Wells wants to stand again in South Down

Wells wants to stand again in South Down

20 January 2016

VETERAN DUP politician Jim Wells has ended months of speculation by announcing he is keen to stand in May’s Assembly election.

Mr Wells, who was first elected to a Northern Ireland Assembly in 1982, is to seek the DUP nomination to stand in South Down and if elected would become the longest serving member at Stormont.

His announcement came after a turbulent year in which he resigned as Health Minister amid controversy over misconstrued remarks he made on gay marriage at an election hustings event in Downpatrick.

Also last year his wife suffered two strokes which have left her seriously ill and in need of round-the-clock care.

Making his announcement on Monday morning, Mr Wells said he has had the privilege of representing South Down at Stormont for 21 years has has also served as a councillor for 17 years.

“I was greatly encouraged to stand again by the unanimous support I received from the DUP’s South Down Association and the many messages from right across the constituency urging me to put the name forward,” said Mr Wells.

“The final decision on who stands for the Assembly election in South Down rests with the DUP party officers. I can confirm that they are presently considering my application to stand for the Party.,” he added.

Jim Wells was first elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1982 at the age of 25. At the time of his election he was the youngest MLA ever to be elected to Stormont.

He was re-elected in 1998, 2003, when he became the only unionist ever to top the poll in an Assembly election in South Down, 2007 and 2011.

He served as a councillor for 17 years including a decade on Down Council from 2001 to 2011.

During his 21 years at Stormont he held a large number of senior Assembly positions including Health Minister, Deputy Speaker, Assembly Commission member 

and Chairman of the Health Committee.

He has previously served on the boards of the Schomberg Society in Kilkeel, the St Patrick’s Centre, Downpatrick and the Mournes Advisory Council. He was also the Chairman of the Housing Benefit Review Board for Down District for ten years.

If re-elected in May he will become the Father of the House - the title given to the longest serving member at Stormont.