Ian Paisley Jr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ian Paisley Jr
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Official portrait, 2020
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| Member of Parliament for North Antrim |
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| In office 6 May 2010 – 30 May 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Ian Paisley |
| Succeeded by | Jim Allister |
| Junior Minister at the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister | |
| In office 8 May 2007 – 26 February 2008 Serving with Gerry Kelly
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| Preceded by | James Leslie |
| Succeeded by | Jeffrey Donaldson |
| Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for North Antrim |
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| In office 25 June 1998 – 21 June 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency created |
| Succeeded by | Paul Frew |
| Northern Ireland Forum Member for North Antrim |
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| In office 30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998 |
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| Preceded by | New forum |
| Succeeded by | Forum dissolved |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley Jr
12 December 1966 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Democratic Unionist Party |
| Spouse |
Fiona Currie
(m. 1990) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents |
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| Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast |
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley Jr (born 12 December 1966) is a businessman and a former politician from Northern Ireland. He was a member of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for North Antrim from 2010 to 2024. Before that, he was a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for North Antrim from 1998 to 2010. Ian Paisley Jr is the son of Ian Paisley, who founded the DUP.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Ian Paisley Jr was born in Belfast in 1966. He is the youngest child of Reverend Ian Paisley and his wife Eileen Paisley, Baroness Paisley of St George's. Ian and his twin brother, Kyle, grew up with their three older sisters (Sharon, Rhonda, and Cherith) in a large house in east Belfast. He was named after his father. From a young age, he regularly attended the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, where his father was a preacher.
Growing Up in Northern Ireland
In August 2007, Ian Paisley Jr spoke on a BBC Radio 4 show called The House I Grew Up In. He talked about having a happy childhood and a secure family life. This was even though it was during a difficult time in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles.
Education and Early Career
After primary school, Paisley attended Shaftesbury House College. He then went to Methodist College Belfast for his final years of school. Later, he studied at Queen's University Belfast. He earned a degree in Modern History and then a master's degree in Irish Politics. After finishing his studies, he worked for his father as a political researcher.
Political Journey
Ian Paisley Jr began his political career in 1996. He was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum for North Antrim. In 1998, he was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for the same area. He was one of three DUP members on the Northern Ireland Policing Board. He also served as the DUP's spokesperson for justice and as their press officer.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In 2010, Ian Paisley Jr successfully ran to become the MP for North Antrim. He took over from his father in the UK general election. He won with 46.4% of the votes. After becoming an MP, he left his seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Views on Northern Ireland's Future
In 2022, Paisley suggested a new law about future votes on Northern Ireland's place in the United Kingdom. His idea was that for Northern Ireland to join with Ireland, more than a simple majority vote would be needed. He wanted a higher number of votes, called a supermajority, for such a big change to happen. Other politicians, like Stephen Farry and Claire Hanna, said this was just a political move. They pointed out that the UK Parliament would likely not discuss or vote on his idea.
The 2024 Election and Leaving Parliament
Ian Paisley Jr was chosen by the DUP to run again in the 2024 general election. He had won North Antrim easily in 2019. Many expected him to win again, even with a challenge from Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage even supported Paisley, despite his party's alliance with TUV.
However, in a surprising result, Jim Allister narrowly defeated Paisley. Allister won the seat by 450 votes. Paisley received 11,192 votes, which was 27.2% of the total. This loss ended 54 years of the Paisley family holding the North Antrim seat.
Farewell from Politics
After losing the election, Ian Paisley Jr gave a farewell speech. He said that life has many chapters and he was ready for the next one. He congratulated his successor and wished everyone well. He did not speak to the media as he left the counting center. In January 2025, Paisley was among the guests who attended the Second inauguration of Donald Trump.
Financial Matters
Parliamentary Expenses
As an MP, Ian Paisley Jr claimed money for his work-related costs, known as expenses. These costs covered things like travel and housing for him and his staff in his local area. In the 2011–12 financial year, his total expenses were among the highest for all MPs. In 2012–13, his expenses were £232,000, the highest that year. He explained that this money did not go to him personally but was paid directly by Parliament for legitimate costs. He also had high expense claims in 2013–14 and 2014–15. From 2010 to 2015, he claimed a total of £1,112,667 in expenses.
Rules and Fines
In 2018, Ian Paisley Jr was suspended from the House of Commons for 30 days. This happened because he received gifts from the Sri Lankan government but did not tell Parliament about them, which broke rules about paid advocacy. After his suspension, a special process called a recall petition was started. This was the first time such a petition was used in British history. However, not enough people signed the petition (only 9.4% of voters signed, and 10% was needed) to trigger a new election. During this time, his membership in the DUP was also temporarily suspended.
In September 2020, Paisley was fined £1,300 by the Electoral Commission. This was for accepting £2,600 from two local councils to buy tables at a fundraising event in 2017. He also agreed to pay the money back.
Helping a Business Deal
In 2019, Paisley helped JCB heir Jo Bamford buy Wrightbus. Wrightbus is a company that makes buses, including London's famous double-decker buses, and was having financial problems. Jeff Wright, who owned Wrightbus at the time, said that Paisley had interfered in the sale talks. After the sale was completed, Jo Bamford publicly thanked Paisley for his help. Paisley also wrote an article in the Belfast Telegraph praising Bamford for buying Wrightbus.
Personal Life
In 1990, Ian Paisley Jr married Fiona Currie. They have four children together. He is a member of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster.
