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Jonathan Stephenson
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Jonathan Stephenson (2 November 1950 – 21 December 2011) was an Irish nationalist politician in Northern Ireland who was the chairman of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) from 1995 to 1998, and a Belfast City Councillor for Castle from 1993 until 1997. He also served as a member of the Northern Ireland Forum between 1996 and 1998.
Key Information
Early life and education
[edit]Stephenson was born in England and educated at boarding schools in England, including Winchester College. His father was the senior British diplomat Hugh Southern Stephenson, while his grandfather was the former head of the Indian Civil Service in Bengal, Hugh Lansdown Stephenson.[1]
Stephenson later moved to Northern Ireland to study History and Politics at Queen's University Belfast.[1]
Career
[edit]In 1979, Stephenson began working for the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in their press office in London. He left the TUC in 1988 and returned to Northern Ireland.[1] He joined the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in the 1980s, and would become its first official press officer.[2]
Stephenson was elected to Belfast City Council at the 1993 Northern Ireland local elections, representing the SDLP in the Castle area.[3] He also became Deputy Chairperson of the SDLP.[4]
In 1995, he became the party's Chairperson, serving until 1998.[5] At the Northern Ireland Forum election in 1996, he did not stand in a constituency, but was elected as one of two regional list candidates for the SDLP,[6] but he lost his council seat in 1997.[3]
Personal life
[edit]Stephenson was a self-described "British-born, English protestant."[2]
Stephenson died on 21 December 2011.[1]
In 2025 Stephenson's daughter Patricia Stephenson was elected to Seanad Éireann in the Republic of Ireland.[7][8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "Jonathan Stephenson: Trade unionist and chairman of the SDLP". The Independent. 19 January 2012.
- ^ a b "Alasdair McDonnell pays tribute to ex-chairman Jonathan Stephenson". BBC News. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
- ^ a b Belfast City Council Elections 1993-2005 Archived 26 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Northern Ireland Elections
- ^ Politics 97: Social Democratic and Labour Party, BBC
- ^ Political Leaders: Northern Ireland Archived 26 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The 1996 Forum Elections and the Peace Process Archived 25 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Northern Ireland Elections
- ^ Kelly O’Rourke, Liam. "Well known Kilkenny TD trails newbie candidate". Kilkenny People. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ^ "First-time candidate keen to offer people of Carlow-Kilkenny an alternative voice". Kilkenny People. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2025.