Paul Rankin (politician)

Northern Irish politician

Not to be confused with the celebrity chef from Northern Ireland Paul Rankin.

Paul Rankin

Member of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council

Incumbent

Assumed office
31 May 2022
Preceded by| Keith Parke
Constituency| Lagan River
In office
22 May 2014 – 21 February 2022
Preceded by| Council created
Succeeded by| Keith Parke
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Lagan Valley
In office
14 March 2022 – 28 March 2022
Preceded by| Edwin Poots
Succeeded by| Emma Little-Pengelly
Member of Banbridge District Council
In office
7 June 2001 – 22 May 2014
Preceded by| Thomas Gribben
Succeeded by| Council abolished
Constituency| Dromore
Personal details
Born| Dromore, County Down, Northern Ireland
Nationality| British
Political party| Democratic Unionist Party

Paul Rankin is a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician, serving as an Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Councillor for the Lagan River DEA since 2014[1] .

He was briefly a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Lagan Valley in March 2022, having replaced former party leader, Edwin Poots.

## Political career

[edit]

Rankin was first elected to Banbridge District Council in 2001, representing the Dromore District.

He retained his council seat at the 2005 and 2011 council elections.

Rankin was elected onto the successor Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council at the 2014 local elections, representing the Lagan River District; he was re-elected in 2019.

He was co-opted to the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley, on 14 March 2022, after Edwin Poots switched to South Belfast, following the sudden death of Christopher Stalford in February 2022.[2]

Rankin was only an MLA for two weeks after being co-opted, as the Assembly was dissolved at the end of March ahead of the May Assembly election,[2] for which he was not selected as a DUP candidate in Lagan Valley.[3][4]

Following the Assembly election, he was co-opted back onto the council, and was subsequently re-elected at the 2023 election.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "DUP selects councillor to replace Poots in Lagan Valley Assembly seat". ITV News. 14 March 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
2. ^ a b Hughes, Brendan (14 March 2022). "DUP councillor replaces Edwin Poots as MLA for Lagan Valley". BelfastLive.
3. ^ Manley, John (19 March 2022). "Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and Paul Givan to be ratified as DUP's Lagan Valley candidates". The Irish News. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
4. ^ Suzanne Breen [@SuzyJourno] (17 March 2022). "The DUP is clearly worried about Lagan Valley. It's just announced its running only 2 candidates in May. Jeffrey Donaldson & Paul Givan have been selected at a meeting of the local constituency association. Party evidently feels it's too risky to run a 3rd" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 April 2022 - via Twitter.

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Democratic Unionist Party

Leadership|

| Leaders|

* Ian Paisley (1971–2008)
* Peter Robinson (2008–15)
* Arlene Foster (2015–21)
* Edwin Poots (2021)
* Jeffrey Donaldson (2021–2024)
* Gavin Robinson (interim, 2024–present)

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Deputy leaders|

* William Beattie (1971–80)
* Peter Robinson (1980–2008)
* Nigel Dodds (2008–2021)
* Paula Bradley (2021–present)

Chairs|

* Desmond Boal (1971–73)
* William Beattie (1973–80)
* James McClure (1980–2000)
* Maurice Morrow (2000–present)

General secretaries|

* Peter Robinson (1975–79)
* William Beattie (1980–83)
* Alan Kane (1983–92)
* Nigel Dodds (1993–2008)
* Michelle McIlveen (2008–present)

Leadership elections|

* May 2021
* June 2021

Elected representatives|

| Northern
Ireland Assembly|

* Maurice Bradley
* Phillip Brett
* David Brooks
* Cheryl Brownlee
* Keith Buchanan
* Thomas Buchanan
* Jonathan Buckley
* Joanne Bunting
* Pam Cameron
* Trevor Clarke
* Diane Dodds
* Stephen Dunne
* Deborah Erskine
* Diane Forsythe
* Paul Frew
* Paul Givan
* Harry Harvey
* William Irwin
* Brian Kingston
* Emma Little-Pengelly
* Gordon Lyons
* Michelle McIlveen
* Gary Middleton
* Edwin Poots
* Alan Robinson

|

Westminster|

* (MPs 1971–2019)
* MPs (2005–2010)
* Gregory Campbell
* Paul Girvan
* Carla Lockhart
* Ian Paisley Jr
* Gavin Robinson
* Jim Shannon
* Sammy Wilson

Ennobled representatives|

| House of Lords|

* The Lord Browne of Belmont
* The Lord Hay of Ballyore
* The Lord Morrow
* The Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown
* The Lord Dodds of Duncairn
* The Lord Weir of Ballyholme

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Related topics|

* Election results
* Conservative–DUP agreement
* Ulster Protestant Action
* Protestant Unionist Party
* Traditional Unionist Voice

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