Democratic Unionist Party

The Democratic Unionist Party is a hardline Unionist party in Northern Ireland led by Ian Paisley. As of 2005 it is the largest unionist party.

Related Topics:
Democratic Unionist Party - Unionist - Northern Ireland - Ian Paisley - As of 2005

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As of September 2005 it has been deemed "Unfit-for-Government" by Mitchell Reiss the Representative for President George Bush, in Northern Ireland. This condemnation by Mitchell Reiss of the DUP and also the UUP The Ulster Unionist Party follows both of their support for Loyalist Terrorists following the re-routing of an Orange Order Parade from a Nationalist area of Belfast prior to this event and following same when the P.S.N.I. was attacked for 3 days and nights and areas of Belfast brought to a standstill by "Hooded Loyalist Terrorists" some of whom were photographed either taking-off their Orange Collarettes or turning them inside out during the attacks upon the P.S.N.I.

Related Topics:
Mitchell Reiss - President George Bush - The Ulster Unionist Party - Loyalist Terrorists - Orange Order - Nationalist area of Belfast - P.S.N.I. - Belfast - Orange Collarettes

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Established in the 1970s by Ian Paisley and Desmond Boal, it evolved from the Protestant Unionist Party. It has no Roman Catholic members, which makes it unique in the United Kingdom for a party its size. It has won seats at local council, province, national and European level; Paisley was elected one of Northern Ireland's three European Parliament members (MEPs) at the first elections in 1979 and retained that seat in every European election until 2004, receiving the highest percentage popular vote of any Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland or Great Britain MEP and one of the highest anywhere in Europe. In 2004 Paisley was replaced as the DUP MEP by Jim Allister.

Related Topics:
1970s - Ian Paisley - Desmond Boal - Protestant Unionist Party - Roman Catholic - United Kingdom - Northern Ireland - European Parliament - 1979 - 2004 - Republic of Ireland - Great Britain - Jim Allister

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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 partes, some set up by deposed former leaders). The party has a history of right-wing activism, and openly supported Ian Smith and the Rhodesian regime.

Related Topics:
British House of Commons - Unionist - Ulster Unionist Party - 1980s - Ian Smith - Rhodesian

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The DUP were 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.) During the negotiations, they described the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition as "feckless women" with "limited intellect". The party withdrew in protest when Sinn Féin, a republican party with ties to the Irish Republican Army (IRA), was allowed to participate after the IRA ceasefire. The DUP opposed the Agreement in the referendum that followed its signing, and which saw the Agreement approved reasonably comfortably nonetheless.

Related Topics:
United States Senator - George J. Mitchell - Belfast Agreement - Good Friday - Northern Ireland Women's Coalition - Sinn Féin - Irish Republican Army

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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 Fein's participation. The Executive ultimately was suspended over unionist unhappiness on the slow nature of IRA disarmament.

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In the delayed Northern Ireland Assembly election of 2003 the DUP became the largest political party with 30 seats. In 2004 it became the largest Northern Ireland party in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, with the defection of Jeffrey Donaldson. On December 12, 2004, English MP Andrew Hunter took the DUP whip, giving the party 7 seats, in comparison to the UUP's 5, Sinn Fein's 4, and the SDLP's 3.

Related Topics:
Northern Ireland Assembly - 2003 - Parliament of the United Kingdom - Jeffrey Donaldson - December 12 - Andrew Hunter - SDLP

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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, it is the fourth largest party in Ireland.

Related Topics:
2005 general election - Ireland

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When this is compared to the Northern Ireland Assembly elections which were held on the same day as the Westminister General Election but under Proportional Representation then using the final figures for the Assembly Election would indicate that had the Westminister General election been on a Proportional Representation basis instead of the undemocratic "First-past-the-post-system" then the DUP would only have had 6 seats with the UUP having 4 seats as would Sinn Fein. The Social Democratic and Labour Party would still have its 3 seats but there would have been another seat for an Independent, possibly the Alliance Party.

Related Topics:
Northern Ireland Assembly - Westminister General Election - Proportional Representation - Assembly Election - Sinn Fein - Social Democratic and Labour Party - Alliance Party

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In August 1997, David Ervine, leader of the Progressive Unionist Party (which is linked to the UVF), maintained in an interview that the DUP had tried to persuade loyalist paramilitaries not to call ceasefires in 1994. The DUP denied this. While the DUP refuse to engage with Sinn Féin on the basis that they are associated with the IRA, it has never had a problem in dealing with any of the small loyalist parties directly associated with paramilitary groups, often helping elect their representatives to public office. Its North Antrim PRO is a former loyalist prisoner released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, having been convicted of the killing of a Sinn Féin councillor.

Related Topics:
David Ervine - Progressive Unionist Party - UVF - Loyalist - Sinn Féin - IRA - North Antrim - PRO - Good Friday Agreement

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On account of the above the term "Democratic" must be a mis-nomer when applied in the name "Democratic Unionist Party".

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The general feeling towards the Democratic Unionist Party from Nationalists and Unionists alike can be summed-up in the following ditty:

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"There was a farmer from Ballymena who had four sons, three of whom were staunch DUP supporters and activists whereas the fourth son went to school to learn how to read and write"

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