David Brewster (politician)

David Brewster LL.B is a former Ulster unionist politician.

Brewster came to prominence in the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) as a close associate of David Trimble. Unenthusiastic about Jim Molyneaux's leadership of the party, Brewster backed Trimble's successful candidacy in the September 1995 leadership election.[1] Brewster was already the Secretary of the East Londonderry Association of the party, and Trimble assisted him in winning election as one of the party's honorary secretaries in 1996.[2] Brewster claims that Trimble also offered to help him take over as the Member of Parliament for East Londonderry from William Ross, a leading figure in the UUP but a critic of Trimble. However, Brewster did not want the role,[2] and instead won a seat in the equivalent constituency on the Northern Ireland Forum.[3] He worked with Peter King and Dean Godson on the UUP's "Strand I" team at the talks which led to the Good Friday Agreement.[4]

Brewster was also active in the Orange Order and, like most UUP members who were prominent Orangemen, he became critical of Trimble's leadership, and opposed the Good Friday Agreement.[5] He joined the oppositionist Union First Group, and left the party in 2003 to join the rival Democratic Unionist Party.[2]

Outside politics, Brewster worked as a Solicitor and served as President of the Roe Valley Chamber of Commerce from 2013-2016. He also is Vice Chairman of Limavady United Football Club and President of the William F. Massey Foundation.[6][7]

References
  1. Graham Walker, A History of the Ulster Unionist Party, p.250
  2. Dean Godson, Himself Alone: David Trimble and the Ordeal of Unionism, p.184
  3. "East Londonderry", Northern Ireland Elections
  4. Dean Godson, Himself Alone: David Trimble and the Ordeal of Unionism, p.298
  5. Henry Patterson and Eric P. Kaufmann, Unionism and Orangeism in Northern Ireland Since 1945, p.233
  6. George Jones and David Sharrock, "QCs in Ulster no longer pledge to serve Queen", Daily Telegraph, 28 June 2000
  7. https://twitter.com/limavadylawyer
Northern Ireland Forum
New forum Member for East Londonderry
1996–1998		 Forum dissolved
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