{{for|the writer|Jonathan Buckley (writer)}} {{short description|DUP politician from Northern Ireland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}} {{Use British English|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Jonathan Buckley | honorific_suffix = MLA | image = Johnny Buckley, MLA 2024.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Buckley in 2024 | constituency_AM = Upper Bann | assembly = Northern Ireland | majority = | term_start = 3 March 2017 | term_end = | predecessor = Sydney Anderson | successor = | office1 = Member of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council | constituency1 = Portadown | term_start1 = 22 May 2014 | term_end1 = 3 March 2017 | predecessor1 = ''Council created'' | successor1 = Louise Templeton | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|7|19|df=y}} | birth_place = County Armagh, Northern Ireland | death_date = | death_place = | party = DUP | spouse = {{marriage|Jill Porter|2022}}<ref name="Martin 2022">{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Valerie |date=2 July 2022 |title=MLA Jonathan Buckley and his bride Jill Porter marry in Lisburn |url=https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/people/mla-jonathan-buckley-and-his-bride-jill-porter-marry-in-lisburn-3754178 |website=Northern Ireland World |access-date=3 July 2022}}</ref> | children = | other_party = | alma_mater = | occupation = Politician | profession = | website = }} '''Jonathan Buckley''' (born 19 July 1991) is a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician who has been a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Upper Bann since 2017. He currently serves as the DUP's Spokesman for Economy, Business, and Energy and Trade Union Engagement.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jonathan Buckley MLA |url=https://mydup.com/our-team/jonathan-buckley |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=DUP |language=en}}</ref>
== Early life == Buckley grew up outside Portadown, where he still lives today.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=McNeilly |first=Claire |date=7 May 2018 |title=DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley: 'My great-grandfather won a bravery medal after he picked up an IRA bomb and carried it outside so that the Army could defuse it' |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/dup-mla-jonathan-buckley-my-great-grandfather-won-a-bravery-medal-after-he-picked-up-an-ira-bomb-and-carried-it-outside-so-that-the-army-could-defuse-it-36874780.html |work=Belfast Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235 |access-date=18 April 2022}}</ref>
Jonathan was educated at Queens University Belfast studying Modern History and Politics.
== Political career == Before entering the Northern Ireland Assembly, Buckley served as a Local Councillor for Portadown DEA within the Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council. During his time in local government, he was a member of various committees, including Economic Development, Governance, and Policy and Planning.
Buckley has been a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Upper Bann since 2017. He succeeded retiring veteran legislator Sydney Anderson. During the campaign, he publicly exhorted voters in the constituency to vote and to transfer to other Unionist candidates. He was declared the winner on 3 March 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jonathan Buckley to run for DUP in tight Upper Bann election race |url=http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/jonathan-buckley-to-run-for-dup-in-tight-upper-bann-election-race-1-7790154 |website=News Letter |date=25 January 2017 |access-date=3 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Upper Bann - predicted winner: Jonathan Buckley (DUP) |url=http://www.betbreakingnews.com:2086/betmod-item/48435/ |website=Bet Breaking News |access-date=8 May 2017 |archive-date=4 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170304114338/http://www.betbreakingnews.com:2086/betmod-item/48435/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Buckley urges Upper Bann to vote for strong Unionist representation |url=https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/buckley-urges-upper-bann-to-vote-for-strong-unionist-representation-2105671 |website=Northern Ireland World |date=24 February 2017 |access-date=3 March 2017}}</ref> This made Buckley the youngest elected representative for the DUP.<ref name=":0" />
In October 2021, Buckley voted against 'safe zones' outside abortion clinics, saying the move which supporters claim is designed to protect women from physical and verbal harassment was "regressive".<ref>{{cite web |last=McCormack |first=Jayne |date=12 October 2021 |title=Buckley Opposes Safe Zones |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-58877192 |website=BBC News |access-date=3 July 2022}}</ref>
In May 2022, Buckley admitted that he was "surprised" to learn that he had been nominated by Anne Donaghy's office for an MBE for "political and public service".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hughes |first1=Brendan |date=3 May 2022 |title=DUP man 'surprised' to learn of Queen's honour nomination from council boss |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dup-man-surprised-learn-queens-23829444 |website=BelfastLive |access-date=3 July 2022}}</ref>
In addition to his political roles, Buckley has been actively engaged in various leadership and educational programs. He participated in the British Council Future Leaders Connect Programme at Cambridge University, becoming part of a global network of emerging policy leaders. He was also selected by the United States Government for the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), representing the United Kingdom in the Department of State Exchange Programme Global Economic Cooperation.
In 2023, Buckley stood for the Deputy Leadership of the DUP, losing by one vote to Gavin Robinson, the MP for East Belfast.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=Brendan |date=2023-06-07 |title=DUP's Robinson and Buckley tipped for deputy leader role |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dups-gavin-robinson-jonathan-buckley-27070457 |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Belfast Live |language=en}}</ref>
On 24 May 2024, Buckley was selected as the Democratic Unionist Party candidate for Lagan Valley in the 2024 United Kingdom general election, following the departure of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 May 2024 |title=Jonathan Buckley to stand in Lagan Valley for DUP |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wwkx2k207o |accessdate=24 May 2024 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC}}</ref> On standing for election, Buckley said:“I am running in Lagan Valley because I am putting country first. “I am running in Lagan Valley to ensure pro-union voters can unite behind a candidate and ensure Lagan Valley has strong representation at Westminster.”<ref>{{cite news|title = DUP announces Jonathan Buckley as candidate in Lagan Valley|url = https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/jonathan-buckley-dup-belfast-stormont-westminster-b1160145.html|work = The Independent|date = 24 May 2024|access-date = 2 November 2024}}</ref> He finished second to Alliance's Sorcha Eastwood, who won the seat with a 2,659 (6.0%) majority compared to Buckley's 15,659 votes (31.9%).<ref>{{cite web|title = UK Parliament election results: Election for the constituency of Lagan Valley on 4 July 2024|url = https://electionresults.parliament.uk/elections/3571|website = UK Parliament|access-date = 2 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title = Lagan Valley - General election results 2024 - BBC News|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/N05000009|work = BBC News|access-date = 2 November 2024}}</ref>
== Personal life == Outside of politics, Buckley is passionate about pigeon racing, country sports, and football.<ref name=":0" />
On 1 July 2022, Buckley married Jill Porter in Lisburn.<ref name="Martin 2022" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|ni/ass}} {{s-bef | before = Sydney Anderson }} {{s-ttl | title = MLA for Upper Bann | years = 2017–present }} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{Democratic Unionist Party}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckley, Jonathan}} Category:1991 births Category:Living people Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Democratic Unionist Party councillors Category:Democratic Unionist Party MLAs Category:Northern Ireland MLAs 2017–2022 Category:Northern Ireland MLAs 2022–2027 Category:Democratic Unionist Party parliamentary candidates