Name: Sammy Wilson 2009-05-13 12:11
Wilson was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Educated at Methodist College Belfast, Wilson went on to graduate in Economics and Politics from Queen's University, Belfast and then from Stranmillis Teaching College. Mr Wilson took up a teaching post at Grosvenor Grammar School after graduation where he was to become Head of Economics and Assistant Chief Examiner for A-Level Economics in Northern Ireland.
Wilson began his life in politics as the Democratic Unionist Party Press Officer and in 1981 he was elected as a DUP councillor to Belfast City Council, a position he will resign in June 2008. Mr Wilson became the first person from the party to serve as Lord Mayor of the City in 1985 and did so again in 1999.
Wilson was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum in May 1996 for the constituency of East Belfast (1996-98) and went on to represent this area again after the Northern Ireland Assembly in June 1998.
In the Assembly election of 2003 Wilson was successful in being re-elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in the East Antrim constituency and was joined by fellow East Antrim party candidates George Dawson and David Hilditch. This momentum was carried through to the Westminster Election on 5 May 2005 which saw him being elected as Member of Parliament for East Antrim with 49.6% of the vote.
Wilson is a former member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board and Northern Ireland Housing Council, and at Westminster sits on the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee. He is the DUP spokesperson for Education and Policing, and has special political interest in socio-economic issues. At Westminster he is the Party spokesperson on Education and skills, as well as Housing.
Since the return of devolution to the Northern Ireland Assembly in May 2007, Mr Wilson has been best known for his criticism of Education Minister Caitroina Ruane, and her plans for the abolition of academic selection and the introduction of a comprehensive school system in Northern Ireland.
Educated at Methodist College Belfast, Wilson went on to graduate in Economics and Politics from Queen's University, Belfast and then from Stranmillis Teaching College. Mr Wilson took up a teaching post at Grosvenor Grammar School after graduation where he was to become Head of Economics and Assistant Chief Examiner for A-Level Economics in Northern Ireland.
Wilson began his life in politics as the Democratic Unionist Party Press Officer and in 1981 he was elected as a DUP councillor to Belfast City Council, a position he will resign in June 2008. Mr Wilson became the first person from the party to serve as Lord Mayor of the City in 1985 and did so again in 1999.
Wilson was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum in May 1996 for the constituency of East Belfast (1996-98) and went on to represent this area again after the Northern Ireland Assembly in June 1998.
In the Assembly election of 2003 Wilson was successful in being re-elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in the East Antrim constituency and was joined by fellow East Antrim party candidates George Dawson and David Hilditch. This momentum was carried through to the Westminster Election on 5 May 2005 which saw him being elected as Member of Parliament for East Antrim with 49.6% of the vote.
Wilson is a former member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board and Northern Ireland Housing Council, and at Westminster sits on the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee. He is the DUP spokesperson for Education and Policing, and has special political interest in socio-economic issues. At Westminster he is the Party spokesperson on Education and skills, as well as Housing.
Since the return of devolution to the Northern Ireland Assembly in May 2007, Mr Wilson has been best known for his criticism of Education Minister Caitroina Ruane, and her plans for the abolition of academic selection and the introduction of a comprehensive school system in Northern Ireland.