Jonathan Bell (UK politician)
| Jonathan Bell | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment | |
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In office 11 May 2015 – 5 May 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Arlene Foster |
| Succeeded by | Simon Hamilton |
| Junior Minister at the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister | |
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In office 16 May 2011 – 11 May 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Robin Newton |
| Succeeded by | Michelle McIlveen |
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Member of the Legislative Assembly for Strangford |
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In office 22 January 2010 – 26 January 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Iris Robinson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jonathan Fergus Bell 5 March 1970 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | Northern Irish |
| Political party |
Independent DUP (suspended 2016) UUP (until 2000) |
| Spouse(s) | Lisa Bell |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Conlig, County Down |
| Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast |
| Profession | Social worker |
Jonathan Fergus Bell MLA (born 5 March 1970) is an Independent Unionist politician in Northern Ireland. He became an MLA for the Strangford constituency of the Northern Ireland Assembly, following the resignation of Iris Robinson.
He served as a Junior Minister in the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister from May 2011 until May 2015, before he served as Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment from May 2015 until May 2016.
In January 2017, Bell spoke publicly on the BBC Nolan Show, bringing to light the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal, which ultimately led to a Public Inquiry in January 2017. He was suspended from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). He sat as an Independent Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly until losing his seat in the 2017 Assembly Elections.
Bell was the youngest of three children of Fergus Bell, a minister in the Free Methodist Church, and his wife Nora, a secretary. At three months old he survived a bout of whooping cough.
He sat on Craigavon Borough Council from 1997 until 2005, where he served as both deputy mayor and mayor. Bell was originally elected for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) but dissatisfied with the leadership of David Trimble, quit the party in March 2000. In 1999 he was the organiser and spokesperson of a demonstration in favour of Protestant/Unionist rights called "The Long March".
By the time of the 2001 local elections he had joined the DUP. When he was appointed as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), he was a councillor for the DUP in Ards. On accepting the invitation to replace Robinson as an MLA he resigned his position as a member of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, as the Northern Ireland Act 1998 stipulated that membership of the Commission was incompatible with Assembly membership. Bell had, with UUP member Daphne Trimble, been one of two Commissioners to publicly oppose the Commission's stance on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.
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Wikipedia