Diane Dodds facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lady Dodds of Duncairn
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Dodds in 2014
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| Minister for the Economy | |
| In office 11 January 2020 – 14 June 2021 |
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| First Minister | Arlene Foster |
| Preceded by | Simon Hamilton |
| Succeeded by | Paul Frew |
| Member of the European Parliament for Northern Ireland |
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| In office 4 June 2009 – 31 January 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Allister |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly for Upper Bann |
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| Assumed office 11 January 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Carla Lockhart |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly for Belfast West |
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| In office 26 November 2003 – 7 March 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Joe Hendron |
| Succeeded by | Jennifer McCann |
| Member of Belfast City Council |
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| In office 5 May 2005 – 21 April 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Eric Smyth |
| Succeeded by | Brian Kingston |
| Constituency | Court |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 August 1958 Rathfriland, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Democratic Unionist Party |
| Spouse | Nigel, Lord Dodds of Duncairn |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast |
| Profession | Teacher |
Diane Jean Dodds, Baroness Dodds of Duncairn (born 16 August 1958) is a politician from Northern Ireland. She is a member of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
Diane Dodds served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Northern Ireland from 2009 to 2020. Before that, she was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for West Belfast from 2003 to 2007. In 2020, she became an MLA again, this time for Upper Bann. She is currently the DUP's spokesperson for Education and Skills. She is married to Lord Dodds of Duncairn.
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Early Life and Education
Diane Dodds grew up on a farm in Rathfriland, County Down. She went to Banbridge Academy for school. Later, she studied at Queen's University Belfast. While at university, she met her future husband, Nigel Dodds, who also became a politician.
Starting a Political Career
Diane Dodds began her political journey in the early 2000s. She wanted to represent the people of Northern Ireland. Her first big step was being elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Serving in the Northern Ireland Assembly (2003-2007)
In 2003, Diane Dodds was elected as an MLA for Belfast West. This was a special moment because she was the first Unionist elected from West Belfast in over 20 years. She had strong support from people in the Shankill Road area.
In 2005, she also ran in the local government elections for the Court District. She received many votes, more than any other local candidate in Northern Ireland that year. However, in the 2007 Assembly election, she narrowly lost her seat.
Working with Belfast City Council
Diane Dodds was also active in the Belfast City Council. She was the Chief Whip for the DUP group there. This meant she helped guide the party's councillors. She also led the Policy and Resources Committee. She strongly supported a campaign for a parade to welcome home soldiers from the Royal Irish Regiment and other armed forces who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Representing Northern Ireland in Europe (2009-2020)
On 3 February 2009, the DUP chose Diane Dodds to be their candidate for the European Parliament. She was elected as an MEP on 8 June 2009. An MEP represents their region in the European Parliament, which is a law-making body for the European Union.
Her election results showed a drop in votes for her party. This was partly due to a former DUP member, Jim Allister, who started a new party. He said the DUP had "betrayed" its voters by working with Sinn Féin. Despite this, Diane Dodds was still elected as one of Northern Ireland's MEPs.
In September 2018, she voted against a motion that said Hungary was at risk of breaking the European Union's values. Her time as an MEP ended on 31 January 2020, when the United Kingdom left the European Union (this event is known as Brexit).
Returning to the Northern Ireland Assembly (2020-Present)
After Carla Lockhart was elected to the UK Parliament in December 2019, Diane Dodds was chosen to take her place as an MLA for Upper Bann. In January 2020, she officially became the MLA for Upper Bann. She took on this role full-time after the UK left the European Union.
