David Ervine

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David Ervine
Leader of the Progressive Unionist Party
In office 13 April 2002 – 8 January 2007
Deputy	David Rose Andy Park
Preceded by	Hugh Smyth
Succeeded by	Dawn Purvis
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Belfast East
In office 25 June 1998 – 8 January 2007
Preceded by	New Creation
Succeeded by	Dawn Purvis
Member of Belfast City Council
In office 21 May 1997 – 8 January 2007
Preceded by	Jim Walker
Succeeded by	John Kyle
Constituency	Pottinger
Member of the Northern Ireland Forum
In office 30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998
Preceded by	Forum created
Succeeded by	Forum dissolved
Constituency	Top-up list
Personal details
Born	(1953-07-21)21 July 1953 Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died	8 January 2007(2007-01-08) (aged 53) Belfast, Northern Ireland
Nationality	British
Political party	Progressive Unionist Party
Spouse	Jeanette Cunningham ​ (m. 1971)​
Children	Mark Owen
Website	PUP

David Ervine (21 July 1953 – 8 January 2007) was a Northern Irish Ulster Loyalist and politician who served as leader of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) from 2002 to 2007 and was also a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Belfast East from 1998 to 2007.^[1] During his youth Ervine was a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and was imprisoned for possessing bomb-making equipment. Whilst in jail he became convinced of the benefits of a more political approach for loyalism and became involved with the PUP. As a leading PUP figure, Ervine helped to deliver the loyalist ceasefire of 1994.