Russell Watton | |
---|---|
Leader of the Progressive Unionist Party | |
Assumed office 14 June 2023 | |
Preceded by | Billy Hutchinson |
Deputy leader of the Progressive Unionist Party | |
In office 15 October 2022 –14 June 2023 | |
Leader | Billy Hutchinson |
Preceded by | John Kyle |
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Councillor | |
Assumed office 22 May 2014 | |
Preceded by | New council |
Constituency | Coleraine |
Personal details | |
Born | 1954 (age 70–71) [1] Coleraine,Northern Ireland |
Political party | Progressive Unionist Party (since 2014) |
Other political affiliations | Independent (2005-2014) |
Military service | |
Paramilitary | Ulster Volunteer Force |
Rank | Officer Commanding |
Conflict | The Troubles |
William James Russell Watton (born 1954),known as Russell Watton,is a Northern Irish Ulster loyalist,politician and community activist,serving as leader of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) since 2023,and a Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Councillor for the Coleraine DEA since 2014. He was also PUP deputy leader between 2022 and 2023. [2]
Watton joined the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) in the 1970s,and was believed to be the commander of the UVF unit in Coleraine. [3] He was involved in the bombing of the Salmon Leap Restaurant,which caused the deaths of several of Watton's UVF comrades. [4]
He received three life sentences in 1977,and was imprisoned until his release in 1989. [5]
At the 2005 local elections,Watton ran as an independent candidate,for the Central District,in the Coleraine Authority. [6] While out campaigning in the predominantly nationalist Somerset Drive area,Watton and his campaign team were threatened by a group of activists after putting up posters. [7] On the incident,Watton said:“One of them had a knife in his hand and he confronted me with it. I was forced to use a piece of wood which these scumbags had thrown and I was able to disarm the man to defend myself and he ran off." [8] In total,he polled 380 first-preference votes,and was eliminated on the sixth count. [9] [10]
Watton stood again in the district at the 2011 local elections,taking 342 first-preferences. [11]
By the 2014 local elections,Watton was a member of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP),standing for them in the successor Causeway Coast and Glens Authority. [12] He topped the poll in the Coleraine District,and received 11.8% of first-preferences. [13] [14] [15]
Watton stood in the East Londonderry constituency at the 2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election,where he took 1,356 first-preference votes (3.9%). [16] At the 2017 Assembly election,Watton was eliminated on the third stage of counting,having polled 879 first-preferences (2.1%). [17]
At the May 2019 Council election,Watton was once again the first candidate to be elected in Coleraine,with an increased total of 1,325 first-preferences. [18] [19] [20]
While campaigning for the 2022 Assembly election,Watton highlighted intimidation being directed to him from 'known drug dealers'. [21] In the election,he took 933 first-preference votes (2.1%),and was eliminated on the third count. [22] [23] [24]
Watton was the second candidate to be returned in the district at the May 2023 local elections,taking a decreased first-preference share of 13.7%. [25] [26] Notably,he became the only elected representative for the PUP,following the defeat of their leader,Billy Hutchinson,in Belfast. [27] [28]
Following the local election results,Hutchinson stood down as leader,with Watton being announced as his successor on 14 June 2023. [29] [30] [31]