Mark Robinson (Northern Ireland politician)

Mark Robinson
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Belfast South
In office 25 June 1998 – 7 March 2007
Preceded by	New Creation
Succeeded by	Jimmy Spratt
Personal details
Born	(1959-05-12) 12 May 1959 (age 65) Belfast, Northern Ireland
Political party	Democratic Unionist Party

Mark Simon Peter Robinson (born 12 May 1959) is a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician, who was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Belfast South from 1998 to 2007. [1] He served two terms, from the inception of the Assembly in 1998 until 2007.

Political career

In 1998 he was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly from Belfast South.[2] He increased his vote in the 2003 election and was returned in second place.[2] He ran for re-election in 2007[3] but was defeated by Jimmy Spratt.

He also served two terms on Castlereagh Borough Council, being elected in 2001.[4][5]

He has come under fire in the media for running up one of the highest travel expenses of any of the 108 MLAs, despite representing a constituency neighbouring that which Parliament Buildings is in.[6] A party source said that he was living outside his constituency for family reasons. He declared part-time employment with Marks and Spencer in the Register of Members' Interests in 2006 on top of his Assembly salary.[7]

References

1. Mark Robinson at Northern Ireland Assembly Archive, retrieved 13 September 2020.
2. Nicholas Whyte and Conal Kelly, South Belfast, Northern Ireland Elections, ARK (Northern Ireland Social and Political Archive), 28 December 2019, retrieved 13 September 2020.
3. Paul Connolly, "Alternative Ulster sticks with tradition", Belfast Telegraph, 2007, placed online 5 July 2008.
4. "Castlereagh Borough Council Elections 1993-2011", ARK (Northern Ireland Social and Political Archive), retrieved 13 September 2020.
5. Joe Oliver, "Hard luck, son...mum's word for DUP", Belfast Telegraph, 2005, placed online 4 July 2008.
6. "DUP MLA's £18,000 Stormont travel ticket", Belfast Telegraph, 2006, placed online 4 July 2008.
7. David Gordon, "MLA working part-time for major store", Belfast Telegraph, 2006, placed online 4 July 2008.

Northern Ireland Assembly
New assembly	MLA for Belfast South 1998–2007	Succeeded by Jimmy Spratt