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 | Patrick Quinlan |
| Preceded by | Justin Barrett |
| 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) |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Education |
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James Joseph Reynolds (born 7 December 1968) is an Irish farmer and politician. He is known for his involvement in far-right politics, which are political ideas that are very conservative and focus on national identity. He was the vice president of the National Party from 2016 to 2023.
Reynolds is from Edgeworthstown in County Longford. He studied at the National University of Ireland Galway. Before becoming a national politician, he was active in groups that represent farmers.
In 2016, he helped create the National Party with Justin Barrett. He ran for a seat in the Irish parliament in the 2020 Irish general election but was not elected. In July 2023, there was a disagreement about who was the leader of the National Party. Some said Reynolds had become the new leader, but Justin Barrett disagreed. Reynolds also ran in the 2024 European Parliament elections but was not successful.
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Work in Farming Groups
Before his national political career, James Reynolds was very involved in groups that support farmers in Ireland.
Irish Farmers' Association (IFA)
From 1999 to 2003, Reynolds was the chairman of the Longford branch of the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA). This is a large organization that represents Irish farmers. He was known for being a strong critic of the IFA's leadership at the time.
In 2009, Reynolds and other farmers created a group called "Farmers For No". They were against the Treaty of Lisbon, an agreement among European Union countries. They worried the treaty would harm Irish farming. A vote, called a referendum, was held, and the treaty was approved by Irish voters.
The "Farmers For No" group appeared again in 2012. This time, they were against another European agreement called the European Fiscal Compact. Reynolds appeared on an RTÉ television show called The Frontline to debate the topic. In 2012, the IFA suspended him from the group.
Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA)
Reynolds also joined another farming group, the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA). In 2014, he was elected as its national treasurer.
After Reynolds helped start the National Party in 2016, the ICSA removed him from his position as treasurer. The group disagreed with his political views and some of his public comments. Reynolds took the case to court, but the High Court decided that the ICSA was allowed to remove him.
Political Career
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James Reynolds has been interested in politics for a long time. In the 1990s, he was part of a group called Youth Defence. During this time, he expressed some very strong and controversial opinions in interviews.
In a 2023 interview, he said he had always been interested in freedom and was against political systems like Communism and Socialism.
Early Political Life
In 2004, Reynolds ran for a seat on the Longford County Council as an independent candidate, meaning he was not part of a major political party. He did not get enough votes to be elected.
In 2009, he became the chairman of the Longford branch of Libertas Ireland, a political party that was critical of the European Union. The party was not successful and was removed from the official list of political parties later that year.
The National Party
In November 2016, Reynolds and Justin Barrett started the National Party. Reynolds became the party's vice president. The party holds strong views on Irish nationalism. At the party's first major meeting, a guest speaker left because of comments made by some members, including Reynolds.
Reynolds ran as a candidate for the National Party in the Longford-Westmeath area in the 2020 general election. He received 983 votes but was not elected.
In July 2023, a major disagreement happened within the National Party. A large amount of gold, reportedly worth €400,000, was moved from the party's office. Around the same time, a statement claimed that Reynolds had replaced Justin Barrett as the party leader. Barrett disputed this, and the leadership of the party remained unclear for many months.
Reynolds ran for a seat in the 2024 European Parliament election in the Midlands-North-West area. He received 3,201 votes and was not elected. After the election, he said he would not run for the National Party again, calling its brand "toxic."
