15 Facts About Jim Shannon

Richard James Shannon was born on 25 March 1955 and is a Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament for Strangford since 2010.

Jim Shannon had previously sat in the Northern Ireland Assembly from 1998 to 2010 as the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Northern Ireland for Strangford.

Jim Shannon is a member of the Orange Order and Apprentice Boys of Derry.

In December 2022, Jim Shannon broke down in tears as he thanked his "long-suffering" wife in the Commons.

Jim Shannon lost his mother-in-law to COVID-19 and has previously spoken about her in the House as well.

Jim Shannon subsequently served over eleven years in the Royal Artillery Territorial Army and achieved the rank of Lance Bombardier, until he was expelled in May 1989.

Jim Shannon was a founder member of Ulster Resistance and a member of the Ulster Clubs.

Jim Shannon later confirmed that following his dismissal from the Territorial Army he had been questioned by the Royal Ulster Constabulary and released without charge.

Jim Shannon suggested that his arrest was "designed to embarrass the DUP" ahead of the upcoming European Parliament election.

Jim Shannon was elected as a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue in 1996.

Jim Shannon was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for Strangford in 1998 and then re-elected in 2003 and 2007, representing the DUP.

Jim Shannon was an advocate for Leave Means Leave, a pro-Brexit campaign.

Since January 2023, Jim Shannon has been a member of the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee having previously served on the committee from December 2016 to November 2019 in the previous Parliament.

On 9 July 2024, Jim Shannon chose to swear his parliamentary Oath of Allegiance in the Ulster Scots dialect after his re-election as an MP.

Jim Shannon appeared on BBC Radio 4 saying that he is hoping for a deal from the Labour government that "will free Northern Ireland from the shackles of Europe" on 14 July 2024.