Paul Butler (politician)

Paul Butler MLA
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley
In office 7 March 2007 – 2011
Preceded by	Marietta Farrell
Succeeded by	Brenda Hale
Personal details
Born	Lisburn, Northern Ireland
Political party	Sinn Féin
Website	Sinn Féin

Paul Butler (Irish: Pól de Buitléir^[1]) is a republican politician in Northern Ireland and a former member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army. He served as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley from 2007–11.^[2][3]

Involvement in the Troubles

At the age of 17, Butler shot dead a 50-year-old reserve Royal Ulster Constabulary officer in the back of the head. As a result, he spent 15 years in jail.^[4][5]

Lisburn City Council

Paul Butler is the leader of the Sinn Féin group on Lisburn City Council. The party currently holds four seats on the council, making it the third party and the largest nationalist party. Butler has a served as a Councillor for Lisburn City Council since 1997 and is a member of their Strategic Policy, Planning and Finance Committees.^[6][7] Butler claims he campaigns 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 campaigned for the town to gain city status which was bestowed on the City by the British Monarch.

Westminster elections

Butler stood in the UK general elections in 2001 and 2005 in the Lagan Valley constituency but was not elected.^[8] In the 2005 general election, Sinn Féin became got the largest share of the vote by a nationalist party, overtaking the SDLP.

Standing down

Butler announced that he will not contest the May Assembly elections after only one term as an MLA. “I am standing down,” confirmed Mr Butler. “The Party’s position on this is that anyone who is a councillor and an MLA should only have one job.”^[9]

Assembly elections

Results of the election to the Northern Irish Assembly, Lagan Valley, 2003

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

Butler 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 Given	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 Party	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

1. Microsoft Word – PC1928.doc
2. "Lagan Valley: Sinn Féin secure first seat". The Belfast Telegraph. 9 March 2007.
3. "Lagan Valley: Election results". BBC. 9 March 2007.
4. "Hansard – UK Parliament". Hansard. 10 June 1998.
5. "'Truly historic' change of direction". BBC News. 28 January 2007.
6. "Ard Fheis speech by Paul Butler, Sinn Féin councillor on Lisburn City Council". Sinn Féin. 10 March 2007.
7. "Candidate Profile – Paul Butler". The Guardian. UK. 10 March 2007.
8. "Lagan Valley election history". Ark. 10 March 2007.
9. Baker, Pete. "Slugger O'Toole - SF MLA Paul Butler to stand down". Slugger O'Toole. Slugger O'Toole. Retrieved August 29, 2012.