Jim Rodgers (politician)

In 1973, he stood unsuccessfully as a candidate for the Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party in the election to the Northern Ireland Assembly.[1]

In 1996, he was elected to the Northern Ireland Peace Forum for East Belfast. Rodgers stood in the 1998, 2003 and 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly elections for East Belfast but was unsuccessful on each occasion. He is a councillor for Ormiston DEA on Belfast City Council and was elected as Lord Mayor of Belfast in 2001. Rodgers was again elected Lord Mayor in 2007, he had the backing of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) group on the council and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP).[2]

Currently Rodgers is Chairman of Belfast Education and Library Board, Ex-Chairman of Belfast District Policing Partnership. He is also a member of the Sports Council and Northern Ireland Events Company. He is also a former director of Glentoran FC but resigned from his position a few days before a winding up order from HMRC was due to be heard by the High Court in January 2011. [3]

At a DPP meeting in Short Strand Community centre on 15 June 2009, he claimed he had been attacked with eggs and stones by members of the IRSP.[4]

In 2010, a council worker received a £24,000 payment for a back injury after Rogers tried to leapfrog over her during a council garden party.[5]

In the run up to the 2019 Local Government Election, a leaflet for Mr Rodgers and fellow UUP councillor Peter Johnston alleged that the Alliance Party was "closely aligned" with the "IRA's political wing". The leaflet was widely condemned, with the UUP stating it was not sanctioned by the party. Rodgers had the party whip removed and was referred to the party's disciplinary committee.[6]