David Simpson (British politician)

For other people named David Simpson, see David Simpson (disambiguation).
David Simpson
Member of Parliament
for Upper Bann
Assumed office
5 May 2005
Preceded by David Trimble
Majority 2,264 (4.8%)
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Upper Bann
In office
26 November 2003 – 1 July 2010
Preceded by Mervyn Carrick
Succeeded by Sydney Anderson
Personal details
Born Thomas David Simpson
(1959-02-16) 16 February 1959
Moy, Northern Ireland
Nationality British
Political party Democratic Unionist
Spouse(s) Elaine Simpson
Children Kristy
Steven
Leah
Residence Annaghmore, County Armagh
Alma mater College of Business Studies
Occupation Politician
Profession Businessman
Religion Free Presbyterian
Website David Simpson MP

Thomas David Simpson (born 16 February 1959) is a Democratic Unionist (DUP) politician in the United Kingdom. He is the Member of Parliament for Upper Bann in Northern Ireland.

Political career

Simpson was first elected to Craigavon Borough Council in 2001 and served as mayor in 2004-2005. In the 2001 general election Simpson stood unsuccessfully against Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble in the parliamentary constituency of Upper Bann. In 2003 he was elected a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Upper Bann.

In Parliament

Simpson won the parliamentary seat from Trimble in the 2005 general election and retained his council seat. He was re-elected to the Assembly in 2007 but resigned from the Assembly and from Craigavon Borough Council after being returned to Westminster in the 2010 general election.[1]

Simpson used parliamentary privilege in 2007 to accuse Sinn Féin MLA Francie Molloy of involvement in the 1979 killing of Simpson's cousin, a former police officer. He alleged that Molloy had been an informer working for the British state within the IRA. Molloy denied both claims.[2]

Simpson was a member of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments and the Commons Committee on Statutory Instruments (2006-2009).[3] and the Transport Select Committee (2007-2009). He joined the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee in 2009.[3]

He has been DUP Spokesperson on Trade and Industry (2005-2007), Transport (2007-2009), Young People (2007-2010), International Development (2007-2010), and Business, Innovation and Skills (2009 to present), Communities and Local Government (2010 to present) and Education (2012 to present).[3]

Simpson is chairman of the DUP Upper Bann Constituency Association and is a member of the Orange Order, in which he is Deputy Master of Loughgall District. He is a proponent of creationism,[4] and his former election agent and constituency assistant, David McConaghie, who had played a key role in Simpson's 2005 election victory, was until late 2012 a prominent spokesperson for the Caleb Foundation which represented creationist and socially conservative evangelical Protestant views.

He spoke and voted against[5] the UK Government's Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill in February 2013 stating that "this is not the jurisdiction of this house [...] this is an ordained constitution of God, and that'll end in 'In the garden of Eden it was Adam and Eve it wasn't Adam and Steve.'"[6] The Bill covers England and Wales as family law is devolved in Northern Ireland.

Simpson is also a supporter of homeopathy, having signed several early day motions in support of its continued funding on the National Health Service sponsored by Conservative MP David Tredinnick.[7]

Personal life

Simpson went to the Birches Primary School six miles north-west of Portadown, and then to Killicomaine Junior High School in Portadown. He later studied at the College of Business Studies in Belfast (now Belfast Metropolitan College) and worked in the Universal Meat Company in Portadown. Simpson is married with a son and two daughters, and lives in Portadown. He is also involved in youth work and drugs rehabilitation programmes. Despite not living in the consistency of Upper Bann he is the current MP for the area.

Election history

Westminster Elections

General Election 2010: Upper Bann[8][9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
DUP David Simpson 14,000 33.8 -3.8
UCU-NF Harry Hamilton 10,639 25.7 +0.2
Sinn Féin John O'Dowd 10,237 24.7 +3.7
SDLP Dolores Kelly 5,276 12.8 -0.2
Alliance Brendan Heading 1,231 3.0 +0.8
Majority 3,361 8.1
Turnout 41,383 55.3
DUP hold Swing
General Election 2005: Upper Bann[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
DUP David Simpson 16,679 37.6 +8.1
UUP David Trimble 11,281 25.5 -8.0
Sinn Féin John O'Dowd 9,305 21.0 -0.1
SDLP Dolores Kelly 5,747 13.0 -1.9
Alliance Alan Castle 955 2.2 +2.2
Workers' Party Tom French 355 0.8 -0.2
Majority 5,398 12.2
Turnout 44,322 61.2 -9.1
DUP gain from UUP Swing +8.1
General Election 2001: Upper Bann[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±
UUP David Trimble 17,095 33.5 -10.1
DUP David Simpson 15,037 29.5 +18.0
Sinn Féin Dara O'Hagan 10,771 21.1 +9.0
SDLP Dolores Kelly 7,607 14.9 -9.3
Workers' Party Tom French 527 1.0 -0.1
Majority 2,058 4.0
Turnout 51,037 70.3 +2.4
UUP hold Swing

Northern Ireland Assembly Elections

2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election
Party Candidate 1st Pref Result Count
Sinn Féin John O'Dowd 7,733 Elected 1
DUP David Simpson 6,828 Elected 1
UUP Sam Gardiner 5,135 Elected 9
SDLP Dolores Kelly 4,689 Elected 8
DUP Stephen Moutray 3,663 Elected 11
Sinn Féin Dessie Ward 3,118 Not elected 12
DUP John McCrum 2,975 Not elected 10
UUP George Savage 2,167 Elected 12
UUP Arnold Hatch 1,815 Not elected 8
Independent (Unionist) Davy Calvert 1,332 Not elected 7
Green (NI) Helen Corry 1,156 Not elected 7
Alliance Sheila McQuaid 798 Not elected 5
SDLP Patrick McAleenan 761 Not elected 4
(Republican Sinn Féin) Barry Toman 386 Not elected 3
NI Conservatives David Fry 248 Not elected 3
Independent (Unionist) Suzanne Peeples 78 Not elected 3
2003 Northern Ireland Assembly election
Party Candidate 1st Pref Result Count
UUP David Trimble 9,158 Elected 1
DUP David Simpson 5,933 Elected 5
Sinn Féin John O'Dowd 5,524 Elected 11
DUP Stephen Moutray 4,697 Elected 6
Sinn Féin Dara O'Hagan 3,970 Not elected
SDLP Dolores Kelly 3,661 Elected 11
SDLP Kieran Corr 3,157 Not elected
UUP Sam Gardiner 2,359 Elected 9
DUP Denis Watson 1,770 Not elected
UUP George Savage 1,269 Not elected
Independent David Jones 585 Not elected
Independent Sidney Anderson 581 Not elected
Alliance Francis McQuaid 571 Not elected
Workers' Party Tom French 247 Not elected

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ NI Assembly membership, note 13
  2. ↑ "Sinn Féin selects its Mid Ulster candidate", The Irish News, 13 December 2012
  3. 1 2 3 Parliamentary biography
  4. ↑ Lesley-Anne Henry (2007-09-26). "Tussle of Biblical proportions over creationism in Ulster classrooms – Education – News – Belfast Telegraph". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  5. ↑ British MPs back gay marriage legislation, Irish Times, 6 February 2013
  6. ↑ Video on YouTube
  7. ↑ Tredinnick, David (2010-06-29). "Early Day Motion No. 284 British Medical Association Motions on Homeopathy".
  8. ↑ Statement of Persons Nominated Electoral Office for Northern Ireland
  9. ↑ General Election 2010 – Upper Bann BBC News
  10. 1 2 3 Upper Bann ARK – Access Research Knowledge
Political offices
Preceded by
Ignatius Fox		 Mayor of Craigavon
2004–2005 		Succeeded by
George Savage
Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by
Mervyn Carrick		 MLA for Upper Bann
2003–2010 		Succeeded by
Sidney Anderson
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
David Trimble		 Member of Parliament for Upper Bann
2005– 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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