David Ervine
David Ervine MLA (21 July 1953 - 7 January 2007) was a Northern Ireland politician and former leader of the Progressive Unionist Party.
Background
David Ervine was raised in a staunchly Protestant working-class area of east Belfast. Like many in his situation, he grew up closely identifying with his community and absorbed the ideals and opinions that go along with this identity. At the age of 19 Ervine joined the Ulster Volunteer Force, believing this to be the only way to ensure the defence of the Protestant community.
Arrest and Imprisonment
Ervine was imprisoned in Long Kesh in 1974 while an active member of the UVF, after being arrested driving a car bomb to its presumed target of a pub frequented by Catholic civilians. He later claimed that his witnessing of the carnage caused by the IRA's bombing of Belfast's city centre in 1972 on Bloody Friday, (21st July) drove him into the ranks of the UVF. On that day nine people died and huge devastation was caused to the city as, in little over an hour, 21 bombs exploded one after the other.
Release
Ervine was released from prison in 1980. He owned a newsagents' in Belfast for several years before taking up full-time politics. He stood in local council elections as a Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) candidate in 1985. In 1998, he was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly to represent Belfast East and was re-elected in 2003. He is also a member of Belfast City Council.
Progressive
David Ervine is considered to be one of the most progressive unionists in Northern Ireland politics. He has been a strong supporter of the Belfast Agreement (Good Friday Agreement) and is one of the few unionist politicians to still actively support the Agreement. At a Labour Party meeting in 2001, then Northern Ireland Secretary, John Reid, described him as "possibly one of the most eloquent politicians in Northern Ireland". Some of the less articulate of his opponents make references to him having swallowed a dictionary. Some see Ervine as one of the few politicians actively engaged with conflict resolution. However the PUP, as the political mouthpiece of the UVF, has close and highly controversial ties to the paramilitary organisation.
Controversy
In May 2005, the Independent Monitoring Commission recommended a continuation of the financial sanctions on his Assembly salary imposed following its report of April 2004. The IMC was of the opinion that the UVF and the PUP maintain strong links while the UVF is heavily involved in criminality such as drugs trafficking and cigarette smuggling. It concluded that 12 months after the sanctions were originally imposed, the PUP leadership was still not doing enough to address the UVF's criminal activities.
Links with the Ulster Unionists
On May 13 2006 it was announced that when the Northern Ireland Assembly reconvenes, Ervine will join the Ulster Unionist assembly group, whilst remaining leader of the Progressive Unionists. Under the d'Hondt formula used for allocating places on the Northern Ireland Executive this will entitle the Ulster Unionists to an additional place. [1]
The Presiding Officer (Speaker) of the Assembly, Ms Eileen Bell, MLA indicated at the first meeting of the 'shadow' Assembly (May 15 2006) that she would take legal advice before ruling on whether Mr Ervine could be treated as a member of the UUP group [2].
On the 11th September 2006 Ms Bell announced that the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly Group did not have a headquarters, at least one party leader and a scheme for financial support thus did not qualify as a political party. This means that the UUPAG can't sit in the Assembly so the Alliance, for the time being, is invalid [3].
Death
Ervine suffered a massive heart attack after attending a football match at The Oval in Belfast on Saturday 6th January 2007. He was taken to hospital and died the following evening, Sunday 7th January.
See also
Reference
- Ref: 'David Ervine: Uncharted Waters' by Henry Sinnerton (2003), ISBN 0-86322-312-5