Background
Berry was born in Craigavon, County Armagh, and brought up in Tandragee, where he was educated at local state schools and colleges, following which he was employed in the textile industry.
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Paul Berry
Edit ProfileCareer
He joined the Democratic Unionist Party (Democratic Unionist Party) at the age of 16, the same age at which he began gospel singing in churches in the North Armagh and Banbridge areas. With his high profile as a singer, Berry was elected, aged 22, the youngest Modern Language Association in the first Northern Ireland Assembly as a Democratic Unionist Party representative for the Newry and Armagh constituency in the 1998 election and was re-elected in the 2003 election. He was elected to Armagh City and District Council in 2001, and re-elected in the 2005 elections.
In the 2005 general election Berry was the Democratic Unionist Party candidate for Newry and Armagh constituency.
Controversy
Just days before the election, the Sunday World newspaper claimed that Berry had met a man for a massage, with whom he had made initial contact via a gay chatroom, in a Belfast hotel room booked by Berry under a false name. Berry claimed that he was seeking treatment for a sports injury, and said he was considering legal action against the paper.
He was not elected and was the only Democratic Unionist Party candidate to experience a fall in their share of the vote in favour of the Ulster Unionist Party. Weeks later the Democratic Unionist Party who, since 1977 have maintained a Christian fundamentalist stance on gay rights, and launched a campaign known as Save Ulster from Sodomy, suspended Berry from membership and commenced disciplinary proceedings.
Post-controversy career
In the 2007 assembly election he stood as an Independent candidate, opposed to the Democratic Unionist Party policy of implementing the Street Andrews Agreement but failed to be elected.
Berry continues to as a gospel singer, and has released three compilations. In 2011 he was elected as an Independent Unionist candidate to Armagh City and District Council.
Politics
Berry launched a legal challenge but in February 2006 dropped these proceedings and resigned from the party.
Membership
Orange Order; 1st Northern Ireland Assembly. 2nd Northern Ireland Assembly]
An active member of the Orange Order, Berry was on the traditionalist, fundamentalist wing of the Democratic Unionist Party.
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Born
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Nationality
United Kingdom -
Political Party
Democratic Unionist Party