Robin Swann

Robin Swann (born 24 September 1971) is a politician from Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland's Minister of Health from Jan 2020 to Oct 2022, he was the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party from 2017 to 2019.[1]

Robin Swann
MLA
Swann in 2020
Minister of Health
In office
11 January 2020 – 27 October 2022
Preceded byMichelle O'Neill
16th Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
In office
8 April 2017 – 9 November 2019
DeputySteve Aiken
Preceded byMike Nesbitt
Succeeded bySteve Aiken
Ulster Unionist Chief Whip
In office
6 April 2012 – 8 April 2017
LeaderMike Nesbitt
Preceded byJohn McCallister
Succeeded bySteve Aiken
Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Antrim North
Assumed office
5 May 2011
Preceded byRobert Coulter
Personal details
Born (1971-09-24) 24 September 1971
Kells, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
NationalityBritish
Political partyUlster Unionist Party
SpouseJennifer Swann
Children2
Residence(s)Kells, County Antrim
Alma materOpen University

Swann was first elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly at the 2011 election, representing North Antrim, and was re-elected in 2016, 2017 and 2022.[2]

From 6 April 2012, he served as Ulster Unionist Chief Whip, a position he retained until he was elected unopposed as UUP leader in April 2017. He resigned as UUP leader in November 2019. Swann stood as the UUP candidate in North Antrim in the December 2019 general election, which saw their vote more than double to 18.5%, taking the party to second place in the constituency. In 2020, he was appointed Minister of Health and presided over the response of the Northern Ireland Executive to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Political activity

Elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 7 May 2011, he successfully defended his seat in the 2016 Assembly election and at the snap election in March 2017, where he was the first unionist elected in North Antrim.[3]

During the short 2016 Assembly mandate he was Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee which commenced the Inquiry into the RHI scandal. He also served as Chairman of the Committee for Employment and Learning on 27 February 2013, a position he held until the committee was dissolved on 30 April 2016.

He is a member of Kells & Connor Community Association and has served as a board member of the Volunteer Development Agency in Northern Ireland. Swann has served as president and County Antrim Chairman of the Young Farmers' Clubs of Ulster. He has chaired the YFCU's National Executive and Rural Affairs Committees and has been Chairman of the Rural Youth Europe organisation.[4]

In the 2022 election Swann went on to top the North Antrim poll.[5] His increased vote was attributed to his work as health minister during the COVID-19 pandemic. Swann credited his success to the work of those in the health service.[6]

Swann was Awarded Politician of the Year 2022, by Civility in Politics, an award he shared with Chris Bryant MP.[7] He nominated three local charities to receive the financial part of the award, Good Morning Ballymena, Good Morning Ballycastle and CAN Ballymoney.

Threats & Court cases

On 2 February 2022 a 44-year-old man was charged with threatening to kill Swann, harassment and improper use of a telecommunications network.[8]

Family and personal life

Robin Swann is "5ft 3ins-ish" tall.[9] He and his wife Jennifer have a daughter and a son. Their son was born with a congenital heart defect, and while in Birmingham where a corrective procedure was performed, Swann recorded the events in a personal blog.[10]

References
  1. "Ulster Unionist Party confirm Robin Swann as new leader" BBC News, 8 April 2017, accessed 11 April 2017
  2. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Antrim_(Assembly_constituency). {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. "North Antrim". www.ark.ac.uk.
  4. "European chairman Delme Harries". Farmers Guardian. 30 September 2011. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011.
  5. "Election 2022: Swann tops the poll in North Antrim".
  6. McCambridge, Jonathan (6 May 2022). "Robin Swann credits North Antrim Assembly Election poll-topping success to work of the health service". The Irish News. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  7. "Congratulations to Our 2022 Awards Winners".
  8. Young, David (2 February 2022). "Man charged with threatening to kill Northern Ireland health minister". Irish Examiner. PA. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  9. "Robin Swann becomes new UUP leader". BBC News. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  10. "The Journey Begins: The phone call". 22 September 2013.
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