Thomas Robinson (Northern Ireland politician)
Thomas Daniel Robinson (born 1950 or 1951), known as Tom Robinson, is a former unionist politician in Northern Ireland.
Robinson worked as an Independent Financial Advisor.[1] He joined the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), and was elected to Larne Borough Council at the 1977 Northern Ireland local elections. He held his seat in 1981,[2] and was elected Deputy Mayor of Larne in 1982, then Mayor in 1983.[3]
Robinson was elected for the Coast Road district at the local 1985, 1989,[4] 1993 and 1997 local elections.[5] He was also elected to the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996, representing East Antrim.[6]
By 2000, Robinson had become a prominent critic of UUP leader David Trimble.[7] He lost his council seat in 2001,[5] and subsequently defected to the UK Unionist Party (UKUP).[8] He stood for this new party at the 2003 Northern Ireland Assembly election,[8] but took only 1.8% of the vote and was not elected.[6]
Robinson stood again for Larne Borough Council at the 2005 local elections, this time as an independent candidate,[9] but took only 57 votes and was again unsuccessful.[5] He also failed to win a seat at the 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election, standing again for the UKUP,[6] and subsequently joined the Traditional Unionist Voice party.[10]
References
- ^ "IoUME Larne District Policing Partnership - Policing Board Announces Independent Members", Northern Ireland Policing Board, 4 May 2003
- ^ "The Local Government Elections 1973-1981: Larne", Northern Ireland Elections
- ^ "1983", Larne Times, 16 June 2009
- ^ "Local Government Elections 1985 - 1989: Larne", Northern Ireland Elections
- ^ a b c "Larne Borough Council Elections 1993-2011", Northern Ireland Elections
- ^ a b c "East Antrim", Northern Ireland Elections
- ^ David Cracknell and Alan Murray, "Trimble fails to see off Unionist critics", Daily Telegraph, 8 October 2000
- ^ a b "UKUP committed to post-election talks", RTÉ, 13 November 2003
- ^ "29 seek office in what could be the last Larne Borough Council", Larne Times, 15 April 2005
- ^ "TUV vow to bring down Stormont Executive", Belfast Telegraph, 9 November 2009