Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue

The Forum for Political Dialogue met between 1996 and 1998 in Belfast as part of the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement.

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)

This is one of the 14 delegations in the convention, accounting for 31 of 164 people who took part.

Members (31):

Name Visualize Details Delegations
Antony Alcock Visualize Antony Evelyn Alcock. Born 12 September 1936; died 2 September 2006. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. Delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue as a top-up candidate. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Tom Benson Visualize Tom Benson. Born 26 August 1929; died 24 December 2000. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. Delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for Strangford. MLA for Strangford, 1998-2000. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
David Brewster Visualize David Brewster LL.B. Born 1964; died 20 January 2021. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks, and a member of the support team. Delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for East Londonderry. Joined the DUP, 2003. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
David Browne Visualize North Belfast Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
David Campbell Visualize Robert David Stewart Campbell; CBE. Born 25 May 1965. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. Delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for Lagan Valley. Member of Lisburn Borough Council, 1989-93. Chairman of the UUP, 2005-12. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Jim Clarke Visualize James (Jim) Clarke. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for South Belfast. High Sheriff of Belfast, 1998-99. Belfast City Councillor for Laganbank DEA, 1989-2005. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Robert Coulter Visualize Robert Coulter; MBE. 23 October 1929; died 5 September 2018. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for North Antrim. MLA for Antrim North, 1998-2011. Member of Ballymena Borough Council, 1985-2001. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Ivan Davis Visualize Ivan Davis. Born 16 April 1937; died 13 March 2020. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for Lagan Valley. Mayor of Lisburn, 1991-93. Member of Lisburn Borough Council 1973-2011. MLA for Lagan Valley, 1998-2003. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Jeffrey Donaldson Visualize Sir Jeffrey Mark Donaldson; PC. Born 7 December 1962. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks, and a member of the support team. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for Lagan Valley. Donaldson resigned from the UUP in 2003 to join the DUP. Leader of the DUP, 2021-24. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland Brooke/Mayhew Talks 1991-1992)
Reg Empey Visualize Baron Reginald (Reg) Norman Morgan Empey; OBE. Born 26 October 1947. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks, and a member of the negotiating team. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for East Belfast. MLA for East Belfast, 1998-2011. UUP Leader, 2005-10. Chairman of the UUP, 2012-19. Empey was also twice Lord Mayor of Belfast. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland Brooke/Mayhew Talks 1991-1992)
Sam Foster Visualize Major Samuel (Sam) Foster; CBE. Born 7 December 1931; died 19 August 2014. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for Fermanagh and South Tyrone. MLA for Fermanagh & South Tyrone, 1998-2003. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Sam Gardiner Visualize Alderman Samuel (Sam) Gardiner; MBE JP. Born 24 March 1940; died 8 November 2022. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for Upper Bann. MLA for Upper Bann, 2003-2016. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Joe Gaston Visualize Joe Gaston. Born 1926/7; died 15 March 2018. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for North Antrim. Member of Ballymoney Borough Council, 1973-2005. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
John Gorman Visualize Sir John Reginald Gorman; CVO, CBE, MC, DL. Born 1 February 1923; 26 May 2014. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP top-up member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue, which he chaired. MLA for North Down, 1998-2003. Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, 2000-02. Top-Up Candidate for the Ulster Unionist Party Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
John Hunter Visualize John Hunter. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks, and a member of the support team. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum on Political Dialogue for South Antrim. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Derek Hussey Visualize Derek Robert Hussey. Born 12 September 1948. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for West Tyrone. MLA for West Tyrone, 1998-2007. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
John Junkin Visualize John Junkin. Born 1949. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for Mid-Ulster. Member of Magherafelt District Council, 1981-2005. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Peter King Visualize Peter King. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for South Antrim. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Ken Maginnis Visualize Baron Kenneth (Ken) Wiggins Maginnis. Born 21 January 1938. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks, and a member of the support team. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum on Political Dialogue for Fermanagh and South Tyrone. MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, 1983-2001. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland Brooke/Mayhew Talks 1991-1992)
Alan McFarland Visualize Major Robert Alan McFarland. Born 9 August 1949. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for North Down. Parliamentary Assistant to James Molyneaux MP and Rev Martin Smyth MP, 1992. MLA for North Down, 1998-2011. Resigned from UUP in 2010. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Dermot Nesbitt Visualize Dermot Nesbitt. Born 14 August 1947. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for South Down. MLA for South Down, 1998-2007. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
UUP Representative Visualize Statements, decisions and papers attributed to the UUP delegation. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland Brooke/Mayhew Talks 1991-1992) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation)
Tom Robinson Visualize Thomas (Tom) Daniel Robinson. Born 1950/1. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for East Antrim. Served on Larne Borough Council, 1977-2001. Defected to UKUP, 2001. Defected to TUV, 2007. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Jim Rodgers Visualize Jim Rodgers; OBE. Born 1943. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for East Belfast. Lord Mayor of Belfast, 2001-02, 2007-08. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Jim Speers Visualize James (Jim) Alexander Speers; MBE. 20 May 1946. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for Newry and Armagh. Member of Armagh City Council, 1977-2023. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
May Steele Visualize May Steele; MBE, JP.Born 1936/7; died 8 January 2020. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUPdelegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for East Antrim. UUP President, 2016-20. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Robert Stoker Visualize Robert Stoker. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for South Belfast. UUP Belfast City Councillor, 1995-2014. Lord Mayor of Belfast, 1999-2000. Defected to UKIP, 2014. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
John Taylor Visualize Baron John David Taylor; PC (NI). Born 24 December 1937. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks, and a member of the negotiating team. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for Strangford. MEP for Northern Ireland, 1979-89. MP, 1982-2001. Member of Castlereagh Borough Council, 1993-97. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
David Trimble Visualize Baron William David Trimble; PC. Born 15 October 1944; died 25 July 2022. Trimble was the leader of the UUP, 1995-2005. The inaugural First Minister of Northern Ireland, 1998-2002. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks, and a member of the negotiating team. Delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for Upper Bann. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland International Body on Arms Decommissioning 1995-1996) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland Brooke/Mayhew Talks 1991-1992)
Peter Weir Visualize Baron Peter James Weir. Born 21 November 1968. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party negotiations, and a member of the support team. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for North Down. MLA, 1998-2022. Defected to DUP, 2002. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)
Robert John White Visualize Robert John White OBE. UUP delegate to the 1996-1998 multi-party talks. UUP delegate to the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue for East Londonderry. Member of Coleraine Borough Council, 1973-97. Mayor of Coleraine, 1977-80. Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (This negotiation) , Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) (Northern Ireland All-Party Talks June 1996 - April 1998)