# Paul Girvan

William Paul Girvan (born 6 July 1963) is a retired Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Antrim from 2017 to 2024. In this role, Girvan was the DUP's spokesperson for Transport. He was previously a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for South Antrim from 2003 to 2007, and then from 2010 to 2017.

## Career
### Newtownabbey Council

Girvan was first elected to Newtownabbey Borough Council in 1997, representing the Ballyclare District, and was re-elected in 2001, 2005 and 2011. From 2002 to 2004, he served as Mayor of Newtownabbey, and also served as Chair of the council's Development Committee.

### NI Assembly

In 2003, he was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly, representing South Antrim. He was deselected by the DUP in South Antrim in 2007, but returned to the Assembly in 2010 when he was selected to replace William McCrea following his resignation.

### Member of Parliament

In the 2017 general election, he contested South Antrim, winning the seat with a 3,208 majority, against the incumbent MP, Danny Kinahan of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP).
In March 2019, Girvan was one of 21 MPs who voted against LGBT inclusive sex and relationship education in English schools.
He retained his seat at the 2019 general election, though did see his vote decline by 3%, with a majority of 2,689.
In July 2020, during a trade debate in the House of Commons, Girvan caused controversy when he said that food in shops must be affordable "for the housewife to buy." He immediately apologised for the remark.
At the 2024 general election, Girvan lost his seat to the UUP's Robin Swann, which saw his vote decline by 15.7%. He is now retired.

## Personal life

Girvan is married to Mandy, a former DUP councillor for Ballyclare.

## Sources

* ↑ "No. 8218". The Belfast Gazette. 23 December 2019. p. 1002.
* ↑ Profile Archived 19 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine, niassembly.gov.uk; accessed 30 June 2014.
* ↑ "Girvan, Paul". Who's Who. Vol. 2018 (February 2018 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 13 February 2018. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
* ↑ "Paul Girvan MP". DUP. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
* ↑ Whyte, Nicholas (28 December 2019). Kelly, Conal (ed.). "South Antrim". ARK: Northern Ireland Elections. Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University. Archived from the original on 13 April 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
* ↑ "About South Antrim: David Ford MLA". Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
* ↑ "Girvan makes Stormont return" Archived 11 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Newtownabbey Times, 8 July 2010; accessed 30 June 2014.
* ↑ "Contact information for Paul Girvan - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament". members.parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
* ↑ "Election 2017: South Antrim Parliamentary constituency". bbc.co.uk. BBC. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 12 June 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
* ↑ Butterworth, Benjamin (7 October 2020). "MPS vote to back LGBT inclusive relationship education from age 5". iNews. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
* ↑ Bartlett, Nicola (28 March 2019). "21 MPS who voted against teaching kids about gay families". iNews. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
* ↑ "Antrim South - 2019 General Election Results". Electoral Reform Society. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
* ↑ "MP apologises for 'housewife' comment during trade debate". Shropshire Star. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
* ↑ "Trade Bill - Hansard". UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
* ↑ "Antrim South General Election 2024". Sky News. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
* ↑ "South Antrim - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
* ↑ Tunney, Liam (5 July 2024). "Robin Swann's switch pays off in South Antrim… but his speech proved old habits die hard". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
* ↑ "Mandy Girvan elected to new Antrim and Newtownabbey Council". Northern Ireland World. 24 May 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
* ↑ "Alliance and Sinn Fein smell blood as polling day looms". Antrim Guardian. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2024.