Bust of Northern Ireland's former first minister David Trimble is moved to a prominent position in the Palace of Westminster
David Trimble’s family has viewed a bust of the former unionist leader at its prominent new position in parliament.
The artwork to celebrate the one-time first minister of Northern Ireland has been moved to its display location outside the Pugin Room in London’s Palace of Westminster, between the House of Commons and House of Lords, where it will be visible to MPs, peers and guests. The late Ulster Unionist leader was a member of both chambers for a combined 32 years.
Lady (Daphne) Trimble was present on Tuesday evening, alongside one of the four Trimble children, Richard. Also in attendance were the Labour peer, Baron Faulkner of Worcester (a deputy speaker of the Lords), the Ulster Unionist peers Lord (Reg) Empey, Lord (Tom) Elliott, the cross-bench peer Lord (Paul) Bew and the former chair of the Ulster Unionist Party, David Campbell.
The bust was originally unveiled last summer in the River Room in the House of Lords.
Lord Empey, who succeeded David Trimble as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party in 2005, said in July: “Very, very few parliamentarians would get that sort of recognition. Yes, there are paintings around in Portcullis House, outside the Palace [of Westminster]. But that fact that this in the palace, the fact that the Arts Committee have decided to have it, is quite a tribute to David.”
Lord Bew, an advisor to David Trimble around the time of the 1998 Belfast Agreement, said at the time of the unveiling that there was an “appropriate symbolism” to the bust. He described it as “a pretty striking sculpture” and welcomed the fact that the former UUP leader was now recognised alongside other important Irish political figures in parliament.
“It was emotional, I was surprised – I was becoming incoherent once or twice,” Lord Bew told the News Letter in July
Lord Bew said there was “an enormous respect” for Lord Trimble – as demonstrated by the attendance at the original unveiling of former senior civil servants who had worked with him, as well as the Irish ambassador to the UK and SDLP MP Colum Eastwood.
Eoghan Harris – a commentator and occasional speech-writer to David Trimble – said he had left a hospital bed to attend that unveiling because of his “huge admiration for David – and for his courage”.