton left the DUP, saying the party no longer had any "respect, discipline or decency". This meant the DUP were no longer the biggest party in the Assembly. House of Commons of
17289-601: The main parties signed the New Decade, New Approach agreement and the Executive was re-formed with Foster as First Minister and Michelle O'Neill of Sinn Féin as deputy First Minister. In April 2021, it was reported that the majority of DUP MLAs and MPs had signed a letter of no confidence in Foster. She therefore announced that she would step down as DUP leader in May and as First Minister in June. After Foster's announcement,
17442-417: The multi-party power-sharing Executive. While serving as ministers, they refused to sit at meetings of the executive committee in protest at Sinn Féin's participation. The Executive ultimately collapsed over an alleged IRA espionage ring at Stormont (see Stormontgate ). The Good Friday Agreement relied on the support of a majority of unionists and a majority of nationalists in order for it to operate. During
17595-462: The next election after 2019 by more than half a year, from 2 May 2024 to Tuesday 28 January 2025; but the election was ultimately called for 4 July 2024 . The current regime around dissolution is substantially the same as that established by the Septennial Act 1715 (as amended by the Parliament Act 1911 ), under which that automatic dissolution instead occurred five years after issuance of
17748-544: The next thirty years. The conflict began amid a campaign to end discrimination against the Catholic / Irish nationalist minority by the Protestant/unionist government and police force. This protest campaign was opposed, often violently, by unionists who viewed it as an Irish republican front. Paisley had led the unionist opposition to the civil rights movement. The DUP were more hardline or loyalist than
17901-500: The offices of Castlereagh Borough Council as part of this investigation. On 25 June 2010, it became public that Robinson had been interviewed as part of a police investigation over money she obtained from two developers. Robinson reportedly received "acute psychiatric treatment" and was under 24-hour suicide watch following the BBC Spotlight documentary. It was reported that Robinson had been receiving psychiatric treatment in
18054-403: The original St. Stephen's Chapel in the Palace of Westminster . The rectangular shape is derived from the shape of the chapel. Benches were arranged using the configuration of the chapel's choir stalls whereby they were facing across from one another. This arrangement facilitated an adversarial atmosphere representative of the British parliamentary approach. The distance across the floor of
18207-404: The others have gained office upon the resignation of a prime minister of their own party. A prime minister will resign after party defeat at an election, if unable to form a coalition , or obtain a confidence and supply arrangement, and may be forced to resign after a successful motion of no confidence (either from the House as a whole, or from their own parliamentary party ). In such cases,
18360-629: The parties was formalised after the 2017 United Kingdom general election with the signing of the Conservative–DUP agreement . In October 2017, the DUP held a similar reception at the Conservative Party conference, which was attended by leading Conservative figures including First Secretary of State Damian Green , Brexit Secretary David Davis , then- Chief Whip Gavin Williamson , and party chairman Patrick McLoughlin . This
18513-526: The party when its deputy leader, Nigel Dodds, had the highest expenses claims of any Northern Ireland MP, ranking 13th highest out of all UK MPs. Details of all MPs' expenses claims since 2004 were published in July 2009 under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 . In January 2010, Peter Robinson was at the centre of a high-profile scandal relating to his 60-year-old MP/MLA wife Iris Robinson 's infidelity with
18666-562: The party's deputy leader, Gavin Robinson , being appointed as interim leader and later confirmed as party leader in May 2024. The Democratic Unionist Party evolved from the Protestant Unionist Party , which itself grew out of the Ulster Protestant Action movement. The DUP was founded on 30 September 1971 by Ian Paisley , leader of the Protestant Unionist Party, and Desmond Boal , formerly of
18819-435: The party's founder Ian Paisley, and finally Ards Borough Council . As well as outright control on these councils, the DUP was also the largest party in eight other councils – Antrim Borough Council , Ballymoney Borough Council , Banbridge District Council , Belfast City Council , Carrickfergus Borough Council , Coleraine Borough Council , Craigavon Borough Council and Newtownabbey Borough Council . On 11 April 2006, it
18972-457: The passage of a bill to curtail the powers of the House of Lords after threatening to flood the house with 500 new Liberal peers to ensure the passage of the bill. Thus the Parliament Act 1911 came into effect, destroying the legislative equality of the two Houses of Parliament. The House of Lords was permitted only to delay most legislation, for a maximum of three parliamentary sessions or two calendar years (reduced to two sessions or one year by
19125-411: The premiership goes to whomever can command a majority in the House, unless there is a hung parliament and a coalition is formed; the new prime minister will by convention be the new leader of the outgoing premier's party. It has become the practice to write the constitutions of major UK political parties to provide a set way to appoint a new party leader. By convention, ministers are members of either
19278-597: The press. The couple were described as the "swish family Robinson" by the News of the World and Daily Mail after claims that they were receiving £571,939.41 a year in various salaries and expenses. On 28 December 2009, and immediately prior to the airing of an investigative BBC programme looking at her personal life and financial dealings, Robinson announced her decision to retire from politics after claiming that she had been suffering serious bouts of stress and depression. At
19431-412: The prime minister is answerable to the House, and therefore must maintain its support. In this way, the position of the parties in the House is an overriding importance. Thus, whenever the office of prime minister falls vacant, the monarch appoints the person who has the support of the house, or who is most likely to command the support of the house—normally the leader of the largest party in the house—while
19584-460: The prime minister's advice. The House of Commons formally scrutinises the Government through its Committees and Prime Minister's Questions , when members ask questions of the prime minister; the house gives other opportunities to question other cabinet ministers. Prime Minister's Questions occur weekly, normally for half an hour each Wednesday. Questions must relate to the responding minister's official government activities, not to their activities as
19737-410: The pro-Agreement unionists failed to win any. On 15 May 1974, anti-Agreement unionists called a general strike aimed at bringing down the Agreement . The strike coordinating committee included DUP leader Paisley, the other UUUC leaders, and the leaders of the loyalist paramilitary groups . The strike lasted fourteen days and brought Northern Ireland to a standstill. Loyalist paramilitaries helped enforce
19890-632: The requirements of all relevant local government legislation and guidance in the awarding the lease for the Lock-Keeper's Inn. On 26 May 2011, the DUP announced that an independent investigation has "cleared Iris Robinson of any wrongdoing in connection with the awarding of a contract to her former teenage lover", though the findings of the investigative report have not been publicly circulated. The PSNI announced on 21 January 2010 that they were to conduct an investigation into Iris Robinson's financial affairs. On 20 February 2010 officers from PSNI searched
20043-453: The responsibility to uphold God's laws". In light of this, she was criticised for her views on homosexuality in 2008. In December 2009, Robinson announced that she would leave politics and withdraw from public life following prolonged periods of mental illness. In January 2010, it emerged that Robinson had an extramarital affair with a 19-year-old in 2008, and she and her husband were faced with allegations of financial impropriety related to
20196-439: 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 the building had to be evacuated because of a security breach. 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 a power-sharing government with them. This
20349-412: The same election), including University constituencies , were abolished. In May and June 2009 revelations of MPs' expenses claims caused a major scandal and loss of confidence by the public in the integrity of MPs, as well as causing the first forced resignation of the Speaker in 300 years. In 2011, a referendum was held, asking whether to replace the present " first-past-the-post " system with
20502-509: The status of Northern Ireland without the consent of a majority of its citizens , and proposed the creation of a new power-sharing government. It also gave the Irish government an advisory role on some matters in Northern Ireland. Both the DUP and UUP mounted a major protest campaign against the Agreement, dubbed " Ulster Says No ". Both unionist parties resigned their seats in the British House of Commons, suspended district council meetings, and led
20655-473: The strike by blocking roads and intimidating workers. On the third day of the strike, loyalists detonated four car bombs in Dublin and Monaghan , killing 33 civilians. The strike led to the downfall of the Agreement on 28 May. Following the downfall of the Agreement, in 1975 the British government set up a Constitutional Convention , an elected body of unionists and nationalists which would seek agreement on
20808-536: The term of imprisonment or received a full pardon from the Crown. Moreover, anyone serving a prison sentence of one year or more is ineligible, per Representation of the People Act 1981 . Finally, members of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) and Northern Ireland Assembly are disqualified since 2014. Article 159, Section 2 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 formerly disqualified for ten years those found guilty of certain election-related offences, until this section
20961-521: The threat of rebellions by their own party's backbench MPs often forces governments to make concessions (under the Cameron–Clegg coalition , over foundation hospitals and under Labour over top-up fees and compensation for failed company pension schemes ). Occasionally Government bills are defeated by backbench rebellions ( Terrorism Act 2006 ). However, the scrutiny provided by the Select committees
21114-466: The time she said the stress and strain of public life came at a cost, and that her health had suffered. On 6 January 2010, Robinson issued a statement in which she said that she had attempted suicide on 1 March 2009. BBC 's Spotlight programme revealed on 7 January 2010 that Robinson had had an affair with Kirk McCambley, who was 19 years old at the time. It is also alleged that she encouraged friends to provide financial backing to assist her lover in
21267-456: The vacancy is filled by a by-election in the constituency, with the same electoral system as in general elections. The term "Member of Parliament" by modern convention means a member of the House of Commons. These members may, and almost invariably do, use the post-nominal letters "MP". The annual salary of each member is £86,584 effective from 1 April 2023. Members may also receive additional salaries for other offices they hold (for instance,
21420-423: The writ of summons, a slightly longer period. Between 2011 and 2022, the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 was in force, under which control of the timing of elections instead lay with the House of Commons, which could pass a motion of no confidence or (as occurred in 2017 ) of early election with a two-thirds majority; absent such motions, Parliament would automatically dissolve 17 working days (about 4 weeks) before
21573-489: Was an Irish Sinn Féin candidate, Constance Markievicz , who therefore became the first woman to be an MP. However, owing to Sinn Féin's policy of abstention from Westminster, she never took her seat. Women were given equal voting status as men in 1928, and with effect from the General Election in 1950 , various forms of plural voting (i.e. some individuals had the right to vote in more than one constituency in
21726-459: Was announced on 11 January 2010 and she resigned on 13 January 2010. Castlereagh Borough Council announced on 14 January 2010 that it had voted to carry out an external investigation in the catering contract awarded to Kirk McCambley. Terms of reference for the investigation include identifying if the Council incurred any financial loss and whether officers and elected representatives complied with
21879-407: 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 "Are the terms of Saint Andrew's
22032-473: Was appointed Employment Secretary in 1985; Lord Mandelson , who served as Business Secretary; Lord Adonis, who served as Transport Secretary; Baroness Amos, who served as International Development Secretary; Baroness Morgan of Cotes , who served as Culture Secretary ; and Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park , who served as Minister of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Minister of State for International Development . The elected status of members of
22185-469: Was considered by Nigel Farage (leader of UKIP). The then Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrats , Nick Clegg , warned against this "Blukip" coalition, with a spoof website highlighting imagined policies from this coalition – such as reinstating the death penalty , scrapping all benefits for under 25s and charging for hospital visits. Additionally, issues were raised about
22338-455: Was declared illegal by a House of Lords judgement of 1909. Consequently, a resolution was passed in the House of Commons in 1911 introducing salaries for MPs. In 1918, women over 30 who owned property were given the right to vote, as were men over 21 who did not own property, quickly followed by the passage of a law enabling women to be eligible for election as members of parliament at the younger age of 21. The only woman to be elected that year
22491-541: Was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Democratic Unionist Party as member for Strangford, acting as Deputy Whip and health spokesperson. She was elected as DUP Member of Parliament for Strangford at the 2001 general election , replacing the Ulster Unionist Party 's John Taylor . She was re-elected at the 2005 general election . Robinson describes herself as a born-again Christian , and has publicly stated that "the government has
22644-495: 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. In February 2007, the DUP suggested that it would begin to impose fines up to £ 20,000 on members disobeying the party whip on crucial votes. On 24 March 2007 the DUP party executive overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution put to them by the party officers that did not agree to an establishment of devolution and an executive in Northern Ireland by
22797-681: Was himself forced to step down after three weeks. In June 2021, he was succeeded by Jeffrey Donaldson . In protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol , Givan resigned as First Minister in February 2022, collapsing the Northern Ireland Executive . On 30 January 2024, Donaldson announced that the DUP had agreed a deal with the UK government that resulted in power-sharing being restored. Donaldson resigned as leader on 29 March 2024 after being charged with historical sex offences, with
22950-492: Was introduced to the Commons in May 2021, which would repeal the Fixed-term Parliaments Act in its entirety, restore the monarch's prerogative powers to dissolve Parliament at the prime minister's request, and ensure that a parliamentary term automatically ends five years after Parliament's first meeting and polling day being 25 working days later. The bill was given royal assent on 24 March 2022, becoming
23103-430: Was ratified as the new leader, with Nigel Dodds as his deputy. On 11 June 2008, the party supported the government's proposal to detain terrorist suspects for up to 42 days as part of the Counter-Terrorism Bill , leading The Independent newspaper to dub all of the party's nine MPs as part of "Brown's dirty dozen". The Times reported that the party had been given "sweeteners for Northern Ireland" and "a peerage for
23256-618: Was reciprocated in November, when Damian Green and Conservative Chief Whip Julian Smith attended the DUP's conference, with Smith giving a keynote address. The third such annual DUP reception at the Conservative conference took place in October 2018, with Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond and former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson addressing the DUP conference a month later. Prominent Conservative MPs such as Environment Secretary Michael Gove , Leader of
23409-503: Was too ill to attend the wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton on 29 April 2011. Robinson did, however, attend the state banquet in Dublin during the Queen 's visit to the Republic of Ireland 20 days later on 18 May 2011. On 8 November 2019, an opera featuring Robinson's homophobic views was staged in Belfast. Abomination, A DUP Opera , composed by Conor Mitchell, opened
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