Gregory Campbell (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gregory Campbell
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Campbell in 2011
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| Member of Parliament for East Londonderry |
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| Assumed office 7 June 2001 |
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| Preceded by | William Ross |
| Majority | 179 (0.5%) |
| Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure | |
| In office 9 June 2008 – 1 July 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Edwin Poots |
| Succeeded by | Nelson McCausland |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly for East Londonderry |
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| In office 25 June 1998 – 7 May 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency created |
| Succeeded by | Maurice Bradley |
| Member of Derry City Council |
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| In office 15 May 1985 – 5 May 2011 |
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| Preceded by | New district |
| Succeeded by | April Garfield-Kidd |
| Constituency | Waterside |
| In office 20 May 1981 – 15 May 1985 |
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| Preceded by | Herbert Faulkner |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| Constituency | Londonderry Area B |
| Northern Ireland Forum Member | |
| In office 30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Forum created |
| Succeeded by | Forum dissolved |
| Constituency | Top-up list |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly for Londonderry |
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| In office 20 October 1982 – 1986 |
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| Preceded by | Assembly reconvened |
| Succeeded by | Assembly abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Gregory Lloyd Campbell
15 February 1953 Waterside, Derry, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Democratic Unionist Party |
| Spouse | Frances Campbell |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University of Ulster |
Gregory Lloyd Campbell (born 15 February 1953) is a British politician. He is a member of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Since 2001, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for East Londonderry. As of 2024, he is the longest-serving MP from Northern Ireland. He also speaks for the DUP on international development issues.
Before becoming an MP, he was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA). He represented East Londonderry from 1998 to 2016.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Gregory Campbell was born in 1953 in the Waterside area of Derry, Northern Ireland. He grew up there as an only child. He attended the city's technical college. Later, he studied at the University of Ulster.
Political Journey
Campbell joined the DUP in the 1970s. His first election win was in 1981. He became a member of Londonderry City Council. In 1984, he briefly left the council. This happened when its name changed to Derry City Council. He returned to his seat soon after. He served as a councillor for 30 years, stepping down in 2011.
Running for Parliament
In 1983, Campbell first ran for a seat in the UK Parliament. He tried to win the Foyle constituency. He ran for this seat again in 1987 and 1992. Each time, he came in second place. The winner was John Hume, leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party.
In 1985, Campbell appeared in a BBC documentary. It was called At the Edge of the Union. The government briefly stopped the show from being broadcast. This led to a strike by journalists. They wanted to protect the BBC's independence.
Winning a Seat in Parliament
The Foyle area had many nationalist voters. So, Campbell moved to a different area to run. This was East Londonderry. This seat was considered easier for him to win. He ran there in 1997 but did not win.
He won the East Londonderry seat in 2001. He beat the sitting MP, William Ross. Campbell was re-elected in 2005. He won with an even larger number of votes. Until 2016, he was also an MLA for East Londonderry. He was very popular in his area. He topped the poll in the 1998, 2003, 2007, and 2011 Assembly elections.
Government Roles and Activities
In July 2000, Campbell became a Minister. He was in charge of Regional Development in Northern Ireland. In 2008, he became Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure. He took over from Edwin Poots. He was replaced in this role in 2009. This was because DUP politicians could no longer be both a Minister and an MP at the same time.
Public Comments and Views
In October 2008, Campbell spoke out about The Simpsons. An episode showed a fight between different groups in Northern Ireland. It also mentioned the IRA. Campbell said that using such references in a cartoon was not right.
In December 2008, he criticized the singer Dido. Her song "Let's Do the Things We Normally Do" used lyrics from an old song. That song was about a sensitive time in Northern Ireland's history. Campbell asked Dido to explain her position.
In 2009, Campbell supported capital punishment in some cases. This was during a debate in the UK Parliament.
In 2011, a man was punished for posting a threatening message about Campbell online. In 2012, Campbell opposed changes to Northern Ireland's voting areas. He felt they would harm his region. Campbell also supports evangelical Protestant groups. This includes a group that believes in creationism.
Footballer Controversy
Campbell criticized footballer James McClean in 2012. McClean chose not to wear a poppy on his shirt. This was before Remembrance Sunday. McClean also posted about a republican folk song on Twitter. Campbell said he had been watching McClean closely. McClean was later banned from using Twitter by his club.
Kia Car Name
In 2013, Campbell made a successful move in Parliament. He stopped a concept car from being produced. The car was called "Provo." This name sounded like "Provos," a nickname for a group in Ireland. Even though the car was not meant for production, Campbell acted. Kia Motors later promised not to use that name in the UK or Ireland.
Irish Language Debate
In November 2014, Campbell caused a stir. He made fun of the Irish language in the Northern Ireland Assembly. He changed a common Irish phrase into a funny-sounding English one. He refused to apologize for his comments. He was temporarily disciplined for this. Later, a law was passed in 2022. It officially recognized the Irish language in Northern Ireland.
Songs of Praise Comments
In February 2021, Campbell faced criticism. He described an episode of Songs of Praise on Facebook. The episode featured only black performers and judges. Campbell called it the "BBC at its BLM worst." Anti-racism groups asked him to apologize.
Russian Sanctions
In June 2022, Campbell was banned by Russia. He was one of many British MPs and media figures on the list. This was in response to sanctions against Russia. These sanctions were due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Recent Recognition
In March 2024, Gregory Campbell received an honor. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This award was for his service in Parliament and to the public.
In the 2024 general election, Campbell's lead was very small. He won by only 179 votes. This was a 0.5% majority over the Sinn Féin candidate.
Images for kids
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Campbell in 2011
