Paul Butler (Irish: Pól de Buitléir[1]) is an Irish republican politician in Northern Ireland. He is a former member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and served 15 years in prison after being convicted of murdering a police officer. He served as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley from 2007 to 2011.[2][3]
Paul Butler | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley | |
| In office 7 March 2007 – 5 May 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Marietta Farrell |
| Succeeded by | Brenda Hale |
| Member of Lisburn City Council | |
| In office 21 May 1997 – 5 May 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Patrick Rice |
| Succeeded by | David Bell |
| Constituency | Dunmurry Cross |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lisburn, Northern Ireland |
| Political party | Sinn Féin |
| Website | Sinn Féin |
Involvement in the Troubles
editIn 1974 (aged 17) Butler confessed to, and was convicted of, the murder of 50-year-old reserve Royal Ulster Constabulary officer John Rodgers. Rogers was murdered in an IRA gun attack near the Glen Inn in Glengormley. Butler was given a life sentence, for which he spent 15 years in jail.[4][5]
Lisburn City Council
editPaul Butler was the leader of the Sinn Féin group on the Lisburn City Council. The party held four seats on the council at the time, making it the third party and the largest nationalist party. Butler had a served as a Councillor for Lisburn City Council from 1997 until 2011 and was a member of their Strategic Policy, Planning and Finance Committees.[6][7] Butler campaigned against discrimination on the council, culminating in the Irish Government sending a representative to witness council proceedings. Nationalists claim that the unionist majority on the council has prevented nationalists from taking council positions. Butler successfully campaigned for the town to gain city status.[citation needed]
Westminster elections
editButler stood in the UK general elections in 2001 and 2005 in the Lagan Valley constituency but was not elected.[8]
In October 2023, he called on Sinn Féin and the SDLP to not stand a candidate in Lagan Valley in the 2024 general election.[9]
Standing down
editButler announced that he will not contest the May Assembly elections after only one term as an MLA. "I am standing down," confirmed Butler. "The Party's position on this is that anyone who is a councillor and an MLA should only have one job."[10]
Assembly elections
editResults of the election to the Northern Irish Assembly, Lagan Valley, 2003
edit| Party | Candidate | 1st Pref | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UUP | Jeffrey Donaldson | 14,104 | Elected | |
| DUP | Edwin Poots | 5,175 | Elected | |
| Alliance | Seamus Close | 4,408 | Elected | |
| DUP | Andrew Hunter | 3,300 | Not Elected | |
| Sinn Féin | Paul Butler | 3,242 | Not Elected | |
| SDLP | Patricia Lewsley* | 3,133 | Elected | |
| UUP | Billy Bell | 2,782 | Elected | |
| Independent | Ivan Davis | 2,223 | Not elected | |
| UUP | Norah Beare | 1,508 | Elected | |
| UUP | Jim Kirkpatrick | 675 | Not elected | |
| NI Conservatives | Joanne Johnston | 395 | Not elected | |
| PUP | Andrew Park | 212 | Not elected | |
| Workers' Party | Frances McCarthy | 97 | Not elected | |
- Patricia Lewsley was appointed as Children's Commissioner and was replaced as an MLA by Marietta Farrell
Results of the election to the Northern Irish Assembly, Lagan Valley, 2007
editButler became the first Sinn Féin member for Lagan Valley in the Northern Irish Assembly. He won the SDLP seat previously held by Patricia Lewsley and subsequently Marietta Farrell. Butler was the only nationalist elected in the six-seater constituency.
| Party | Candidate | 1st Pref | Result | Count | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DUP | Jeffrey Donaldson | 9,793 | Elected | 1 | |
| Sinn Féin | Paul Butler | 5,098 | Elected | 6 | |
| UUP | Basil McCrea | 4,031 | Elected | 7 | |
| Alliance | Trevor Lunn | 3,765 | Elected | 7 | |
| DUP | Jonathan Craig | 3,471 | Elected | 8 | |
| DUP | Edwin Poots | 3,457 | Elected | 9 | |
| DUP | Paul Givan | 3,377 | Not elected | 9 | |
| SDLP | Marietta Farrell | 2,839 | Not elected | 5 | |
| UUP | Billy Bell | 2,599 | Not elected | 6 | |
| UUP | Ronnie Crawford | 1,147 | Not elected | 4 | |
| Green | Michael Rogan | 922 | Not elected | 4 | |
| UK Unionist | Robert McCartney | 853 | Not elected | 3 | |
| NI Conservatives | Neil Johnston | 387 | Not elected | 2 | |
| Workers' Party | John Magee | 83 | Not elected | 2 | |
Notes and references
edit- ^ Microsoft Word – PC1928.doc Archived 17 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Lagan Valley: Sinn Féin secure first seat". The Belfast Telegraph. 9 March 2007.
- ^ "Lagan Valley: Election results". BBC. 9 March 2007.
- ^ "Hansard – UK Parliament". Hansard. 10 June 1998. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011.
- ^ Thompson, David (19 June 2024). "Police killer Ex-MLA endorses Alliance Lagan Valley candidate in general election after Sinn Fein pulls out of race".
- ^ "Ard Fheis speech by Paul Butler, Sinn Féin councillor on Lisburn City Council". Sinn Féin. 10 March 2007. Archived from the original on 3 September 2012.
- ^ "Candidate Profile – Paul Butler". The Guardian. UK. 10 March 2007.
- ^ "Lagan Valley election history". Ark. 10 March 2007.
- ^ Breslin, John (23 October 2023). "Former Sinn Féin MLA calls on his party and SDLP to stand aside in Lagan Valley in general election". The Irish News. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
- ^ Baker, Pete. "Slugger O'Toole - SF MLA Paul Butler to stand down". Slugger O'Toole. Retrieved 29 August 2012.