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 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.
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Early Life and Family
Ian Paisley Jr was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1966. He is the youngest child of Reverend Ian Paisley and his wife Eileen Paisley, Baroness Paisley of St George's. Ian Jr has a twin brother named Kyle and three older sisters. They grew up in a large house in east Belfast. He went to the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster from a young age, where his father was a preacher. In 2007, he spoke on a BBC radio show about his happy childhood, even though it was during a difficult time called the Troubles.
Education and Early Career
After primary school, Ian Paisley Jr attended Shaftesbury House College. He then went to Methodist College Belfast for his final years of school. He later studied at Queen's University Belfast. There, he earned a degree in Modern History and a master's degree in Irish Politics. After finishing his studies, he worked for his father. He helped his father with political research and parliamentary tasks.
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. This board helps oversee policing in Northern Ireland. He also spoke for his party on justice issues and worked as their press officer.
In 2010, Ian Paisley Jr successfully ran to become the MP for North Antrim. He took over this role from his father. He won with 46.4% of the votes in the UK general election. When he became an MP, he left his seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
In 2022, Paisley suggested a new law about how Northern Ireland could leave the United Kingdom. His idea was that a simple majority vote might not be enough for Northern Ireland to join with Ireland. Instead, he wanted a higher number of votes, called a supermajority, to be needed. Other politicians from Northern Ireland thought this was a political move and would not become law.
In the 2024 UK general election, Ian Paisley Jr lost his seat as MP for North Antrim. Jim Allister, the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice party, won the election in that area. Ian Paisley Jr is no longer working in frontline politics.
Understanding Expenses
Politicians, like MPs, have expenses to cover costs related to their work. These costs can include travel and accommodation for themselves and their staff. For several years, Ian Paisley Jr had some of the highest expense claims among MPs. For example, in the 2012–13 financial year, his expenses were £232,000. He stated that this money did not go to him personally. He explained that these were official expenses approved by the IPSA. IPSA is the group that checks and approves MP expenses.
Views on Brexit
Ian Paisley Jr strongly supported the UK leaving the European Union. This was known as "Brexit." He was part of the "Vote Leave" campaign in the 2016 Brexit referendum. He also supported the group "Leave Means Leave." Even though he wanted the UK to leave the EU, he suggested that people in his area who were eligible could get an Irish passport. This was because of the changes Brexit might bring.
Rules and Fines
In 2018, Ian Paisley Jr faced a period away from his duties in the House of Commons. This was because he received gifts from the Sri Lankan government but did not tell Parliament about them. This broke the rules about declaring such things. After this, a special process called a "recall petition" was started. This was the first time such a petition had been used in British history. It allows voters to try and remove an MP if enough people sign it. However, not enough people signed the petition in his area, so he remained an MP. His membership in the DUP party was also temporarily stopped during this time.
In September 2020, Ian Paisley Jr was fined £1,300 by the Electoral Commission. This was because he accepted money from two local councils to buy tables at a fundraising event. This was against the rules. He also agreed to pay back the money he had received.
Personal Life
Ian Paisley Jr married Fiona Currie in 1990. They have four children together. He is a member of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2020
