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Former minister dies on holiday | Former minister dies on holiday |
(10 minutes later) | |
A former Stormont junior minister has died on holiday abroad. | A former Stormont junior minister has died on holiday abroad. |
James Leslie, 50, was an Ulster Unionist assembly member for North Antrim. | James Leslie, 50, was an Ulster Unionist assembly member for North Antrim. |
Mr Leslie first won his assembly seat in 1998, briefly becoming a junior minister in the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister in 2002. | Mr Leslie first won his assembly seat in 1998, briefly becoming a junior minister in the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister in 2002. |
He did not contest the 2003 assembly election, and three years later, he left the Ulster Unionist Party to join the Conservatives. | He did not contest the 2003 assembly election, and three years later, he left the Ulster Unionist Party to join the Conservatives. |
Alliance leader David Ford said he was shocked by the news. | Alliance leader David Ford said he was shocked by the news. |
"James was a very competent parliamentarian and a man of real integrity," he said. | "James was a very competent parliamentarian and a man of real integrity," he said. |
"He will be very sorely missed by many across Northern Ireland and he made a genuinely positive contribution to politics here." | "He will be very sorely missed by many across Northern Ireland and he made a genuinely positive contribution to politics here." |
The DUP's Ian Paisley Jnr said: "I was very shocked and saddened to hear of the death of James Leslie whilst on holiday. | The DUP's Ian Paisley Jnr said: "I was very shocked and saddened to hear of the death of James Leslie whilst on holiday. |
"What is all the more shocking about his sudden passing is the fact that he was such a young man at 50 years of age." | "What is all the more shocking about his sudden passing is the fact that he was such a young man at 50 years of age." |
SDLP leader Mark Durkan said he had worked with Mr Leslie in the assembly. | |
"James impressed as a good legislator with a good eye for relevant detail and a concern to be clear about implications and consequences, financial or otherwise," he said. |