David Brewster (politician)

David Brewster LL.B is a former Ulster unionist politician.

Brewster came to prominence in the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) as a close associate of David Trimble. Unenthusiastic about Jim Molyneaux's leadership of the party, Brewster backed Trimble's successful candidacy in the September 1995 leadership election.[1] Brewster was already the Secretary of the East Londonderry Association of the party, and Trimble assisted him in winning election as one of the party's honorary secretaries in 1996.[2] Brewster claims that Trimble also offered to help him take over as the Member of Parliament for East Londonderry from William Ross, a leading figure in the UUP but a critic of Trimble. However, Brewster did not want the role,[2] and instead won a seat in the equivalent constituency on the Northern Ireland Forum.[3] He worked with Peter King and Dean Godson on the UUP's "Strand I" team at the talks which led to the Good Friday Agreement.[4]

Brewster was also active in the Orange Order and, like most UUP members who were prominent Orangemen, he became critical of Trimble's leadership, and opposed the Good Friday Agreement.[5] He joined the oppositionist Union First Group, and left the party in 2003 to join the rival Democratic Unionist Party.[2]

Outside politics, Brewster worked as a Solicitor and served as President of the Roe Valley Chamber of Commerce from 2013-2016. He also is Vice Chairman of Limavady United Football Club and President of the William F. Massey Foundation.[6][7]

References

  1. ↑ Graham Walker, A History of the Ulster Unionist Party, p.250
  2. 1 2 3 Dean Godson, Himself Alone: David Trimble and the Ordeal of Unionism, p.184
  3. ↑ "East Londonderry", Northern Ireland Elections
  4. ↑ Dean Godson, Himself Alone: David Trimble and the Ordeal of Unionism, p.298
  5. ↑ Henry Patterson and Eric P. Kaufmann, Unionism and Orangeism in Northern Ireland Since 1945, p.233
  6. ↑ George Jones and David Sharrock, "QCs in Ulster no longer pledge to serve Queen", Daily Telegraph, 28 June 2000
  7. ↑ https://twitter.com/limavadylawyer
Northern Ireland Forum
New forum Member for East Londonderry
1996–1998		 Forum dissolved
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