Jonathan Stephenson (2 November 1950 – 21 December 2011) was an

Irish nationalist Irish nationalism is a nationalist political movement which, in its broadest sense, asserts that the people of Ireland should govern Ireland as a sovereign state. Since the mid-19th century, Irish nationalism has largely taken the form of c ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

. A

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

born in England and educated at

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of ...

and Stanbridge Earls School, Stephenson moved to

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

, where he studied History and Politics at Queen's University Belfast. He joined the

Social Democratic and Labour Party The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) ( ga, Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is a social-democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has eight members in the Northern Ireland ...

(SDLP) in the early 1980s, and became its first official press officer.Alasdair McDonnell pays tribute to ex-chairman Jonathan Stephenson
, ''

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

'', 23 December 2011 Stephenson was elected to

Belfast City Council Belfast City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feirste) is the local authority with responsibility for part of the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of (), the ...

at the

1993 Northern Ireland local elections Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland on 19 May 1993. Results Overall By council Antrim Ards Armagh Ballymena Ballymoney Banbridge Belfast Carrickfergu ...

, representing the SDLP in the Castle area.Belfast City Council Elections 1993-2005
Northern Ireland Elections He also became Deputy Chairperson of the SDLP, serving from 1995 to 1998. In 1995, he became the party's Chairperson, serving until 1998. At the

Northern Ireland Forum The Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue was a body set up in 1996 as part of a process of negotiations that eventually led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The forum was elected, with five members being elected for each Westmin ...

election in 1996, he did not stand in a constituency, but was elected as one of two regional list candidates for the SDLP,The 1996 Forum Elections and the Peace Process
Northern Ireland Elections but he lost his council seat in

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephenson, Jonathan 2011 deaths Alumni of Queen's University Belfast Members of Belfast City Council Members of the Northern Ireland Forum Protestant Irish nationalists Social Democratic and Labour Party politicians 1950 births