Robin Stirling

{{short description|Unionist politician from Northern Ireland}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Robin Stirling

|office = Member of Ballymena Borough Council

|constituency = Braid

|term_start = 7 June 2001

|term_end = 5 May 2011

|predecessor = Desmond Armstrong

|successor = Beth Clyde

|birth_date =

|birth_place = Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

|death_date =

|party = TUV (since 2007)

|otherparty = DUP (until 2007)

}}

Robin Stirling is a former Unionist politician in Ballymena, County Antrim. Having previously sat on Ballymena Borough Council as a Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) member and for a period before as a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) councillor.[http://www.ballymena.gov.uk/councillors.asp Ballymena Borough Council councillors] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206010938/http://ballymena.gov.uk/councillors.asp |date=6 December 2010 }}

Background

He was quoted as strongly opposing a visit from Irish president Mary McAleese to a Ballymena school in 2006.[http://www.nuzhound.com/articles/irish_news/arts2006/mar14_DUP_man_loves_Dublin.php DUP man loves Dublin] Nuzhound

A former pupil of Ballymena Academy he was critical of the politics of Roger Casement,a fellow attendee of Ballymena Academy and prominent Protestant Irish Nationalist who was previously a British diplomat later executed for treason.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/5239704.stm "Casement:Traitor or patriot?"] BBC News 6 August 2006 retrieved 5 May 2012

Stirling resigned from the DUP in April 2007 in protest in the DUP's decision to share power with Sinn Féin.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6520227.stm Two more councillors leaving DUP]BBC News

To much surprise Stirling supported a Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) councillor becoming mayor of Ballymena in 2008.[http://www.ballymenatimes.com/news/Stirling-says-39Back-PJ-for.4074802.jp Stirling says back PJ for mayors job] Ballymena Times

He has spoken out on his views of the grammar of the English language being misused and accused former DUP colleagues of using incorrect grammar.[http://www.ballymenatimes.com/news/Stirling-Grammar-school-selection-not.4073294.jp Stirling Grammar school selection not helping grammar] Ballymena Times

Stirling has also stated he has little faith in a truth commission being set up for victims of The Troubles.[http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Truth-commission-39will-mean-bodies.3688385.jp Truth commission will mean 'bodies on streets'] The Newsletter

Stirling did not seek re-election in the 2011 local government elections.

References