Jump to content

Emma Little-Pengelly: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Customerily, it should be a small d when referring to deputy First Minister of Noethern Ireland.
Tags: Reverted Mobile edit Mobile web edit
Unless I’m reading something wrong, the IP appears to be correct? WP:COMMONNAME refers to article titles, from which the majority of examples have the “not” example as the first words in their article
Tags: Manual revert Mobile edit Mobile web edit Advanced mobile edit
 
(46 intermediate revisions by 30 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Northern Irish barrister and politician}}
{{Short description|Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland since 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2019}}
Line 8: Line 7:
| name = Emma Little-Pengelly
| name = Emma Little-Pengelly
| honorific-suffix = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)|MLA]]
| honorific-suffix = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)|MLA]]
| image = Official portrait of Emma Little Pengelly crop 2.jpg
| image = Emma Little-Pengelly on March 17, 2024.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2017
| caption = Little-Pengelly in 2024
<!-- Do NOT remove the spaces between offices in the infobox as they make the code more readable and removing them has no visual impact for the reader -->| office = [[First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland|deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland]]
<!-- Do NOT remove the spaces between offices in the infobox as they make the code more readable and removing them has no visual impact for the reader -->| office = [[First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland|Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland]]
| monarch = [[Charles III]]
| term_start = 3 February 2024
| term_start = 3 February 2024
| term_end =
| term_end =
| alongside = [[Michelle O'Neill]]
| alongside = [[Michelle O'Neill]]
| predecessor = Michelle O'Neill
| predecessor = [[Michelle O'Neill]]
| successor =
| successor =
| office1 = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)|Member of the Legislative Assembly]]<br />for [[Lagan Valley (Assembly constituency)|Lagan Valley]]
| office1 = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)|Member of the Legislative Assembly]]<br />for [[Lagan Valley (Assembly constituency)|Lagan Valley]]
Line 27: Line 27:
| predecessor2 = [[Alasdair McDonnell]]
| predecessor2 = [[Alasdair McDonnell]]
| successor2 = [[Claire Hanna]]
| successor2 = [[Claire Hanna]]
| office3 = [[Junior Minister (Northern Ireland)|Junior Minister]] at the [[Executive Office (Northern Ireland)|Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister]]
| office3 = [[Junior Minister (Northern Ireland)|Junior Minister Assisting the First Minister]]
| firstminister3 = [[Peter Robinson (Northern Ireland politician)|Peter Robinson]]
| term_start3 = 28 October 2015
| term_start3 = 28 October 2015
| term_end3 = 25 May 2016
| term_end3 = 25 May 2016
Line 38: Line 39:
| predecessor4 = [[Jimmy Spratt]]
| predecessor4 = [[Jimmy Spratt]]
| successor4 = ''Seat abolished''
| successor4 = ''Seat abolished''
| birth_name = Mary Emma Little<ref>{{cite tweet |user= little_pengelly |number= 1850231378413076547 |title= Two Marys! [..] (I'm a Mary Emma!) |date= 26 October 2024 }}</ref>{{better source|reason=Does this Tweet actually establish that this was the subject's birthname? Without relying on [[WP:SYNTH]]? |date=November 2024}}
| birth_name = Emma Little
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|12|31|df=yes}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|12|31|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Markethill]], [[County Armagh]], [[Northern Ireland]]
| birth_place = [[Markethill]], [[County Armagh]], [[Northern Ireland]]
Line 44: Line 45:
| death_place =
| death_place =
| nationality = British
| nationality = British
| party = [[Democratic Unionist Party]]
| party = [[Democratic Unionist Party|Democratic Unionist]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Richard Pengelly|2014}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Richard Pengelly|2014}}
| children = 3 stepchildren
| children = 3 stepchildren
Line 52: Line 53:
}}
}}


'''Emma Little-Pengelly''' (''née'' '''Little'''; born 31 December 1979)<ref>{{cite web|title=MLA Details: Mrs Emma Little Pengelly|url=http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/mlas/details.aspx?&aff=11669&per=5333&sel=1&ind=0&prv=0|publisher=[[Northern Ireland Assembly]]|date=4 March 2017}}</ref> is a Northern Irish barrister and [[Democratic Unionist Party]] (DUP) politician<ref name=BelfastTelegraph>{{cite news| last = Staff writer |title=DUP appoint Emma Pengelly to succeed Jimmy Spratt as South Belfast MLA|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/dup-appoint-emma-pengelly-to-succeed-jimmy-spratt-as-south-belfast-mla-31564190.html|work=[[Belfast Telegraph]]|date=28 September 2015|access-date = 29 September 2015}}
'''Mary Emma Little-Pengelly''' ({{née}} '''Little'''; born 31 December 1979)<ref>{{cite web|title=MLA Details: Mrs Emma Little Pengelly|url=http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/mlas/details.aspx?&aff=11669&per=5333&sel=1&ind=0&prv=0|publisher=[[Northern Ireland Assembly]]|date=4 March 2017}}</ref> is a Northern Irish barrister and [[Democratic Unionist Party]] (DUP) politician<ref name=BelfastTelegraph>{{cite news| last = Staff writer |title=DUP appoint Emma Pengelly to succeed Jimmy Spratt as South Belfast MLA|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/dup-appoint-emma-pengelly-to-succeed-jimmy-spratt-as-south-belfast-mla-31564190.html|work=[[Belfast Telegraph]]|date=28 September 2015|access-date = 29 September 2015}}
</ref> serving as the [[First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland|deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland]]<!--DO NOT CAPITALISE DEPUTY--> since February 2024. She has been a [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)|Member of the Legislative Assembly]] (MLA) for [[Lagan Valley (Assembly constituency)|Lagan Valley]] since May 2022, when she was [[Co-option|co-opted]] (appointed) to replace DUP party leader Sir [[Jeffrey Donaldson]], who declined to take up his seat following the [[2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election|2022 election]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland - EONI |url=http://www.eoni.org.uk/News/Declaration-of-Return-of-new-MLA-Lagan-Valley-(1) |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=www.eoni.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-12 |title=Emma Little-Pengelly to take Donaldson's MLA seat |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61399657 |access-date=2022-05-12}}</ref>
</ref> serving as the [[First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland|deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland]]<!--DO NOT CAPITALISE DEPUTY--> since February 2024. She has been a [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)|Member of the Legislative Assembly]] (MLA) for [[Lagan Valley (Assembly constituency)|Lagan Valley]] since May 2022, when she was [[Co-option|co-opted]] (appointed) to replace then-DUP party leader Sir [[Jeffrey Donaldson]], who declined to take up his seat following the [[2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election|2022 election]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland - EONI |url=http://www.eoni.org.uk/News/Declaration-of-Return-of-new-MLA-Lagan-Valley-(1) |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=www.eoni.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-12 |title=Emma Little-Pengelly to take Donaldson's MLA seat |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61399657 |access-date=2022-05-12}}</ref>


She previously served as the [[Member of Parliament (UK)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for the [[Belfast South (UK Parliament constituency)|Belfast South constituency]] in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom]] from 2017 until [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019]], when she lost her seat to [[Claire Hanna]] of the [[SDLP]],<ref>{{cite web | title = Emma Little Pengelly | url = http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/emma-little-pengelly/4611 | website = parliament.uk|access-date = 5 February 2024 }}</ref> and as an MLA for the [[Belfast South (Assembly constituency)|Belfast South constituency]] in the [[Northern Ireland Assembly]].
She previously served as the [[Member of Parliament (UK)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for the [[Belfast South (UK Parliament constituency)|Belfast South constituency]] in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom]] from 2017 until [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019]], when she lost her seat to [[Claire Hanna]] of the [[SDLP]],<ref>{{cite web | title = Emma Little Pengelly | url = http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/emma-little-pengelly/4611 | website = parliament.uk|access-date = 5 February 2024 }}</ref> and as an MLA for the [[Belfast South (Assembly constituency)|Belfast South constituency]] in the [[Northern Ireland Assembly]].


== Early life ==
== Early life ==

Little-Pengelly is the daughter of Maureen Elizabeth Little and Noel Little<ref name="Who's Who">{{Who's Who|title=Little-Pengelly, Emma|id=U286181|volume=2018|edition=February 2018 online|access-date=13 February 2018}}</ref> (also known as John Little).<ref name="BelTel Oct 2015">{{cite news |title=Terrorist father of DUP's newest MLA Emma Pengelly works as steward at St Anne's Cathedral |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/terrorist-father-of-dups-newest-mla-emma-pengelly-works-as-steward-at-st-annes-cathedral/31592183.html |work=[[Belfast Telegraph]] |date=8 October 2015 |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> Her father was a leader of the [[Ulster loyalism|loyalist]] paramilitary group [[Ulster Resistance]]<ref name="BelTel Oct 2015"/> and a former [[Ulster Defence Regiment]] (UDR) soldier.<ref name="IvanLittle">{{cite news | last= Little | first = Ivan|author-link=Ivan Little|title=Ivan Little: Day I quizzed Emma Pengelly's gunrunner dad at loyalist blockade|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ivan-little-day-i-quizzed-emma-pengellys-gunrunner-dad-at-loyalist-blockade-31572599.html|work=[[Belfast Telegraph]]| date=1 October 2015|access-date=2 October 2015}}</ref> He was absent from her childhood for two years, following his arrest in Paris in April 1989. Along with two other paramilitaries, Little was convicted of terrorism-related conspiracy, for trying to trade stolen British missile plans to the [[Armscor (South Africa)|South African government]] in return for weapons. He was fined and sentenced to [[time served]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Cobain |first=Ian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/27/troubled-past-the-paramilitary-connection-that-still-haunts-the-dup |title=Troubled past: the paramilitary connection that still haunts the DUP |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=27 June 2017 |access-date=27 June 2017}}</ref> Noel Little was also alleged to have been involved in the [[Ulster_Resistance#Arms_importation|smuggling of weapons to loyalists in 1987]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Adair says Ulster Resistance weapons a ‘Godsend’ for loyalists |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/adair-says-ulster-resistance-weapons-a-godsend-for-loyalists-1.4041716 |work=[[The Irish Times]] |date=6 October 2019}}</ref>
Little-Pengelly is the daughter of Maureen Elizabeth Little and Noel Little<ref name="Who's Who">{{Who's Who|title=Little-Pengelly, Emma|id=U286181|volume=2018|edition=February 2018 online|access-date=13 February 2018}}</ref> (also known as John Little).<ref name="BelTel Oct 2015">{{cite news |title=Terrorist father of DUP's newest MLA Emma Pengelly works as steward at St Anne's Cathedral |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/terrorist-father-of-dups-newest-mla-emma-pengelly-works-as-steward-at-st-annes-cathedral/31592183.html |work=[[Belfast Telegraph]] |date=8 October 2015 |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> Her father was a leader of the [[Ulster loyalism|loyalist]] paramilitary group [[Ulster Resistance]]<ref name="BelTel Oct 2015"/> and a former [[Ulster Defence Regiment]] (UDR) soldier.<ref name="IvanLittle">{{cite news | last= Little | first = Ivan|author-link=Ivan Little|title=Ivan Little: Day I quizzed Emma Pengelly's gunrunner dad at loyalist blockade|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ivan-little-day-i-quizzed-emma-pengellys-gunrunner-dad-at-loyalist-blockade-31572599.html|work=[[Belfast Telegraph]]| date=1 October 2015|access-date=2 October 2015}}</ref> He was absent from her childhood for two years, following his arrest in Paris in April 1989. Along with two other paramilitaries, Little was convicted of terrorism-related conspiracy, for trying to trade stolen British missile plans to the [[Armscor (South Africa)|South African government]] in return for weapons. He was fined and sentenced to [[time served]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Cobain |first=Ian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/27/troubled-past-the-paramilitary-connection-that-still-haunts-the-dup |title=Troubled past: the paramilitary connection that still haunts the DUP |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=27 June 2017 |access-date=27 June 2017}}</ref> Noel Little was also alleged to have been involved in the [[Ulster_Resistance#Arms_importation|smuggling of weapons to loyalists in 1987]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Adair says Ulster Resistance weapons a ‘Godsend’ for loyalists |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/adair-says-ulster-resistance-weapons-a-godsend-for-loyalists-1.4041716 |work=[[The Irish Times]] |date=6 October 2019}}</ref>


Line 74: Line 74:


=== Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland ===
=== Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland ===
[[File:Prime Minister Keri Starmer visits Northern Ireland (53843921440).jpg|thumb|right|Little-Pengelly and [[Michelle O'Neill]] with [[Keir Starmer]] in July 2024]]

On 3 February 2024, Little-Pengelly became [[First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland|deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland]] following the [[2024 Northern Ireland Executive Formation|reestablishment]] of the [[Northern Ireland Executive]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 February 2024 |access-date = 5 February 2024|author= Cunningham, Paul|title=Return of power-sharing a 'special day' for Northern Ireland |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2024/0203/1430314-stormont-assembly-reax/ |work=[[RTE]]}}</ref> Her appointment marked the first time a unionist occupied the office of deputy First Minister.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2024-02-03 |title=Who is Emma-Little Pengelly, NI's new deputy first minister? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-67764370 |access-date=2024-02-04 |work=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref>
On 3 February 2024, Little-Pengelly became [[First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland|deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland]] following the [[2024 Northern Ireland Executive Formation|reestablishment]] of the [[Northern Ireland Executive]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 February 2024 |access-date = 5 February 2024|author= Cunningham, Paul|title=Return of power-sharing a 'special day' for Northern Ireland |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2024/0203/1430314-stormont-assembly-reax/ |work=[[RTE]]}}</ref> Her appointment marked the first time a unionist occupied the office of deputy First Minister.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2024-02-03 |title=Who is Emma-Little Pengelly, NI's new deputy first minister? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-67764370 |access-date=2024-02-04 |work=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref>

[[File:Emma Little-Pengelly, Assembly 13 May 2024.jpg|thumb|Little-Pengelly speaking in the Assembly on 13 May 2024]]


==Personal life==
==Personal life==


Little-Pengelly is married to Richard Pengelly [[Order of the Bath|CB]],<ref name="Belfast Live">{{Cite web|url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/new-year-honours-northern-ireland-22613294|title=New Year Honours: NI health staff among those recognised in annual honours|first1=Rebecca|last1=Black|first2=Jonathan|last2=McCambridge|first3=James|last3=Ward|date=31 December 2021|website=BelfastLive}}</ref> who is the [[Permanent Secretary]] at the [[Department of Justice (Northern Ireland)|Department of Justice]] in Northern Ireland.<ref name="Belfast Live"/><ref name=Manley>{{cite news | last = Manley | first =John |title=Concerns over DUP adviser role as company director|url=http://www.irishnews.com/news/2014/09/23/news/concerns-over-dup-adviser-role-as-company-director-102782|work=[[The Irish News]]|date=23 September 2014|access-date = 2 October 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hargan |first=Garret |date=9 March 2022 |title=NI Civil Service reshuffle will see Richard Pengelly move from the Department of Health |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/ni-civil-service-reshuffle-will-see-richard-pengelly-move-from-the-department-of-health-41429608.html |work=[[Belfast Telegraph]] |location=Belfast |access-date=17 May 2022}}</ref>
Little-Pengelly is married to Richard Pengelly [[Order of the Bath|CB]],<ref name="Belfast Live">{{Cite web|url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/new-year-honours-northern-ireland-22613294|title=New Year Honours: NI health staff among those recognised in annual honours|first1=Rebecca|last1=Black|first2=Jonathan|last2=McCambridge|first3=James|last3=Ward|date=31 December 2021|website=BelfastLive}}</ref> who is the [[Permanent Secretary]] at the [[Department of Justice (Northern Ireland)|Department of Justice]] in Northern Ireland.<ref name="Belfast Live"/><ref name=Manley>{{cite news | last = Manley | first =John |title=Concerns over DUP adviser role as company director|url=http://www.irishnews.com/news/2014/09/23/news/concerns-over-dup-adviser-role-as-company-director-102782|work=[[The Irish News]]|date=23 September 2014|access-date = 2 October 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hargan |first=Garret |date=9 March 2022 |title=NI Civil Service reshuffle will see Richard Pengelly move from the Department of Health |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/ni-civil-service-reshuffle-will-see-richard-pengelly-move-from-the-department-of-health-41429608.html |work=[[Belfast Telegraph]] |location=Belfast |access-date=17 May 2022}}</ref>

{{clear}}


==References==
==References==
Line 88: Line 88:


==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{UK MP links |parliament=emma-little-pengelly/4611 |publicwhip=Emma_Little_Pengelly |theywork=emma_little_pengelly}}
*{{UK MP links |parliament=emma-little-pengelly/4611 |publicwhip=Emma_Little_Pengelly |theywork=emma_little_pengelly}}


Line 129: Line 130:
{{s-inc}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


Line 134: Line 136:
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:British female MPs]]
[[Category:Alumni of Queen's University Belfast]]
[[Category:Alumni of Queen's University Belfast]]
[[Category:Barristers from Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Barristers from Northern Ireland]]
Line 149: Line 150:
[[Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Northern Irish constituencies]]
[[Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Northern Irish constituencies]]
[[Category:Women lawyers from Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Women lawyers from Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:21st-century lawyers from Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Women ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive]]
[[Category:People educated at Markethill High School]]
[[Category:People educated at Markethill High School]]
⚫
[[Category:21st-century women politicians from Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Northern Ireland MLAs 2022–2027]]
[[Category:Northern Ireland MLAs 2022–2027]]
⚫
[[Category:21st-century women lawyers from Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive (since 1999)]]
[[Category:Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive (since 1999)]]
[[Category:Women ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive]]
[[Category:Female heads of government in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Women heads of government of non-sovereign entities]]
[[Category:21st-century lawyers from Northern Ireland]]
⚫
[[Category:21st-century women politicians from Northern Ireland]]
⚫
[[Category:21st-century women lawyers from Northern Ireland]]

Latest revision as of 21:12, 10 November 2024

Emma Little-Pengelly
MLA
Little-Pengelly in 2024
Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 February 2024
Serving with Michelle O'Neill
MonarchCharles III
Preceded byMichelle O'Neill
Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Lagan Valley
Incumbent
Assumed office
12 May 2022
Preceded byPaul Rankin
Member of Parliament
for Belfast South
In office
8 June 2017 – 6 November 2019
Preceded byAlasdair McDonnell
Succeeded byClaire Hanna
Junior Minister Assisting the First Minister
In office
28 October 2015 – 25 May 2016
Serving with Jennifer McCann
First MinisterPeter Robinson
Preceded byMichelle McIlveen
Succeeded byAlastair Ross
Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Belfast South
In office
28 September 2015 – 25 January 2017
Preceded byJimmy Spratt
Succeeded bySeat abolished
Personal details
Born
Mary Emma Little[1][better source needed]

(1979-12-31) 31 December 1979 (age 44)
Markethill, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
NationalityBritish
Political partyDemocratic Unionist
Spouse
Richard Pengelly
​
(m. 2014)​
Children3 stepchildren
Residence(s)Belfast, County Antrim
Alma materQueen's University Belfast
ProfessionBarrister[2]

Mary Emma Little-Pengelly (née Little; born 31 December 1979)[3] is a Northern Irish barrister and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician[4] serving as the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland since February 2024. She has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Lagan Valley since May 2022, when she was co-opted (appointed) to replace then-DUP party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who declined to take up his seat following the 2022 election.[5][6]

She previously served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Belfast South constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 2017 until 2019, when she lost her seat to Claire Hanna of the SDLP,[7] and as an MLA for the Belfast South constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Early life

[edit]

Little-Pengelly is the daughter of Maureen Elizabeth Little and Noel Little[8] (also known as John Little).[9] Her father was a leader of the loyalist paramilitary group Ulster Resistance[9] and a former Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) soldier.[10] He was absent from her childhood for two years, following his arrest in Paris in April 1989. Along with two other paramilitaries, Little was convicted of terrorism-related conspiracy, for trying to trade stolen British missile plans to the South African government in return for weapons. He was fined and sentenced to time served.[11] Noel Little was also alleged to have been involved in the smuggling of weapons to loyalists in 1987.[12]

Little-Pengelly was educated at Markethill High School, Portadown College and Queen's University Belfast.[8] She qualified as a barrister in 2003.[13]

Political career

[edit]

Little-Pengelly began her political career in 2007 as Special Advisor (Spad) to the Reverend Ian Paisley, while he was in the office of First Minister, where she worked as part of the DUP talks team with victims of the Troubles.[14] Little-Pengelly remained in the position of Special Advisor when Peter Robinson assumed the office of First Minister in 2008 until 2015 after over eight years in the position.[15]

In 2015, Little-Pengelly was chosen by the DUP to replace Jimmy Spratt as MLA for Belfast South in the Northern Ireland Assembly, following his retirement due to ill health.[16] On 28 October 2015, Little-Pengelly was appointed as a junior minister in the Northern Ireland Executive Office.[2] Little-Pengelly ran in the 2016 Assembly Election in the South Belfast constituency and was elected.[17] She lost her seat at the 2017 Northern Ireland Assembly election, as the total number of seats in Belfast South was reduced from 6 to 5, trailing her running mate Christopher Stalford by 15 votes at the time of her elimination.[18]

At the 2017 UK general election, Little-Pengelly was elected MP for Belfast South, gaining the seat from the SDLP's Alasdair McDonnell.[19] The former Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson was the chief strategist behind Little-Pengelly's campaign.[20] She later lost the seat to the SDLP's Claire Hanna at the 2019 general election.[21]

On 12 May 2022, one week after the Northern Ireland Assembly election, DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson refused to take his seat in Stormont due to his opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol. Little-Pengelly was appointed by the DUP to replace him.[22] She said "I have agreed to fill [Donaldson's] seat in Lagan Valley at this time both to support this work and to ensure a continued high level of support and service to the constituents of Lagan Valley. It is a privilege to be asked to fulfil this role at this important time for unionism and for Northern Ireland. While Sir Jeffrey focuses on that immediate task, I look forward to serving the people of Lagan Valley with passion and commitment."[23]

Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland

[edit]
Little-Pengelly and Michelle O'Neill with Keir Starmer in July 2024

On 3 February 2024, Little-Pengelly became deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland following the reestablishment of the Northern Ireland Executive.[24] Her appointment marked the first time a unionist occupied the office of deputy First Minister.[17]

Little-Pengelly speaking in the Assembly on 13 May 2024

Personal life

[edit]

Little-Pengelly is married to Richard Pengelly CB,[25] who is the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland.[25][26][27]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ @little_pengelly (26 October 2024). "Two Marys! [..] (I'm a Mary Emma!)" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ "MLA Details: Mrs Emma Little Pengelly". Northern Ireland Assembly. 4 March 2017.
  3. ^ Staff writer (28 September 2015). "DUP appoint Emma Pengelly to succeed Jimmy Spratt as South Belfast MLA". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  4. ^ "The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland - EONI". www.eoni.org.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Emma Little-Pengelly to take Donaldson's MLA seat". BBC News. 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Emma Little Pengelly". parliament.uk. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Little-Pengelly, Emma". Who's Who. Vol. 2018 (February 2018 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 13 February 2018. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  8. ^ a b "Terrorist father of DUP's newest MLA Emma Pengelly works as steward at St Anne's Cathedral". Belfast Telegraph. 8 October 2015. ISSN 0307-1235.
  9. ^ Little, Ivan (1 October 2015). "Ivan Little: Day I quizzed Emma Pengelly's gunrunner dad at loyalist blockade". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  10. ^ Cobain, Ian (27 June 2017). "Troubled past: the paramilitary connection that still haunts the DUP". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  11. ^ "Adair says Ulster Resistance weapons a 'Godsend' for loyalists". The Irish Times. 6 October 2019.
  12. ^ "Emma Little-Pengelly: Who is the new deputy first minister?". The Irish News. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  13. ^ Brankin, Una (29 September 2015). "DUP's new face at Assembly: A minister in the making?". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  14. ^ Hughes, Brendan (9 October 2015). "DUP's Emma Pengelly set for Spad 'golden handshake'". The Irish News. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  15. ^ "Emma Pengelly is new DUP MLA for south Belfast". BBC News. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  16. ^ a b "Who is Emma-Little Pengelly, NI's new deputy first minister?". BBC News. 3 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  17. ^ Bell, Jonny (6 March 2017). "NI Election: Little Pengelly blames DUP leaflet confusion for losing seat". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  18. ^ Grattan, Gary (9 June 2017). "Video: DUP's Emma Pengelly vows to 'represent all the people of South Belfast' after taking Alasdair McDonnell's seat". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  19. ^ Grattan, Gary (9 June 2017). "Video: Former DUP leader Peter Robinson on Emma Little Pengelly's South Belfast win". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  20. ^ Harte, Lauren (13 December 2019). "South Belfast: SDLP's Claire Hanna in crushing victory over DUP's Emma Little-Pengelly". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  21. ^ Harte, Lauren (12 May 2022). "Former DUP MP Emma Little-Pengelly named as new MLA for Lagan Valley". BelfastLive. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  22. ^ Breen, Suzanne (13 May 2022). "DUP leader accused of treating voters with 'contempt' as Emma Little-Pengelly returns to fill Donaldson's seat at Stormont". Retrieved 13 May 2022 – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
  23. ^ Cunningham, Paul (3 February 2024). "Return of power-sharing a 'special day' for Northern Ireland". RTE. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  24. ^ a b Black, Rebecca; McCambridge, Jonathan; Ward, James (31 December 2021). "New Year Honours: NI health staff among those recognised in annual honours". BelfastLive.
  25. ^ Manley, John (23 September 2014). "Concerns over DUP adviser role as company director". The Irish News. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  26. ^ Hargan, Garret (9 March 2022). "NI Civil Service reshuffle will see Richard Pengelly move from the Department of Health". Belfast Telegraph. Belfast. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Emma Little-Pengelly.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by MLA for Belfast South
2015–2017 		Seat abolished
Preceded by MLA for Lagan Valley
2022–present 		Incumbent
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Belfast South
2017–2019 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Junior Minister
2015–2016 		Succeeded by
Vacant
Title last held by
Michelle O'Neill 		Deputy First Minister
2024–present 		Incumbent
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Emma_Little-Pengelly&oldid=1256630432"