Jimmy Spratt

Jimmy Spratt
MLA
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Belfast South
In office
7 March 2007 – 28 September 2015
Preceded by Mark Robinson
Succeeded by Emma Pengelly
Personal details
Born (1951-08-19) 19 August 1951 [1]
Nationality British
Political party Democratic Unionist Party
Children 4
Occupation Politician
Profession Police Officer
Religion Presbyterian
Website Official website

Jimmy Spratt (born 19 August 1951) is a British politician and former police officer from Northern Ireland. He has been an MLA for South Belfast since 2007.

Early life

Jimmy Spratt is a former Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officer who joined in 1972 and served for 30 years in Derry and Belfast. He worked for the Close Protection Unit including as Primary Protection Officer and was attached to a former Secretary of State, NIO Ministers, the RUC Chief Constable and other VIPs.

He was heavily involved in the Police Federation for Northern Ireland and acted as Chairman until his retirement. Spratt also served on Government Committees at regional and national level representing the British Police Service and has served on the Home Office Working Group for Health and Safety and Police Negotiating Board for pay and conditions across the UK.

Political career

Spratt has been an MLA for South Belfast in the Northern Ireland Assembly since 2007. He is also a Councillor on Castlereagh Borough Council, and since his election in 2005 has been the leader of the DUP group.[2]

Political positions held:

He stood as a DUP candidate for the Belfast South constituency in the 2005 United Kingdom General Election, losing out to Alasdair McDonnell of the SDLP by 1,235 votes. In the 2010 general election he again finished second, but Alasdair McDonnell increased his majority from 3.9% to 17.3% owing to Sinn Féin withdrawing their candidate, Alex Maskey, to encourage nationalists to vote for the incumbent.[6]

Other

When the chief executive of Translink was criticised for not appearing before Stormont's regional development committee, Spratt said that he did not think it was "a hardship for someone on £200,000" to appear before it and "explain what's going on". [7] Mr. Spratt has made uncomplimentary and impolitic comments regarding cyclists [8] and called those who objected to the proposals for the Maze 'nutters' which he denied until Hansard was published [9] and he was obliged to apologise.[10]

Personal life

He has been married for over thirty years, with four grown-up sons and is an active member of his local Presbyterian church.

External links

References

  1. ↑ "MLA Details: Mr Jimmy Spratt". niassembly.gov.uk.
  2. ↑ http://www.jimmyspratt.org/about.php Official website
  3. ↑ http://www.castlereagh.gov.uk/south4.asp
  4. ↑ http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assem_exec/2007mandate/assem_exec.htm
  5. ↑ "Deborah Watters (Vice Chair) - Members and Committees - Northern Ireland Policing Board". nipolicingboard.org.uk.
  6. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/northern_ireland/8632730.stm Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey stands down in South Belfast
  7. ↑ "BBC News - Translink chief criticised over absence from Stormont committee". BBC News. BBC News.
  8. ↑ "Belfast commuter cyclists’ concerns get short shrift at Stormont - Northern Ireland Greenways". Northern Ireland Greenways.
  9. ↑ "Programme for Government: Progress Report from the First Minister and deputy First Minister". niassembly.gov.uk.
  10. ↑ "The Maze: DUP's Jimmy Spratt also ends up full of regret for calling plan's opponents 'nutters'". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by
Mark Robinson		 MLA for Belfast South
2007 - 		Succeeded by
Incumbent


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