Robin Newton MLA MBE |
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5th Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly | |
Assumed office 12 May 2016 |
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Deputy |
Caitríona Ruane (2016–) Patsy McGlone (2016–) Danny Kennedy (2016–) |
Preceded by | Mitchel McLaughlin |
Principal Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly | |
In office 20 January 2015 – 12 May 2016 |
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Preceded by | Mitchel McLaughlin |
Succeeded by | Catriona Ruane |
Junior Minister at the office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister | |
In office 1 July 2009 – 16 May 2011 Serving with Gerry Kelly |
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Preceded by | Jeffrey Donaldson |
Succeeded by | Jonathan Bell |
Member of the Legislative Assembly for Belfast East |
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Assumed office 26 November 2003 |
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Preceded by | Sammy Wilson |
Personal details | |
Born |
Belfast, Northern Ireland |
21 December 1945
Nationality | British |
Political party | Democratic Unionist Party |
Spouse(s) | Carole Newton |
Children | 2 |
Website | Robin Newton MLA |
Robin Newton (born 21 December 1945) is a Democratic Unionist Party politician in Northern Ireland. He is a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for East Belfast, and was a junior minister in the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister from 2009-11.
Newton is a chief executive of a management consultancy company and a member of the East Belfast Partnership Board, which promotes economic development in East Belfast. He was elected Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly on 12 May 2016. He and his wife Carole have two children.
Newton was first elected to Belfast City Council in 1985 and has been re-elected every election since. Newton is chairman of the Waterfront Hall board. He was an unsuccessful candidate in East Belfast in the 1996 Northern Ireland Forum election. He was elected as a DUP member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for East Belfast in 2003.
After the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998, he was the deputy chair of the Development Committee. He takes particular interest in housing matters, the elderly, health services and employment opportunities. Newton is the DUP party spokesperson for Enterprise, Trade and Investment. On May 12, 2016, he was elected Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson announced on 22 June 2009 that Robin Newton would replace Jeffrey Donaldson as junior minister in the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister at the beginning of the new assembly term in September 2009. This reshuffle took place due to Robinson's plans to phase out "double jobbing" amongst elected representatives. Newton was sworn in as junior minister by the speaker, William Hay, on 1 July 2009, and served until 16 May 2011. From 2011 until 2012, he was a Political Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.