Gregory Campbell (politician)

For other people named Gregory Campbell, see Gregory Campbell (disambiguation).

Gregory Campbell MP MLA
Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure
In office 9 June 2008 – 1 July 2009
First Minister	Peter Robinson
Preceded by	Edwin Poots
Succeeded by	Nelson McCausland
Member of Parliament for East Londonderry
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 June 2001
Preceded by	William Ross
Majority	5,355 (15.3%)
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for East Londonderry
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 June 1998
Preceded by	Office Created
Personal details
Born	15 February 1953 (1953-02-15) Derry, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Nationality	British
Political party	Democratic Unionist Party
Spouse(s)	Frances Campbell
Alma mater	University of Ulster
Religion	Protestant

Gregory Lloyd Campbell (born 15 February 1953) is a Northern Irish unionist politician, and the Democratic Unionist Party Member of Parliament (MP) of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, representing the East Londonderry constituency of Northern Ireland.

Early life

Campbell was born and raised in Derry's Waterside area and was educated at the city's technical college and the University of Ulster (Magee College site). He joined the DUP in the 1970s and was first elected to the City Council in 1981. Campbell briefly led the local DUP members out of the Council in 1984 when the council changed its name from Londonderry to Derry City Council, although he returned to his seat not long after. He stood down in 2011 after thirty years as a councilor.

Political career

He was chosen to contest the Foyle constituency in the general election of 1983. He contested the same seat again in the general elections of 1987 and 1992, although each time he finished second behind Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader John Hume.

Given that Foyle had a predominantly nationalist population, the increasingly high profile Campbell was transferred to the more winnable East Londonderry seat, where he ran unsuccessfully in 1997. Campbell won the seat at his second attempt in the 2001 general election, gaining a majority of 1,901 over sitting MP William Ross of the Ulster Unionist Party. He was re-elected in the 2005 general election, this time securing an increased majority of 7,498 over the new UUP candidate David McClarty. He is also a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, topping the Londonderry East poll (from which 6 members are elected) in the 1998 election, 2003 and again in March 2007. He was appointed Minister of Regional Development in the Northern Ireland Executive in July 2000.

On 9 June 2008, Campbell took over the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, replacing Edwin Poots, following a reshuffle of the DUP's Ministerial team by newly-appointed First Minister Peter Robinson. He was replaced in this role by colleague Nelson McCausland following another reshuffle on 22 June 2009 and the announcement by First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson that DUP politicians would no longer hold office in the Assembly and serve as MPs at Westminster simultaneously.^{[citation needed]}

He appeared in the BBC Real Lives documentary "At the Edge of the Union", which was temporararily blocked in August 1985 by direct government intervention from the then Home Secretary Leon Brittan. This led to a one-day strike by the National Union of Journalists to defend the independence of the BBC.

In 2011 a man was convicted,was given a suspended jail sentence and fined after posting a menacing message on Facebook about Campbell.

Support for capital punishment

In 2009, Campbell declared his support for capital punishment in "some cases" during a Westminster Parliament debate. In doing so, he joined other members of his party including First Minister of Northern Ireland Peter Robinson. Alban Maginness of the Social Democratic and Labour Party strong criticised the minister's remarks as did Sinn Féin MLAs.

External links

• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Gregory Campbell MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Gregory Campbell MP
• Northern Ireland Assembly - Gregory Campbell MLA
• Londonderry DUP profile - Gregory Campbell MP
• Maiden Speech : House of Commons - 26 June 2001

Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by New creation	MLA for Londonderry, East 1998 -	Succeeded by Incumbent
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by William Ross	Member of Parliament for East Londonderry 2001–present	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Peter Robinson	Minister for Regional Development 2001	Succeeded by Peter Robinson
Preceded by Edwin Poots	Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure 2008 - 2009	Succeeded by Nelson McCausland