Jeffrey Donaldson
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The Right Honourable Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP |
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Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley |
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Assumed office 1 May 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Sir James Molyneaux |
| Majority | 13,000 (32.7%) |
| Junior Minister at the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister | |
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In office 26 February 2008 – July 2009 Serving with Gerry Kelly |
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| Preceded by | Ian Paisley Jr |
| Succeeded by | Robin Newton |
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Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley |
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In office 2003 – June 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Patrick Roche |
| Succeeded by | Paul Givan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
7 December 1962 Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party |
Democratic Unionist Party Ulster Unionist Party (till 2003) |
| Spouse(s) | Eleanor |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Castlereagh College |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
| Website | http://www.jeffreydonaldson.org |
Sir Jeffrey Mark Donaldson, PC, MP (born 7 December 1962), is a Northern Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley representing the Democratic Unionist Party. He is best known for his opposition to Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader David Trimble during the Northern Ireland peace process, especially from 1998 to 2003. He is Northern Ireland's longest-serving current MP.
Donaldson was born in Kilkeel, County Down, in Northern Ireland. He attended the Kilkeel High School then Castlereagh College. He joined the Ulster Unionist Party and the Orange Order as a young man and later worked for the MP Enoch Powell.
Two of Donaldson's cousins were killed by the Provisional Irish Republican Army while serving in the Royal Ulster Constabulary: Sam Donaldson was killed in 1970 and Alex Donaldson, a Chief Inspector, died in a mortar attack on a Newry police station in 1985.
In 1985, following the death of Raymond McCullough, Donaldson was elected in a by-election to the Northern Ireland Assembly to represent South Down. In 1996 he was first placed candidate on the UUP list for the 1996 Forum elections, virtually guaranteeing him a seat. This led to his selection in 1997, for the Westminster Parliament where he was elected as a member of parliament (MP) for the Lagan Valley constituency. At that time he was tipped as a potential future leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.
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