Iris Robinson, First Lady of Northern Ireland
Iris Robinson, First Lady of Northern Ireland
Iris Robinson (née Collins; born 6 September 1949) is a Northern Ireland Unionist politician and is the current Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds. She is married to Peter Robinson, who is currently the First Minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Robinson was first elected councillor for Castlereagh Borough Council in 1989, and served as Mayor in 1992 and 1995. She was a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue from 1995 to 1997. In 1998 she was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Democratic Unionist Party as member for Strangford, acting as Deputy Whip[citation needed] and health spokesperson. She was elected as DUP Member of Parliament for Strangford at the 2001 general election, replacing the Ulster Unionist Party’s John Taylor. She was re-elected at the 2005 general election.
Robinson describes herself as a born again Christian, and has publicly stated that “the government has the responsibility to uphold God’s laws”. In light of this, she was criticised for her views on homosexuality in 2008.
In December 2009, Robinson announced that she would leave politics and withdraw from public life following prolonged periods of mental illness. In January 2010, it emerged that Robinson had had an extramarital affair with a 19-year-old in 2008, and she and her husband were faced with allegations of financial impropriety related to the affair. It was announced on 9 January 2010 that her membership of the DUP had been terminated, and that she would stand down from elected office. On 12 January 2010 she resigned from the Northern Ireland Assembly, and on 13 January 2010, she resigned from the House of Commons and Castlereagh Borough Council.
Iris Collins was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. She grew up in a working-class area in the east of the city. She describes herself as a born again Christian and attends Metropolitan Tabernacle Church in Belfast. She comes from family with a mixed religious background as ten of her first cousins are Roman Catholics. She attended Cregagh Primary School, Knockbreda Intermediate School and Cregagh Technical College before becoming a secretary.
She married Peter Robinson on 26 July 1970; they have three grown-up children: Jonathan, Gareth and Rebekah. Gareth Robinson is a Councillor on Castlereagh Borough Council. They were the first husband and wife ever to represent Northern Ireland constituencies in Parliament at the same time.
Outside of politics Robinson listed her interests as charity fundraising for multiple sclerosis, interior design and horseriding.
Robinson was first elected councillor for Castlereagh Borough Council in 1989. She became the Council’s first woman mayor in 1992 and served as mayor again in 1995. She was a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue from 1995 to 1997. She was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998, representing the constituency of Strangford. She acted as the DUP health spokesperson.
Robinson was elected as the DUP Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Strangford at the 2001 general election, replacing the Ulster Unionist Party’s John Taylor. She was re-elected at the 2005 general election.
Since taking up her seat in the House of Commons, Robinson has voted in 32 percent of votes in parliament, below the average among MPs. In her maiden speech she spoke about the “betrayal” felt by the Royal Ulster Constabulary, criticising the Government’s policy on policing.
Robinson’s voting record shows that she voted strongly against introducing foundation hospitals, very strongly for the Iraq War, moderately for an investigation into said war, voted moderately against LGBT rights, and never voted on transparent Parliament or on replacing Trident. Robinson also voted for Labour’s 42-day terror detention, part of the Counter-Terrorism Bill.
Robinson was suspended from Stormont for a day on 19 November 2007 after refusing to withdraw “unparliamentary” comments she had made about the health minister, Michael McGimpsey.
In an interview with the Sunday Tribune in April 2008, anticipating becoming “First Lady” of Northern Ireland, Iris spoke out against Hillary Clinton alluding to her husband’s affair with Monica Lewinsky: “No woman would put up with what she tolerated from her husband when he was president. She was thinking only of her future political career. It’s all about power and not principle.” Robinson was quoted as hoping that Hillary would not become US president.
