David McIlveen
Member of the Legislative Assembly
for North Antrim
In office
May 2011 – May 2016
Preceded byIan Paisley
Succeeded byPhillip Logan
Personal details
Born (1981-02-11) 11 February 1981 (age 42)
NationalityBritish
Political partyDemocratic Unionist Party

David McIlveen (born 11 February 1981) is a former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician who was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for North Antrim from 2011 to 2016.

Background

He is the son of Rev. David McIlveen, a well-known minister in the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster.[1] although he has been largely silent on many of the issues linked to his high-profile father.

McIlveen was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for the North Antrim constituency in 2011.[2]

McIlveen has a keen interest in conflict studies with particular interest in The Middle East. After welcoming the release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, he made remarks to The Newsletter claiming Palestinian prisoners were much better treated than Israelis who were snatched at the border by Hamas and given no rights afforded to them in relation to inspections from The Red Cross.[3] Timothy Houston of Queen's University Belfast's Palestine Solidarity Society published an open letter accusing McIlveen of bias and overlooking human rights abuses.[4] David McIlveen claims "close ties with Israel" following boyhood visits with his father, and has visited the region both personally and with political delegations on numerous occasions.[5]

McIlveen lost his seat at the 2016 Assembly election, losing out to running mate, Phillip Logan

From August 2015-May 2017, he was a Political Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.[6]

David McIlveen did not campaign publicly with his party for the 2016 Brexit referendum and described himself as a reformist rather than leave supporter.

Since leaving politics in 2017 McIlveen has returned to private sector and runs various companies mainly aligned to the property sector. He now resides outside of Northern Ireland.

References

  1. ^ "David McIlveen DUP North Antrim". Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  2. ^ Mary Minihan (7 May 2011). "McGuinness irked by Mid-Ulster delay". The Irish Times. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
  3. ^ "MLA's relief over Shalit's safe release". The NewsLetter. 19 October 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  4. ^ Houston, Timothy (3 March 2012). "DUPlicitous propaganda: An open letter to David McIlveen DUP ..." QUB Palestinian Society/Politics.ie. Archived from the original on 24 June 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  5. ^ McIlveen, David. "Israel - The Story So Far". Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  6. ^ "The Board". Archived from the original on 8 May 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
Northern Ireland Assembly Preceded byIan Paisley MLA for North Antrim 2011–2016 Succeeded byPhillip Logan


Categories