Emma Little-Pengelly | |
|---|---|
 Little-Pengelly in 2024 | |
| Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland | |
| Assumed office 3 February 2024 Serving with Michelle O'Neill | |
| Monarch | Charles III |
| Preceded by | Michelle O'Neill |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly forLagan Valley | |
| Assumed office 12 May 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Paul Rankin |
| Member of Parliament forBelfast South | |
| In office 8 June 2017 – 6 November 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Alasdair McDonnell |
| Succeeded by | Claire Hanna |
| Junior Minister Assisting the First Minister | |
| In office 28 October 2015 – 25 May 2016 Serving with Jennifer McCann | |
| First Minister | Peter Robinson |
| Preceded by | Michelle McIlveen |
| Succeeded by | Alastair Ross |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly forBelfast South | |
| In office 28 September 2015 – 25 January 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Jimmy Spratt |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mary Emma Little[1][better source needed] (1979-12-31)31 December 1979 (age 46) |
| Nationality | British |
| Party | Democratic Unionist |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 stepchildren |
| Residence(s) | Belfast,County Antrim |
| Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast |
| Profession | Barrister[2] |
Emma Little-Pengelly (néeLittle; born 31 December 1979)[3] is a Northern Irish barrister andDemocratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician[4] serving asDeputy First Minister of Northern Ireland since February 2024. She has been aMember of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) forLagan Valley since May 2022, when she wasco-opted (appointed) to replace then-DUP party leader SirJeffrey Donaldson, who declined to take up his seat following the2022 election.[5][6]
She previously served as theMember of Parliament (MP) for theBelfast South constituency in theHouse of Commons of the United Kingdom from 2017 until2019, when she lost her seat toClaire Hanna of theSDLP,[7] and as an MLA for theBelfast South constituency in theNorthern Ireland Assembly.
Little-Pengelly is the daughter of Maureen Elizabeth Little and Noel Little[8] (also known as John Little).[9] Her father was a leader of theloyalist paramilitary groupUlster Resistance[9] and a formerUlster Defence Regiment (UDR) soldier.[10] He was absent from her childhood for two years, following his arrest in Paris in April 1989. Along with two other paramilitaries, Little was convicted of terrorism-related conspiracy, for trying to trade stolen British missile plans to theSouth African government in return for weapons. He was fined and sentenced totime served.[11] Noel Little was also alleged to have been involved in thesmuggling of weapons to loyalists in 1987.[12]
Little-Pengelly was educated atMarkethill High School,Portadown College andQueen's University Belfast.[8] She qualified as abarrister in 2003.[13]
Little-Pengelly began her political career in 2007 asSpecial Advisor (Spad) to theReverend Ian Paisley, while he was in the office ofFirst Minister, where she worked as part of the DUP talks team with victims ofthe Troubles.[14] Little-Pengelly remained in the position of Special Advisor when Peter Robinson assumed the office of First Minister in 2008 until 2015 after over eight years in the position.[15]
In 2015, Little-Pengelly was chosen by the DUP to replaceJimmy Spratt as MLA for Belfast South in theNorthern Ireland Assembly, following his retirement due to ill health.[16] On 28 October 2015, Little-Pengelly was appointed as a junior minister in the Northern IrelandExecutive Office.[2] Little-Pengelly ran in the 2016 Assembly Election in the South Belfast constituency and was elected.[17] She lost her seat at the2017 Northern Ireland Assembly election, as the total number of seats in Belfast South was reduced from 6 to 5, trailing her running mateChristopher Stalford by 15 votes at the time of her elimination.[18]
At the2017 UK general election, Little-Pengelly was elected MP forBelfast South, gaining the seat from theSDLP'sAlasdair McDonnell.[19] The former Northern IrelandFirst MinisterPeter Robinson was the chief strategist behind Little-Pengelly's campaign.[20] She later lost the seat to theSDLP'sClaire Hanna at the2019 general election.[21]
On 12 May 2022, one week after theNorthern Ireland Assembly election, DUP leaderJeffrey Donaldson refused to take his seat in Stormont due to his opposition to theNorthern Ireland Protocol. Little-Pengelly was appointed by the DUP to replace him.[22] She said "I have agreed to fill [Donaldson's] seat in Lagan Valley at this time both to support this work and to ensure a continued high level of support and service to the constituents of Lagan Valley. It is a privilege to be asked to fulfil this role at this important time for unionism and for Northern Ireland. While Sir Jeffrey focuses on that immediate task, I look forward to serving the people of Lagan Valley with passion and commitment."[23]
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On 3 February 2024, Little-Pengelly becameDeputy First Minister of Northern Ireland following thereestablishment of theNorthern Ireland Executive.[24] Her appointment marked the first time a unionist occupied the office of Deputy First Minister.[17]
In July 2025, she faced controversy when she and her husband undertook a publicly-funded trip to Wimbledon; almost £1000 covered the flights and accommodation, in addition to the free seats they received in theRoyal Box.[25][26] She went on the trip even though it clashed with a rearranged appearance before theCommittee for the Executive Office.[27]
Little-Pengelly is married to Richard PengellyCB who,[28] as of 2025, is theChief Executive of theEducation Authority in Northern Ireland.[29]
| Northern Ireland Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | MLA forBelfast South 2015–2017 | Seat abolished |
| Preceded by | MLA forLagan Valley 2022–present | Incumbent |
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forBelfast South 2017–2019 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Junior Minister 2015–2016 | Succeeded by |
| Vacant Title last held by Michelle O'Neill | Deputy First Minister 2024–present | Incumbent |
