Russell Watton

Russell Watton

Leader of the Progressive Unionist Party
Incumbent
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
Member of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 May 2014
Preceded by	New council
Constituency	Coleraine

Personal details
Born	1954 (age 69–70) ^[1] Coleraine, Northern Ireland
Political party	Progressive Unionist Party

Russell Watton (born 1954) 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]

Background

Ulster Volunteer Force

Watton joined the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) in the 1970s, and was believed to 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 was sentenced in 1977, and was imprisoned for 13 years.^[5]

Political career

At the 2005 and 2011 local elections, he stood as an independent in the Coleraine Central District, on Coleraine Borough Council.^[6]

Watton joined the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP), ahead of the 2014 local elections. He was elected onto the successor Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, having topped the poll in the Coleraine District.^[7]

He was the PUP candidate for East Londonderry at the 2016 and 2017 Northern Ireland Assembly elections, though was unsuccessful on both attempts.^[8]^[9]

Watton was re-elected as a councillor in 2019, again being the first candidate returned in Coleraine.^[10]

He stood again for East Londonderry at the 2022 Assembly election. ^[11]

Following his re-election in 2023, in which he was the only PUP candidate elected, Watton succeeded defeated Belfast City Councillor, Billy Hutchinson, as leader.^[12]

References

^ "Coleraine Councillor Watson hits the big 70!". Causeway Chronicle. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
^ "PUP on Protocol: If we knew in 1994 what we know today about the Good Friday Agreement we would never have had UVF ceasefire". Belfast Newsletter. 9 February 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
^ "Telegraph revelation forced him to quit". Belfast Telegraph. 17 January 2006. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
^ "Watton: no regrets over terror past". Coleraine Chronicle. 21 May 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
^ "Violence against Northern Ireland protocol isn't 'off the table'". Politico. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
^ "Coleraine Borough Council Elections 1993-2011". Ark Elections. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
^ "Watton storms to stunning victory". Northern Ireland World. 27 May 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
^ "Northern Ireland Assembly Elections: The 17 candidates in East Londonderry". Who Can I Vote For?. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
^ "East Londonderry - Northern Ireland Assembly constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
^ "PUP's Russell Watton says 'no regrets' over UVF past". Irish News. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
^ "PUP election candidate Russell Watton blames 'known drug dealers' for sending him intimidating material". Belfast Newsletter. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
^ "Coleraine councillor Russell Watton is new PUP leader". Belfast Live. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2024.

v t e Leaders of the Progressive Unionist Party
Leaders	1979-2002: Hugh Smyth 2002-2007: David Ervine 2007-2010: Dawn Purvis 2010-2011: Brian Ervine 2011-2023: Billy Hutchinson 2023-present: Russell Watton
Deputy Leaders	2001-2006: David Rose 2006-2010: Andy Park 2010-2012: Nigel Gardiner 2012-2021: John Kyle 2022-2023: Russell Watton

v t e Leaders of political parties in the United Kingdom
House of Commons	Keir Starmer (Labour Party) Kemi Badenoch (Conservative Party) Ed Davey (Liberal Democrats) Stephen Flynn (Scottish National Party) Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party) Nigel Farage (Reform UK) Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay (Green Party of England and Wales) Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru) Claire Hanna (Social Democratic and Labour Party) Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice) Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party)
House of Lords	Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour Party) Lord True (Conservative Party) Lord Newby (Liberal Democrats) Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party) Lord Rogan (Ulster Unionist Party) Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru)
Scottish Parliament	John Swinney (Scottish National Party) Russell Findlay (Scottish Conservatives) Anas Sarwar (Scottish Labour) Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater (Scottish Greens) Alex Cole-Hamilton (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
Senedd	Baroness Morgan of Ely (Welsh Labour) Darren Millar (Welsh Conservatives) Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) Jane Dodds (Welsh Liberal Democrats)
Northern Ireland Assembly	Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin) Emma Little-Pengelly (Democratic Unionist Party) Naomi Long (Alliance Party of Northern Ireland) Mike Nesbitt (Ulster Unionist Party) Matthew O'Toole (Social Democratic and Labour Party)
Minor parties	Mal O'Hara (Green NI) Steve Radford (Liberal) Dick Cole (Mebyon Kernow) Alex Ashman (National Health Action) George Galloway (Workers Party of Britain) Neil Johnston (NI Conservatives) Russell Watton (Progressive Unionist) Robert Griffiths (Communist Party of Britain) Dave Nellist (TUSC) Nick Tenconi (UKIP) Anthony Slaughter (Wales Green Party) James Lewthwaite (British Democrats) David Kurten (Heritage Party) Robin Tilbrook (English Democrats)
Politics portal List of political parties in the United Kingdom Politics of the United Kingdom

v t e Ulster Volunteer Force
During the Troubles
Chiefs of Staff	Gusty Spence (1966) Samuel McClelland (1966–1973) Jim Hanna (1973–1974) Ken Gibson (1974) Unnamed Chief of Staff (1974–1975) Tommy West (1975–1976) John "Bunter" Graham (1976-date)
Belfast Brigade members	Robert Bates John Bingham Frankie Curry David Ervine Billy Giles Mark Haddock Billy Hutchinson Trevor King Bobby McKee Jackie Mahood William "Frenchie" Marchant Billy Mitchell William Moore John Murphy Lenny Murphy Clifford Peeples Brian Robinson George Seawright Robert "Squeak" Seymour William Smith Billy Spence Harry "Harmless" Stockman James "Tonto" Watt
Mid-Ulster Brigade members	Harris Boyle Mark "Swinger" Fulton William James Fulton Billy Hanna Robin Jackson Richard Jameson Robin King Billy McCaughey Robert McConnell David Alexander Mulholland Lindsay Robb Wesley Somerville John Weir Billy Wright
Red Hand Commando members	Frankie Curry Billy Elliot John McKeague Winston Churchill Rea Wiliam Smith Michael Stone
Units and groups	Glenanne gang Shankill Butchers Protestant Action Force Young Citizen Volunteers
Actions	RTÉ Studio bombing (1969) Battle of St Matthew's (1970) McGurk's Bar bombing (1971) Battle at Springmartin (1972) Imperial Hotel bombing (1972) Belturbet bombing (1972) 1972 and 1973 Dublin bombings Rose & Crown Bar bombing (1974) Dublin and Monaghan bombings (1974) 1975 Conway's Bar attack (1975) Bleary Darts Club shooting (1975) Strand Bar bombing (1975) Miami Showband killings (1975) Donnelly's Bar and Kay's Tavern attacks (1975) October 1975 Northern Ireland attacks Reavey and O'Dowd killings (1976) Hillcrest Bar bombing (1976) Charlemont pub attacks (1976) Chlorane Bar attack (1976) Ramble Inn attack (1976) Glasgow pub bombings (1979) Avenue Bar shooting (1988) 1991 Cappagh killings (1991) 1991 Drumbeg killings 1991 Craigavon killings Loughinisland massacre (1994) 1994 Dublin-Belfast train bombing (1994) Quinn brothers' killings (1998) Murders of Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine (2000)
Prominent victims	Jim Hanna (1974) John Francis Green (1975) Billy Hanna (1975) The Miami Showband (1975) Maire Drumm (1976) Larry Marley (1987) Martin Doherty (1994) Jackie Coulter (2000) Tommy English (2000)
Related articles	Combined Loyalist Military Command Loyalist feud Loyalist Volunteer Force Progressive Unionist Party Tara Ulster Army Council Ulster Constitution Defence Committee Ulster loyalism Ulster Loyalist Central Co-ordinating Committee Ulster Volunteers Ulster Workers' Council strike Volunteer (Ulster loyalist) Volunteer Political Party
bold indicates brigadiers and commanders

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