Sammy Wilson (politician)
Sammy Wilson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic Unionist Party Chief Whip in the House of Commons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 17 December 2019 – 23 February 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader | Jeffrey Donaldson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Jeffrey Donaldson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister of Finance and Personnel | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1 July 2009 – 29 July 2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Minister | Peter Robinson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Nigel Dodds | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Simon Hamilton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister of the Environment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 9 June 2008 – 1 July 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Minister | Peter Robinson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Arlene Foster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Edwin Poots | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Constituency | Belfast Area A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Belfast, Northern Ireland | 4 April 1952||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Democratic Unionist Party | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation | Politician | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Profession | Member of Parliament | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Samuel Wilson
Personal life
Wilson was born in
In May 1996, the Sunday World published a series of candid holiday photographs showing Wilson and his girlfriend naked. Wilson subsequently sued the paper for damages, which were settled out of court.[7] Two years after the incident, at the inaugural sitting of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Martin McGuinness of Sinn Féin addressed the Assembly by saying "It is also very good to come across someone like Mr Sammy Wilson, whom I have never met, and it is great to see him today with his clothes on."[8]
Political career
DUP Press Officer
Wilson began his political life as the
Wilson chaired a rally in Ulster Hall in November 1986 declaring the founding of a new loyalist paramilitary group, Ulster Resistance. The event was addressed by DUP party colleagues Ian Paisley, Peter Robinson and Ivan Foster.[13] After a large arms cache linked to Ulster Resistance was discovered in County Armagh in November 1988, Wilson told the Sunday Tribune that he "[defended] the right of Unionist people to resist" and "Ulster Resistance are doing no more and no less than Lord Edward Carson." Wilson refused to say when he had last been in contact with Ulster Resistance.[13] In January 1992 at a meeting of Belfast City Council, Sinn Féin councillor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir accused Wilson of involvement in the formation of Ulster Resistance; Wilson reportedly shouted back "I'm proud of it."[14]
In September 1988 Sammy Wilson was named in a Canadian court as having hosted Canada-based gunrunners in Belfast City Hall in October 1986 when he was Lord Mayor.[13] It was also claimed that in Wilson's City Hall sitting room the Canadian arms traffickers met two prominent loyalist paramilitary figures.[13] Wilson left the room shortly before the loyalists entered and was absent for this second meeting.[13] One of the Canadians, Howard Wright, was convicted of illegally exporting firearms to the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) between 1979 and 1986. Another Canadian man named during the trial, Bill Taylor, was imprisoned in Canada on an extradition warrant for charges of conspiring to import arms into the United Kingdom.[13]
In January 1994, the UDA released a document calling for ethnic cleansing and repartition of Ireland, with the goal of making Northern Ireland wholly Protestant.[15][16] The plan was to be implemented should the British Army withdraw from Northern Ireland. Some areas with strong Catholic/nationalist majorities near the Irish border would be handed over to the Republic of Ireland, and those Catholics left stranded in the "Protestant state" would be "expelled, nullified, or interned".[15] Controversially, Wilson called the plan a "very valuable return to reality". He added: "[it] shows that some loyalist paramilitaries are looking ahead and contemplating what needs to be done to maintain our separate Ulster identity".[15]
In April 1994 amidst controversy over a large-scale operation by the British Army to overhaul the British security forces base in the predominantly nationalist village of Crossmaglen, County Armagh, acting as DUP press officer Wilson commented
Unionists should be heartened that, despite the pressure from Dublin, the SDLP and the Catholic Church, there is still some will to make republican communities pay some of the cost of their support for IRA terrorism... The people of Crossmaglen have given support to the IRA and deserve every inconvenience they are now suffering as a result.[17][18]
In July 1994, Wilson and DUP MP Peter Robinson were pallbearers at the funeral of UDA member Ray Smallwoods, who served half of a 15 year sentence for the attempted murder of Bernadette McAliskey in 1981.[19]
MLA for East Belfast
In May 1996, Wilson was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum for the constituency of East Belfast and went on to represent this area in the Northern Ireland Assembly upon its creation in June 1998. The DUP were opposed to the Good Friday Agreement and in March 1998 Wilson and fellow DUP politician Ian Paisley Jr gave speeches at a rally in Portadown organised by the paramilitary Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF), who were also opposed to the ongoing talks process. Their appearance was widely criticised; days earlier the LVF had murdered two men, Philip Allen and Damien Trainor - one a Protestant, one a Catholic - in a bar in Poyntzpass, County Armagh in an indiscriminate sectarian attack.[20] On 24 April 1998, Sammy Wilson and DUP councillor Jack McKee shared a platform with self-styled pastor Clifford Peeples, a member of the LVF and leader of the Orange Volunteers, at an anti-Good Friday Agreement rally in Antrim town. Peeples set a print copy of the Good Friday Agreement alight as attendees cried 'And burn Fenians too'. Police believed the Antrim-based Loyalists who murdered Catholic Ciaran Heffran in Crumlin several hours later attended the rally.[21]
Wilson again served as Lord Mayor of Belfast between June 2000 and June 2001. During his time as Mayor, the Andersonstown News set up a website to highlight Wilson's "naked sectarianism". The site included such quotes from Wilson as: "The GAA is the sporting wing of the IRA"; "I don't care if [gays] are ratepayers. As far as I am concerned they are perverts"; "Taigs don't pay rates"; and "They [Sinn Féin voters in the Oldpark area of Belfast] are sub-human animals". The Andersonstown News had challenged Wilson to take legal action if he felt he was being misrepresented. He did not. The website voluntarily shut down when he ended his tenure as Mayor.[22]
MLA and MP for East Antrim
In the 2003 Assembly election, Wilson stood successfully in the East Antrim constituency, alongside fellow DUP candidates George Dawson and David Hilditch. This momentum was carried through to the 2005 Westminster Election on 5 May, which saw Wilson defeat Roy Beggs of the Ulster Unionist Party, to become Member of Parliament for East Antrim with 49.6% of the vote.
Wilson is a former member of the
In his role as DUP education spokesman, Wilson was one of the most vocal critics of Education Minister Caitríona Ruane's plan to abolish academic selection and introduce a comprehensive school system in Northern Ireland.[23]
He resigned from his position as chair of the Education Committee when he took up his role as Minister for the Environment.
In March 2016, during a
In July 2016, he called breastfeeding in the House of Commons chamber "voyeuristic" and said: "To me, anyone who chooses to do it in the chamber rather than who do it in the quietness of their office, is doing it for reasons other than simply feeding the child, to make a point".[25]
On 25 February 2017, he was interviewed by American broadcaster
In 2018, he argued against the suspension of his party colleague Ian Paisley Jr from the Westminster Parliament, after he was punished for accepting family holidays paid for by the government of Sri Lanka while speaking in favour of the regime in the House of Commons.[27]
In March 2019, Wilson was one of 21 MPs who voted against LGBT inclusive sex and relationship education in English schools.[28][29]
Wilson was photographed on the London Underground without a face mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2020.[30]
Minister for the Environment (2008–2009)
On 9 June 2008, Wilson joined the Northern Ireland Executive as Minister of the Environment.
His appointment and tenure as Environment Minister were criticised by some environmental groups.
Wilson came under renewed criticism in February 2009 when he blocked the broadcast of climate change advertisements on television, calling them part of an "insidious propaganda campaign".[34] He also stated "that future ecological messages could only be promoted in Northern Ireland with his permission".[35] New Scientist magazine stated that despite the minister's comments, "the overwhelming majority of scientists do agree that there is a greater than 90% chance that the rate at which we burn fossil fuels is driving climate change".[36]
Minister for Finance and Personnel (2009–2013)
In the June 2009 Executive reshuffle, Wilson became
In August 2009, Wilson was the subject of criticism from the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities for saying that "jobs should go to people born in Northern Ireland before going to economic migrants".[38] Following racist attacks on Romanian people in Belfast,[39] Wilson commented that "charges of racism were always coincided with the holding out of the hand for more money".[38] The Northern Ireland Assembly Standards Committee dismissed complaints made against him over these remarks.[40]
Wilson's tenure as Finance Minister coincided with the worst recession in the history of Northern Ireland.[41] He criticised banks in Northern Ireland for not increasing lending to businesses.[42] Wilson was commended for displaying leadership and received cross-party support for stopping bonuses to civil servants during the recession.[40]
Wilson was replaced as Finance Minister in July 2013 by DUP colleague Simon Hamilton, in a planned reshuffle.
Brexit position
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2021) |
On 9 February 2016, during a debate in the
In reply to a 2016 UK Treasury report that highlighted the negative economic impact of the United Kingdom leaving the
As the DUP's Brexit spokesman, Wilson said in January 2019 it was "perfectly possible" that
On 29 January 2019, during a debate in the House of Commons, Wilson responded to a suggestion from Scottish National Party MP Ian Blackford that a no-deal Brexit could lead to food shortages and that many supermarkets "warn of not having sufficient supplies and of shelves lying empty",[48] by saying people could simply "Go to the chippy"[49][50] instead. DUP MP Gavin Robinson later said that the remark should "not be taken too seriously", but Caroline Lucas of the Green Party of England and Wales, said the DUP should be "ashamed".[51]
However, on 11 January 2021, during an Economic Update from the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak in the House of Commons, Wilson complained that in Northern Ireland "supermarket shelves are empty and thousands of people are being sent letters from suppliers in England saying that neither they personally nor their businesses will any longer be supplied with goods"[52] as a direct result of Brexit.[53][54]
LGBT+ rights
In a 1 June 1992 Daily Express article, Wilson was quoted as saying "They are poofs. I don't care if they are ratepayers. As far as I am concerned they are perverts" after gay rights activists had requested the use of Belfast City Hall.[55][56][57]
Wilson has voted against legislation allowing same-sex marriage in both the mainland UK in 2013[58] and Northern Ireland in 2019.[59]
In November 2016, while responding to a letter from a constituent, Wilson refused to support World AIDS Day as he felt the UK government had exhausted considerable resources on dealing with AIDS at the expense of other illnesses which were "not always as a result of lifestyle choices and which therefore deserve higher priorities".[60][61] A subsequent statement by Chief Executive of the UK National AIDS Trust Deborah Gold asserted that the "misinformed response" from Wilson was the result of "prejudice".[62]
In March 2021, responding to an email from a constituent about gay conversion therapy, Wilson stated “I feel that those who wish to avail themselves of conversion therapy and those who wish to practice it should be allowed to do so".[63] A DUP spokesperson later moved to clarify Wilson’s comments by stating "while the practice is not something he would support; it is not for him to dictate to others the services they seek out".[64]
Climate change denial
Despite once serving as the Environment Minister for Northern Ireland,[65] Wilson has described environmentalism as "hysterical pseudo-religion".[66][67] In 2009, Wilson blocked 'Act on CO2' television and radio campaign adverts (urging people to reduce their carbon output and use less energy in the home) from being broadcast in Northern Ireland,[68][69][70] saying he would not allow this "insidious New Labour propaganda campaign" to be imposed on the public. Furthermore, Wilson said he wrote to the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change to say that the Act on CO2 campaign "was not welcome", was contrary to his personal views, and that he did "not wish for climate change messages to be promoted by other Whitehall departments here". He has also warned that future ecological messages could only be promoted in Northern Ireland with his permission.[71]
References
- ^ "Who's Who".
- ^ "Sammy Wilson: MP quits as DUP chief whip at Westminster". BBC News. 24 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ Northern Ireland Assembly Information Office (1 July 1998). "Northern Ireland Assembly Report Wednesday July 1, 1999". Niassembly.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 16 December 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ Northern Ireland Assembly Information Office. "Ministers and their Departments, Northern Ireland Assembly". Niassembly.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 15 December 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ Bowcott, Owen (20 May 2009). "Alzheimer's barbs spark row in Stormont". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "Sammy Wilson MP MLA » Biography". Sammywilson.org. 5 May 2005. Archived from the original on 15 August 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ Cassidy, John (8 October 2000). "MAYOR SETTLES NAKED ROMP PICTURES ROW; Sammy wins damages over |". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
- ^ "Northern Ireland Assembly Archive Site". 1998.
- ^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 5 Dec 1988". Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- Fortnight Magazine, Issue 243, p. 22. Fortnight Publications, 1986.
- Fortnight Magazine, Issue 297, p. 23-24. Fortnight Publications, 1991.
- Fortnight Magazine, Issue 322, p. 32-33. Fortnight Publications, 1993.
- ^ a b c d e f "Loyalists have right to stockpile arms, says Wilson",Sunday Tribune, 20 November 1988.
- ^ Belfast Telegraph, 7 January 1992.
- ^ a b c Wood, Ian S. Crimes of Loyalty: A History of the UDA. Edinburgh University Press, 2006. Pages 184–185.
- ^ "CAIN". Cain.ulst.ac.uk. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ Belfast Telegraph, 13 April 1994.
- ^ Belfast News Letter, 14 April 1994.
- ^ Sydney Elliott & William D. Flackes, Conflict in Northern Ireland: An Encyclopedia, ABC-CLIO, 1999, p. 226
- ^ Sunday Life, 8 March 1998.
- ^ "'Demon pastors' are humbled". The Guardian. London. 31 October 1999.
- ^ "Sectarian incidents and attacks June 2001". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
- ^ "Sammy Wilson: A different shade of green". Agendani.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "Sammy Wilson hits back over 'ethnics out' comment". BBC News. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
- ^ "Women who breastfeed in the House of Commons chamber are 'exhibitionists', claims MP". The Telegraph. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
- ^ "Sammy Wilson 'agrees' with murals comparing IRA to ISIS". Archived from the original on 27 February 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ "Ian Paisley 'has been punished enough' says Sammy Wilson". BBC News. 22 July 2018.
- ^ "MPS vote for LGBT inclusive sex and relationship education from primary school". inews.co.uk. 28 March 2019.
- ^ "Draft Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education (England) Regulations 2019 - CommonsVotes".
- ^ Diver, Tony (25 September 2020). "DUP MP Sammy Wilson rails against 'Stasi state' after being caught on train without a face mask". The Telegraph. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
- ^ "New environment boss 'sceptical'". BBC News. 10 June 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ a b c "Wilson row over green 'alarmists'". BBC News. 5 September 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "Sammy Wilson MP MLA » Issues". Sammywilson.org. Archived from the original on 15 August 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "Quit call over blocked green ad". BBC News. 9 February 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ McDonald, Henry (10 February 2009). "Calls for Stormont environment minister to quit over CO2 ad ban". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ Stingley, Jeremy (9 February 2009). "The environment minister who is anything but green – Short Sharp Science". New Scientist. London. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "DUP reshuffle". BBC. 22 June 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ a b "Finance Minister Sammy Wilson clashes with group over racism". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 7 August 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "PM condemns Romanian hate attacks". BBC News. 17 June 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ a b "Wilson displays leadership quality on public service bonuses". The Irish Times. 9 September 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "NI enduring 'worst ever' slowdown". BBC News. 10 November 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "Sammy Wilson cleared over jobs for locals complaint". BBC News. 25 March 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ EU Referandum. Sammy Wilson parliament.uk 9 February 2016
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Treasury analysis of economic impact of the EU membership" (PDF). gov.uk. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "DUP: 'Perfectly possible' for May 'to have the backstop removed'". 30 January 2019. Archived from the original on 1 February 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
- ^ European Union Debates. Ian Blackford parliament.uk
- ^ Nsubuga, Jimmy (30 January 2019). "MP says 'go to the chippy' if supermarkets run out of food because of Brexit". Metro. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "'Go to the chippy' if there are Brexit food shortages, says DUP MP". The Independent. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "'Go to the chippy'". BBC News. 29 January 2019.
- ^ "Commons Chamber - UK Parliament". Hansard. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ "N Ireland shoppers face empty shelves as Brexit snags supply chains". Financial Times. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Commons Chamber - UK Parliament". Hansard. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ Svoboda, Martin. "They are poofs. I don't care if they are ratepayers. As far…". Quotepark.com. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ Collins, Jude (16 March 2021). "The wit and wisdom of Sammy Wilson". Jude Collins. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Unionist hypocrisy elects Belfast mayor | An Phoblacht". www.anphoblacht.com. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill — Third Reading: Recent Votes". TheyWorkForYou. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill — New Clause 1 — Marriage of Same-Sex Couples: Recent Votes". TheyWorkForYou. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Sammy Wilson: Aids funding 'at the expense of other illnesses'". The Irish News. 1 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ Duffy, Nick (30 November 2016). "MP refuses to support World AIDS Day because 'HIV is the result of lifestyle choices'". PinkNews. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Sammy Wilson MP's comment on HIV - National AIDS Trust response | National AIDS Trust". www.nat.org.uk. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "DUP MP says practice of torturous, traumatising conversion therapy should continue". 12 March 2021.
- ^ Keers, Russell (12 March 2021). "Sammy Wilson slammed for gay conversion comments". NorthernIrelandWorld. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ "Sammy Wilson MP". DUP. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "George Monbiot: Top 10 climate change deniers". The Guardian. 9 March 2009. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
- ^ "Northern Ireland environment minister receives no-confidence vote". The Guardian. 12 February 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Democratic Unionist party stands by climate change sceptic environment minister Sammy Wilson". The Guardian. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Calls for Stormont environment minister to quit over CO2 ad ban". The Guardian. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2022.