David Trimble was a unique and complex individual who displayed remarkable political courage
Alan Lewis - PhotopressBelfast.co.uk 25-7-2022 Lord Trimble, (David Trimble), former Northern Ireland First Minister has died his family have said in a short statement. Original Caption Follows : 7/9/03 Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble jokes with his party members after winning the support of the UUP council at the Ulster Hall in Belfast on Saturday afternoon. Mr Trimble called on the three 'Rebel' MPs Donaldson, Burnside, Smyth, to accept the decision of the council.
I was sad to learn of the death of David Trimble. He was a unique and complex individual. He had a distinguished academic legal career, teaching law at Queens University, Belfast in the early 1970’s and held the post of Assistant Dean of the Law Faculty between 1973 and 1975.
He first entered the world of politics by joining Bill Craig's Vanguard Party. The Vanguard Party had strong links with loyalist paramilitaries and he stood unsuccessfully for that party in the constituency of North Down in the 1973 Assembly Election. It was this election that paved the way for the establishment of Northern Ireland's first power-sharing executive under the Sunningdale Agreement in 1974.
