James Reynolds (Irish politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Reynolds
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| Leader of the National Party (disputed) | |
| Assumed office July 2023 (disputed) |
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| Deputy leader of the National Party | |
| In office 16 November 2016 – July 2023 (disputed) |
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| Leader | Justin Barrett |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 December 1968 Edgeworthstown, County Longford, Ireland |
| Political party | National Party (2016–present) |
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James Joseph Reynolds (born 7 December 1968) is an Irish farmer and politician. He was the vice president of the National Party from 2016 to 2023.
Reynolds was very active in farming groups. He led the Longford branch of the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) from 1999 to 2003. Later, he was the treasurer for the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) until 2017.
He helped start the National Party with Justin Barrett in November 2016. He ran for election with the party in 2020 but did not win. In July 2023, it was said that Reynolds became the party's leader, but this was not agreed upon by everyone. He also ran for the European Parliament in 2024 but was not elected.
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Farming Work
James Reynolds has been a strong voice for farmers in Ireland. He worked with two major farming groups.
Irish Farmers' Association
In 1999, Reynolds became the chairman of the Longford IFA branch. He held this role until 2003. He later chaired his local Ballinalee IFA branch.
He often spoke out against the IFA president at the time, Pádraig Walshe. In 2006, Reynolds organized a protest at the Ploughing Championships. He put up posters to show his concerns about the Irish sugar industry.
In 2009, Reynolds and other farmers created a group called Farmers For No. They wanted people to vote against the Treaty of Lisbon. They believed this treaty would harm Irish farmers. However, the treaty was approved by voters.
Farmers For No also spoke out against another European agreement in 2012. Reynolds appeared on a TV show to debate the topic. He suggested that the agreement would negatively affect rural Ireland.
Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association
In 2014, Reynolds was chosen as the national treasurer of the ICSA. He had previously served as the secretary for the group. He believed the ICSA was special because it asked for a regulator for the meat industry across Europe.
After Reynolds helped start the National Party, the ICSA decided to remove him from his treasurer role. They said it was because of his political views. Reynolds disagreed with their decision. He felt he should not be treated differently for his political opinions. He tried to appeal their decision, but the High Court eventually sided with the ICSA.
Political Journey
James Reynolds has been interested in politics for a long time. He has been part of different political groups and campaigns.
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In the 1990s, Reynolds was a member of a group called Youth Defence. He shared his political ideas in interviews. He said he was always against communism, socialism, and liberalism. He also admired the ancient Roman Republic.
In 2004, Reynolds ran as an independent candidate for the Longford County Council election. He did not win a seat.
In 2009, he became the chairman of the Longford branch of Libertas Ireland. This was a political party started by Declan Ganley. Reynolds supported Ganley's attempt to become a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Libertas Ireland was later removed from the list of political parties in Ireland.
Reynolds also led the Farmers For No campaign. This group was against certain European Union treaties. They argued that these treaties could put the Common Agricultural Policy budget at risk. The Common Agricultural Policy helps support farmers in the EU.
In November 2016, Reynolds helped create the National Party. He became the party's vice president. He has spoken at many National Party events.
In 2019, Reynolds was seen with anti-immigration campaigner Gemma O'Doherty in Longford. He later supported O'Doherty during protests.
Reynolds ran for election in the Longford-Westmeath area in 2020. He received 983 votes but was not elected. After the election, he said he was optimistic about the future. He believed the party had built a good foundation for future success.
In July 2023, there was a disagreement within the National Party. A statement from the party said that Reynolds had replaced Justin Barrett as leader. However, Barrett disagreed with this. As of April 2024, the leadership of the party was still being debated.
Reynolds also ran in the 2024 European Parliament election for the Midlands-North-West area. He received 3,201 votes but was not elected. During the vote count, Reynolds said he would not run for the National Party again.
Images for kids
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James Reynolds
