Gregory Campbell (politician)
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Gregory Campbell MP |
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| Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure | |
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In office 9 June 2008 – 1 July 2009 |
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| First Minister | Peter Robinson |
| Preceded by | Edwin Poots |
| Succeeded by | Nelson McCausland |
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Member of Parliament for East Londonderry |
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Assumed office 7 June 2001 |
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| Preceded by | William Ross |
| Majority | 7,804 (22.5%) |
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Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for East Londonderry |
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In office 25 June 1998 – 7 May 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Office Created |
| Succeeded by | Maurice Bradley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
15 February 1953 Derry, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | Northern Irish |
| Political party | Democratic Unionist Party |
| Spouse(s) | Frances Campbell |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University of Ulster |
Gregory Lloyd Campbell (born 15 February 1953) is a Northern Ireland unionist politician, and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Member of Parliament for East Londonderry. He has referred to himself as a loyalist.
Campbell was born and raised in Waterside, Derry and educated at the city's technical college and at the University of Ulster.
He joined the DUP in the 1970s and was first elected to Derry City Council in 1981. Campbell briefly led the local DUP members out of the council in 1984 when it changed its name from Londonderry to Derry City Council, although he returned to his seat not long after. He stood down in 2011 after 30 years as a councillor.
He was chosen to contest the Foyle constituency in the general election of 1983. He contested the same seat again in the general elections of 1987 and 1992, although each time he finished second behind Social Democratic and Labour Party leader John Hume.
He appeared in the BBC Real Lives documentary "At the Edge of the Union", which was temporarily blocked in August 1985 by direct government intervention from the then Home Secretary Leon Brittan. This led to a one-day strike by the National Union of Journalists to defend the independence of the BBC.
Given that Foyle had a predominantly nationalist population, the increasingly high-profile Campbell was transferred to the more winnable East Londonderry seat, where he ran unsuccessfully in 1997. Campbell won the seat at his second attempt in the 2001 general election, gaining a majority of 1,901 over sitting MP William Ross of the Ulster Unionist Party. He was re-elected in the 2005 general election, this time securing an increased majority of 7,498 over the new UUP candidate David McClarty. He is also a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, topping the East Londonderry poll (from which six members are elected) in the elections of 1998, 2003, 2007 and 2011.
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