Jimmy Spratt

James Andrew Spratt (19 August 1951 – 4 March 2021) was a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician and police officer from Northern Ireland. He was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for South Belfast from 2007 to 2015.

Jimmy Spratt
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Belfast South
In office
7 March 2007 – 28 September 2015
Preceded byMark Robinson
Succeeded byEmma Pengelly
Personal details
Born
James Andrew Spratt

(1951-08-19)19 August 1951[1]
Died4 March 2021(2021-03-04) (aged 69)[2]
Saintfield, County Down, Northern Ireland
NationalityBritish
Political partyDemocratic Unionist Party
SpouseLynda
Children4
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionConstable

Early life

Spratt was a former Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officer who joined in 1972 and served for 30 years in Derry and Belfast. He worked for the Close Protection Unit including as Primary Protection Officer and was attached to a former Secretary of State, NIO Ministers, the RUC Chief Constable and other VIPs.

He was heavily involved in the Police Federation for Northern Ireland and acted as Chairman until his retirement. He served on Government Committees at regional and national level representing the British Police Service and has served on the Home Office Working Group for Health and Safety and Police Negotiating Board for pay and conditions across the UK.

Political career

Spratt was an MLA for South Belfast in the Northern Ireland Assembly from 2007 to 2015. He was also a Councillor on Castlereagh Borough Council from 2005 to 2014, and served as the leader of the DUP group.

Political positions held:

  • Councillor 2005—2014
  • MLA 2007—2015
  • Vice-Chairman of the Committee for Employment and Learning 2007—2008
  • Member of the Committee of the Office of First and Deputy First Minister 2007—2015
  • Chairman of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee 2008—2015?
  • Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board[3] 2008—2011
  • Chairman of the Regional Development committee 2011—2015?

He stood as a DUP candidate for the Belfast South constituency in the 2005 general election, losing his seat to Alasdair McDonnell of the SDLP by 1,235 votes. Gaining the name Splitter Spratt.[4][5] In the 2010 general election he again lost, and McDonnell increased his majority from 3.9% to 17.3%.

Other

When the chief executive of Translink was criticised for not appearing before Stormont's regional development committee, Spratt said that he did not think it was "a hardship for someone on £200,000" to appear before it and "explain what's going on".[6]

Spratt made uncomplimentary and impolitic comments regarding cyclists [7] and called those who objected to the proposals for the Maze 'nutters', which he denied until Hansard was published[8] and he was obliged to apologise.[9]

Personal life

Spratt was married for over 30 years, with four sons and was an active member of his local Presbyterian church. He died on 4 March 2021, at the age of 69.[10]

References
  1. "MLA Details: Mr Jimmy Spratt". Niassembly.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  2. "Jimmy Spratt: Tributes paid to late ex-DUP MLA". BBC News. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  3. "Deborah Watters (Vice Chair) – Members and Committees – Northern Ireland Policing Board". nipolicingboard.org.uk. Archived from the original on 7 March 2009.
  4. "How it all went wrong – BelfastTelegraph.co.uk". BelfastTelegraph. BelfastTelegraph. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  5. "South Belfast to fall?". BelfastTelegraph. Slugger O'Toole. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  6. "BBC News – Translink chief criticised over absence from Stormont committee". BBC News. BBC News. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  7. "Belfast commuter cyclists' concerns get short shrift at Stormont – Northern Ireland Greenways". Northern Ireland Greenways. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  8. "Programme for Government: Progress Report from the First Minister and deputy First Minister". Niassembly.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  9. "The Maze: DUP's Jimmy Spratt also ends up full of regret for calling plan's opponents 'nutters'". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  10. "James Andrew (Jimmy) Spratt". Safely Home. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.


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