David Trimble, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party

David Trimble became MP for Upper Bann at a by-election in 1990 and within five years he succeeded James Molyneaux as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, the largest party in Northern Ireland.

He secured the election of negotiators to multi-party political talks which Sinn Fein were excluded from for not observing a ceasefire. The talks made little progress until Labour came to office.

Despite two of the three major Unionist parties withdrawing from talks, David Trimble led his UUP back into negotiations and helped come up with the Belfast Agreement which provided for power-sharing between unionists and nationalists in a devolved parliament. It also allowed cross-border cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic and a new British-Irish relationship.

Following elections to the new assembly, David Trimble was elected First Minister. Full powers were not devolved until 1999. When the Sinn Fein/IRA refused to disarm, David Trimble persuaded the British Government to suspend the Assembly which was later reinstated when a new agreement was reached and the IRA promised to keep to their obligations.

David Trimble was forced to resign as First Minister in July 2001 but resumed his position after assurances by Sinn Fein to disarm, holding that position until October 2002 when the Assembly was suspended due to continuing IRA activity. Trimble won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998 alongside John Hume of the nationalist SDLP.