Mark Robinson (Northern Ireland politician)

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. <ref>Mark Robinson at Northern Ireland Assembly Archive, retrieved 13 September 2020.</ref> 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.<ref name=ARK>Nicholas Whyte and Conal Kelly, South Belfast, Northern Ireland Elections, ARK (Northern Ireland Social and Political Archive), 28 December 2019, retrieved 13 September 2020.</ref> He increased his vote in the 2003 election and was returned in second place.<ref name=ARK/> He ran for re-election in 2007<ref>Paul Connolly, "Alternative Ulster sticks with tradition", Belfast Telegraph, 2007, placed online 5 July 2008.</ref> but was defeated by Jimmy Spratt.

He also served two terms on Castlereagh Borough Council, being elected in 2001.<ref>"Castlereagh Borough Council Elections 1993-2011", ARK (Northern Ireland Social and Political Archive), retrieved 13 September 2020.</ref><ref>Joe Oliver, "Hard luck, son...mum's word for DUP", Belfast Telegraph, 2005, placed online 4 July 2008.</ref>

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.<ref>"DUP MLA's £18,000 Stormont travel ticket", Belfast Telegraph, 2006, placed online 4 July 2008.</ref> 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.<ref>David Gordon, "MLA working part-time for major store", Belfast Telegraph, 2006, placed online 4 July 2008.</ref>

References

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