Jim Shannon is the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP for Strangford, having first been elected to Parliament on 6 May 2010.  

In the 2024 general election, Shannon won 15,559 votes, representing 40.0% of the vote. The Alliance Party candidate, Michelle Guy, received 10,428 votes (26.8%), while the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) candidate, Richard Smart, secured 3,941 votes (10.1%). Shannon was duly elected with a majority of 5,131 votes.

The Strangford constituency is located in County Down, Northern Ireland, covering areas around Strangford Lough including Newtownards and Comber. It is considered a safe DUP seat.  

Political Career

Shannon is known for being one of the most frequent speakers in House of Commons debates, particularly adjournment debates. He has a reputation for intervening in the adjournment debate no matter the subject matter or the relevance to his Strangford constituency.

The statement “Jim Shannon has intervened in the adjournment debate” is a staple of parliamentary life.

Shannon has served as a DUP spokesperson for human rights (2012-2015 and 2017-2024), health (2010-2024), transport (2010–2017), and equality (2015-2017).

In January 2022, Shannon broke down in tears in parliament while questioning the government about emerging “Partygate” revelations. It came after a leaked email revealed more than 100 Downing Street staff were invited to a party in the No 10 garden and told to “bring your own booze”.

Struggling to contain his emotion, Shannon said: ​“In Northern Ireland we reached the milestone of 3,000 deaths due to Covid just last week. Including my mother-in-law, who died alone.”

He called for a “full and complete disclosure” of the findings of an inquiry into the revelations.

Colum Eastwood, the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader, responded: “Well done, Jim for struggling through that question.”

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Doug Beattie said his thoughts were with Shannon and that the prime minister, Boris Johnson, should step down “if, or once, this is proven”.

Shannon was a member of the House of Commons Northern Ireland affairs committee (2016-2019 and 2023–2024) and the defence committee (2015–2016).

Shannon is listed as a member of the all-party parliamentary groups (APPGs) for healthy homes and buildings, international freedom of religion or belief, respiratory health, UK food security, and vascular and venous disease.

Shannon delivered his maiden speech on 8 June 2010.

In it, he said: “Since 2008, unemployment in Northern Ireland has risen by 18,000 and too many able-bodied people are out of work. I urge the Government to do something about that. The solution requires a cross-sectoral and cross-Government approach.”

He added: “Winston Churchill is one of my heroes and always has been. He had a good grasp of the English language, and he was a good historian and also a good soldier.”

Before entering Westminster, Shannon served as a DUP member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Strangford from 1998 until 2010. He was a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Strangford (1996-1998).

Shannon had a long career in local government before becoming an MP and MLA, serving on Ards Borough Council from 1985 to 2011. He was mayor of Ards from 1991 to 1992 and Deputy Mayor from 1990 to 1991.  

Political views

Mass deportation: In May 2025, Shannon signed an early day motion (EDM) concerning the mass deportation of illegal migrants. The motion, tabled by the independent MP Rupert Lowe, expressed “grave concern at the continued presence of over one million illegal migrants in the United Kingdom”.

The EDM urged the government to “implement a comprehensive national strategy to identify, detain, and deport all individuals found to be residing in the United Kingdom illegally, and to ensure that such policies are backed by the necessary legislative, diplomatic, logistical and financial resources to restore confidence in the rule of law and the security of our borders.”

Leave Means Leave: Shannon was a supporter of Leave Means Leave, a cross-party eurosceptic pressure group established in the aftermath of the 2016 Brexit referendum. The group, which described itself as “the campaign for a clean Brexit”, set out its opposition to any withdrawal agreement that it believed would keep the UK tied to EU rules and institutions – a position often referred to as a “hard Brexit”.

Brexit and Europe

Brexit referendum: Shannon supported Leave in the 2016 Brexit referendum, and therefore agreed with a majority of his constituents, 55.5% of whom also voted to Leave.

Article 50: In February 2017, Shannon voted in favour of the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill. The legislation empowered the prime minister to notify the Council of the European Union of the UK’s intention to withdraw, formally triggering the process set out in Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. MPs supported the bill by 498 votes to 114 at second reading.

Assisted dying

Shannon voted against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, better known as the assisted dying bill, at both second reading (November 2024) and third reading (June 2025).

Social values and conscience issues

Abortion decriminalisation (2025): Shannon voted against a backbench amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that sought to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales in June 2025. The amendment, which was passed by a majority of 242 votes, removed women from the threat of prosecution for ending a pregnancy at any stage. As an issue of conscience, MPs were allowed to vote according to their personal beliefs.

Same-sex marriage (2013): In February 2013, Shannon voted against the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill at its second reading. The landmark piece of legislation, which received its second reading by 400 votes to 175, legalised marriage for same-sex couples in England and Wales.

At the time, Shannon signed a cross-party open letter protesting that the government had no mandate to “redefine marriage”.

The letter stated: “We are sceptical that the proposed protections will prevent the erosion of liberties of religion and conscience. The proposed redefinition of marriage is unnecessary, given the legal rights established through civil partnerships.

“We understand some parliamentarians support freedom for same sex couples to marry, but we support a freedom from the state being able to redefine the meaning of marriage.”

Foreign policy and security

Trident renewal (2016): Shannon voted in favour of a government motion calling for the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent system in July 2016. The motion, which was passed by 472 votes to 117, committed the UK to constructing a new fleet of submarines to carry the nation’s nuclear weapons.

Syria airstrikes (2015): Shannon voted in favour of a government motion to extend UK airstrikes against Isis from Iraq into Syria in December 2015. The motion, which was passed by 397 votes to 223 after a ten-hour debate in the House of Commons, authorised the RAF to conduct strikes against Isis targets in Syria.

Palestinian recognition vote (2014): In October 2014, Shannon voted against recognising Palestine as a state. The motion, passed by 274 votes to 12, called on the government to “recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel as a contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution”.

Syria airstrikes (2013): Shannon voted against the government’s motion on the principle of military intervention in Syria in August 2013. The government motion was defeated by 285 votes to 272, a move which effectively ruled out UK participation in any US-led military strikes.

Sanctioned (Russia): In April 2022, Shannon was among the group of MPs placed on a sanctions list by the Russian government. The measure barred them from entering Russia and was presented by Moscow as a retaliatory response to the UK’s stance on the invasion of Ukraine.

Civil liberties

Covid passes vote (2021): Shannon was one of 126 MPs to vote against Covid passes in England in December 2021.

Before Politics

Born Richard James Shannon in Omagh, County Tyrone on 25 March 1955, he attended Ballywalter Primary School and Coleraine Institute.  

He served in the military part-time with the Royal Artillery and later served in the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR).

He joined the DUP in 1977.

He worked in his parents’ business before running his own pork retail business from 1985.

Personal Life

Shannon is married to Sandra Shannon. They have three sons.

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

Trivia

Shannon was voted as the “least sexy MP” in a 2011 online poll.  

Shannon responded: “When I wake up in the morning and see the grey hair and the crow’s legs, I’m under no illusions!

“People elected me because they know I am a worker and will get the job done, certainly not because of sex appeal or anything like that.

“When I married my wife 24 years ago, I did so because I thought she was the sexiest woman in the world, and hopefully she thought I was the sexiest man, and that is all that matters to me.”