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Iris Robinson (born 6 September 1949, Belfast, Northern Ireland as Iris Collins) is a Northern Ireland Unionist politician.

She is the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (MP) for Strangford, and was first elected in the 2001 general election, replacing Ulster Unionist Party MP, John Taylor. She was re-elected in the 2005 General Election. She was first elected councillor for Castlereagh Borough Council in 1989, and served three times as Mayor. Elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly she has served as member for Strangford since 1998; acting as Deputy Whip for the DUP and health spokesperson. She was a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue from 1995 to 1997. In December 2009, she announced that she would leave politics and withdraw from public life following prolonged periods of mental illness. More recently there have been revalations about an extra-marital affair which some believe are the reason for her quitting politics.

She is married to Peter Robinson, who is currently First Minister and the DUP leader, MP for Belfast East, Assembly member and a former Castlereagh councillor.

Robinson describes herself as a born again Christian, and has publicly stated that "the government has the responsibility to uphold God's laws". Her expressed views on homosexuality caused controversy in 2008.

Parliamentary record

Since taking up her seat in the House of Commons, Robinson has voted in 32 percent of votes in parliament, below the average among MPs. In her maiden speech she spoke about the "betrayal" felt by the Royal Ulster Constabulary, criticising the Government's policy on policing.

Robinson's voting record shows that she voted strongly against introducing foundation hospitals, very strongly for the Iraq War, moderately for an investigation into said war, voted moderately against LGBT rights, and never voted on transparent Parliament or on replacing Trident. Robinson also voted for Labour's 42-day terror detention, part of the Counter-Terrorism Bill.

Controversy

Robinson was suspended from Stormont for a day on 19 November 2007 after refusing to withdraw "unparliamentary" comments she had made about the health minister, Michael McGimpsey.

Comments about homosexuality

In June 2008, shortly after a homophobic attack (involving physical assault) on a gay man in Northern Ireland, she made comments on the BBC Radio Ulster's Stephen Nolan Show offering to recommend homosexuals to psychiatric counselling. While condemning the attack, she claimed that homosexuality was an "abomination" and it made her feel "sick" and "nauseous", and offered to refer homosexuals to a psychiatrist she knew. In a subsequent interview Mrs Robinson defended her views and denied prejudice against LGBT people, saying that "just as a murderer can be redeemed by the blood of Christ, so can a homosexual.... If anyone takes issue, they're taking issue with the word of God". Her comments were rebuffed by representatives of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Rainbow Project, the Alliance Party, ,Sinn Féin, and the Social Democratic and Labour Party. The psychiatrist in question, Dr. Paul Miller, later resigned as her "adviser", and temporarily stood down from his post of consultant psychiatrist at Belfast's Mater hospital. A police investigation followed these comments, over 100 complaints were made, and gay rights activist Robert Toner also made a complaint to the Equality Commission.

Robinson again repeated her view in the Northern Ireland Assembly on 30 June 2008 when questioned by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey in a discussion about "LGBT Groups: Mental-Health Needs". Speaking in a Northern Ireland Grand Committee session on Risk Assessment and Management of Sex Offenders, she said: "There can be no viler act, apart from homosexuality and sodomy, than sexually abusing innocent children" She reiterated her statement to the Belfast Telegraph on 21 June 2008, but later claimed that she had been "misrepresented" in Hansard. Her claims of misrepresentation were challenged when Alliance Party Executive Director Gerry Lynch confirmed with Hansard staff that Robinson's comments were in fact correctly quoted. Further controversy was caused on 17 July 2008 when on the Stephen Nolan Show Robinson stated "it is the government's responsibility to uphold God's law".

By late July 2008, the Belfast Telegraph reported that "lmost 11,000 people have signed a petition calling on British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to reprimand DUP MP Iris Robinson over her controversial remarks about homosexuality" and " 30 people have signed an opposing petition calling on the Prime Minister to allow the comments to go un-reprimanded as a matter of personal opinion and religion". Links to petition were featured on a Labour Party website. The Liberal Democrats and Amnesty International also featured similar links on their sites. The petiton ended with almost 16,000 petitioners. As a result of her comments, Robinson was nominated for "Bigot of the Year" for 2008 by gay rights association Stonewall. In October 2008 Iris' husband, First Minister Peter Robinson, said “It wasn’t Iris Robinson who determined that homosexuality was an abomination, it was The Almighty. This is the Scriptures and it is a strange world indeed where somebody on the one hand talks about equality, but won’t allow Christians to have the equality, the right to speak, the right to express their views.”

Iris Robinson's comments were investigated by the Police Service of Northern Ireland for using threatening, abusive or insulting words which have the likelihood to stir up hatred and arouse fear. The police found that no offence had been committed and on 20 March 2009, the Public Prosecution Service confirmed that Robinson would not be prosecuted for her comments. The Rainbow Project in Belfast described the decision as "a complete miscarriage of justice".

Expenses row

In April 2009, both Iris and Peter Robinson came under fire after Commons MPs' expenses accounts were leaked to the press. The couple were branded "swish family Robinson" after claims that they were receiving £571,939.41 a year in various salaries and expenses, with a further £150,000 in salaries being paid to four of the couple's family members.

Retirement

On the 28 December, 2009, Iris Robinson announced her decision to quit politics after admitting she has suffered serious bouts of depression. She said the stress and strain of public life came at a cost and her health had suffered.

Personal life

Peter and Iris Robinson married on 26 July 1970; they have three children. They are the first husband and wife ever to represent Northern Ireland constituencies in Parliament at the same time. On 6 January 2010, following her retirement, she issued a statement in which she admitted that she had attempted suicide following an extramarital affair in 2009. She also admitted encouraging friends to provide financial backing to assist her lover, who has not been identified, in a business venture.

Iris Robinson is a Pentecostal Christian and is a member of the Metropolitan Tabernacle Belfast, an Elim Pentecostal Church in Belfast.

References

1. "DUP First Minister's wife Iris Robinson quits politics". BBC News. 28 December 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
2. "Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, House of Commons". TheyWorkForYou. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
3. The Stephen Nolan Show, BBC Radio Ulster, 17 July 2008 BBC archive
4. ^ TheyWorkForYou.com - Iris Robinson
5. UK Parliament - Hansard (House of Commons Daily Debates) - Monday, 25 June 2001
6. The Public Whip - Voting record summary
7. "Robinson ordered out of Stormont", BBC News, 19 November 2007, accessed 7 June 2008
8. Listen to broadcast from show archives, accessed 6 June 2008
9. Tony Grew "MP reacts to homophobic assault by suggesting "ex-gay" therapy for victim", Pink News, 6 June 2008, retrieved 8 June 2008.
10. Attack victim lambasts Robinson
11. Alliance blasts Robinson's offensive comments on gay people, Alliance blasts Robinson's offensive comments on gay people, Alliance Party, 6 June 2008, accessed on 24 January 2009.
12. "Gay counselling' call rejected", BBC News, 6 June 2008, accessed 7 June 2008
13. "Kelly Condemns Homophobic Robinson". Social Democratic and Labour Party. 8 June 2008.
14. "Mcdermott Slams Robinson's Homophobic Remarks". Social Democratic and Labour Party. 9 June 2008.
15. Belfast Telegraph - "Psychiatrist in gay storm steps down from Belfast hospital", 13 August 2008
16. ^ BBC Will and Testament|William Crawley's broadcasting diary
17. Moulton, Emily (9 June 2008). "Police probe Iris Robinson's 'gay' remarks". Belfast Telegraph.
18. BBC News - "New criticism over MP's gay views"
19. Henry, Lesley-Anne (12 June 2008). "Man suing Iris Robinson over her comments on gays". Belfast Telegraph.
20. DPP List of independent and political members, 31 March 2008
21. Andrew Muir chronological history
22. The Assembly - Official Report, Monday, 30 June 2008
23. BBC NEWS: "Gay comments twisted"
24. Official House of Commons Committee minutes - "Risk Assessment and Management of Sex Offenders"
25. Belfast Telegraph - Iris: gays more vile than child abusers
26. BBC NEWS: "Gay comment inaccurate" - Robinson
27. "Alliance Party - Hansard confirms Robinson correctly quoted on homosexuality and paedophilia"
28. BBC newsreport on Iris Robinson's comments re homosexuality and abortion
29. Belfast Telegraph - "11,000 demand PM reprimands Iris for her outburst about gays", 23 July 2008
30. http://www.labourhome.org/story/2008/7/22/174232/415
31. http://www.libdemvoice.org/something-for-the-weekend-the-sun-goes-down-2862.html
32. http://blogs.amnesty.org.uk/blogs_entry.asp?eid=1639
33. http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9517.html
34. Belfast Telegraph
35. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/police-investigate-mps-antigay-remarks-1050237.html
36. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7955497.stm
37. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/mar/20/iris-robinson-homosexuality-complaints
38. BBC newsreport on Iris and Peter Robinson's salaries and expenses
39. Daily Mail report on the Robinsons' salaries and expenses
40. http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1228/robinsoni.html
41. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6978348.ece

External links

• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Iris Robinson MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Iris Robinson MP
• Maiden Speech : House of Commons - 25 June 2001

• 1949 births
• British female MPs
• Councillors in Northern Ireland
• Democratic Unionist Party MPs
• Female members of the United Kingdom Parliament for Northern Irish constituencies
• Homophobia
• Living people
• Members of the Northern Ireland Forum
• Members of the United Kingdom Parliament for Northern Irish constituencies
• Northern Irish Elim Pentecostals
• Northern Ireland MLAs 1998-2003
• Northern Ireland MLAs 2003-2007
• Northern Ireland MLAs 2007-
• People from Belfast
• Sex scandal figures
• UK MPs 2001-2005
• UK MPs 2005-