Ivan Davis (politician)

Ivan Davis
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley
In office 25 June 1998 – 26 November 2003
Preceded by	New Creation
Succeeded by	Norah Beare
Personal details
Born	(1937-04-16) 16 April 1937 Lisburn
Political party	Ulster Unionist Party
Other organizations	Orange Order member, Apprentice Boys member, Lisburn Citizens Advice Bureau member, Lisburn Sports Advisory Council member, Partnership of Peace & Reconciliation Committee member, Lisburn Swimming Club vice-president, Lisburn Amateur Boxing Club vice-president

Ivan Davis (born 16 April 1937) is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.

Born in Lisburn, Davis was elected to Lisburn Borough Council in 1973, representing the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). He was also elected to represent South Antrim at the 1982 Northern Ireland Assembly election.

In 1987, Davis resigned from the DUP and instead joined the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). Under this new party label, he served as Mayor of Lisburn from 1991 – 93. He was also elected for Lagan Valley at the Northern Ireland Forum election in 1996 (with Jeffrey Donaldson and David Campbell), and narrowly held this seat at the 1998 Assembly election. During the course of the Assembly he became UUP chief whip.

Lagan Valley UUP controversially did not select Davis as a candidate for the 2003 Assembly election, so he resigned and stood instead as an independent Unionist. He received 2,223 first-preference votes, but this did not prove sufficient to see him elected despite polling more first preferences than one successful candidate.

Despite this, Davis continues to sit as a UUP member, and leader of the UUP group, on Lisburn City Council.

Bibliography

• Biography – Ivan Davis, Northern Ireland Assembly