Paul Butler (politician)

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Paul Butler
MLA
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Lagan Valley
In office
7 March 2007 – 2011
Preceded by Marietta Farrell
Succeeded by Brenda Hale
Personal details
Born Lisburn, Northern Ireland
Political party Sinn Féin
Website Sinn Féin

Paul Butler (Irish: Pól de Buitléir[1]) is a republican politician in Northern Ireland and a former member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army. He served as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley from 2007–11.[2][3]

Involvement in the Troubles

At the age of 17, Butler shot dead a 50-year-old reserve Royal Ulster Constabulary officer in the back of the head. As a result, he spent 15 years in jail.[4][5]

Lisburn City Council

Paul Butler is the leader of the Sinn Féin group on Lisburn City Council. The party currently holds four seats on the council, making it the third party and the largest nationalist party. Butler has a served as a Councillor for Lisburn City Council since 1997 and is a member of their Strategic Policy, Planning and Finance Committees.[6][7] Butler claims he campaigns against discrimination on the council, culminating in the Irish Government sending a representative to witness council proceedings. Nationalists claim that the unionist majority on the council has prevented nationalists from taking council positions. Butler campaigned for the town to gain city status which was bestowed on the City by the British Monarch.

Westminster elections

Butler stood in the UK general elections in 2001 and 2005 in the Lagan Valley constituency but was not elected.[8] In the 2005 general election, Sinn Féin became got the largest share of the vote by a nationalist party, overtaking the SDLP.

Standing down

Butler announced that he will not contest the May Assembly elections after only one term as an MLA. “I am standing down,” confirmed Mr Butler. “The Party’s position on this is that anyone who is a councillor and an MLA should only have one job.”[9]

Assembly elections

Results of the election to the Northern Irish Assembly, Lagan Valley, 2003

Party Candidate 1st Pref Result
UUP Jeffrey Donaldson 14,104 Elected
DUP Edwin Poots 5,175 Elected
Alliance Seamus Close 4,408 Elected
DUP Andrew Hunter 3,300 Not Elected
Sinn Féin Paul Butler 3,242 Not Elected
SDLP Patricia Lewsley* 3,133 Elected
UUP Billy Bell 2,782 Elected
Independent Ivan Davis 2,223 Not elected
UUP Norah Beare 1,508 Elected
UUP Jim Kirkpatrick 675 Not elected
NI Conservatives Joanne Johnston 395 Not elected
PUP Andrew Park 212 Not elected
Workers' Party Frances McCarthy 97 Not elected
  • Patricia Lewsley was appointed as Children's Commissioner and was replaced as an MLA by Marietta Farrell

Results of the election to the Northern Irish Assembly, Lagan Valley, 2007

Butler became the first Sinn Féin member for Lagan Valley in the Northern Irish Assembly. He won the SDLP seat previously held by Patricia Lewsley and subsequently Marietta Farrell. Butler was the only nationalist elected in the six-seater constituency.

Party Candidate 1st Pref Result Count
DUP Jeffrey Donaldson 9,793 Elected 1
Sinn Féin Paul Butler 5,098 Elected 6
UUP Basil McCrea 4,031 Elected 7
Alliance Trevor Lunn 3,765 Elected 7
DUP Jonathan Craig 3,471 Elected 8
DUP Edwin Poots 3,457 Elected 9
DUP Paul Given 3,377 Not elected 9
SDLP Marietta Farrell 2,839 Not elected 5
UUP Billy Bell 2,599 Not elected 6
UUP Ronnie Crawford 1,147 Not elected 4
Green Party Michael Rogan 922 Not elected 4
UK Unionist Robert McCartney 853 Not elected 3
NI Conservatives Neil Johnston 387 Not elected 2
Workers' Party John Magee 83 Not elected 2

Notes and references

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Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by MLA for Lagan Valley
2007–2011		 Succeeded by
Brenda Hale
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