Ivan Davis (politician)

Ivan Davis
Mayor of Lisburn
In office 1991–1993
Preceded by	William McAllister
Succeeded by	Seamus Close
Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party on Lisburn Borough Council
In office 2001 – 5 May 2011
Member of Lisburn Borough Council
In office 19 May 1993 – 5 May 2011
Preceded by	District created
Succeeded by	Roy Young
Constituency	Lisburn Town South
In office 15 May 1985 – 19 May 1993
Preceded by	District created
Succeeded by	District abolished
Constituency	Lisburn Town
In office 30 May 1973 – 15 May 1985
Preceded by	Council established
Succeeded by	District abolished
Constituency	Lisburn Area D
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley
In office 25 June 1998 – 26 November 2003
Preceded by	New Creation
Succeeded by	Norah Beare
Northern Ireland Forum Member for Lagan Valley
In office 30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998
Preceded by	New forum
Succeeded by	Forum dissolved
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for South Antrim
In office 20 October 1982 – 1986
Personal details
Born	(1937-04-16)16 April 1937 Lisburn, Northern Ireland
Died	13 March 2020(2020-03-13) (aged 82)
Political party	Ulster Unionist Party (from 1987)
Other political affiliations	Democratic Unionist Party (until 1987)
Other organisations	Orange Order member, Apprentice Boys member, Lisburn Citizens Advice Bureau member, Lisburn Sports Advisory Council member, Partnership of Peace & Reconciliation Committee member, Lisburn Swimming Club vice-president, Lisburn Amateur Boxing Club vice-president

Ivan Davis (16 April 1937 – 13 March 2020) was a Northern Irish unionist politician. Davis was an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Lagan Valley from 1998 to 2003.

Background

Born in Lisburn, Davis was elected to Lisburn Borough Council in 1973, representing the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). He was also elected to represent South Antrim at the 1982 Northern Ireland Assembly election.

In 1987, Davis resigned from the DUP and instead joined the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). Under this new party label, he served as Mayor of Lisburn from 1991 to 93. He was also elected for Lagan Valley at the Northern Ireland Forum election in 1996 (with Jeffrey Donaldson and David Campbell), and narrowly held this seat at the 1998 Assembly election. During the course of the Assembly, he became UUP chief whip.

Lagan Valley UUP controversially did not select Davis as a candidate for the 2003 Assembly election, so he resigned and stood instead as an independent Unionist. He received 2,223 first-preference votes, but this did not prove sufficient to see him elected despite polling more first preferences than one successful candidate.

Despite this, Davis continued to sit as a UUP member, and leader of the UUP group, on Lisburn City Council until 2011.

Davis died on 13 March 2020, at the age of 82.

Bibliography

• Biography – Ivan Davis, Northern Ireland Assembly