The University of Liverpool’s Institute of Irish Studies will host Jon Burrows MLA for a public lecture on Thursday, 12 February.
Mr Burrows was recently confirmed as the new leader of Northern Ireland’s Ulster Unionist Party. The Ulster Unionist Party is the fourth largest party in Northern Ireland with representatives in councils, the Northern Ireland Assembly and both Houses of Parliament.
Mr Burrows said: “I am looking forward to visiting the Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool and delivering my first speech outside Northern Ireland as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party. It is a time of both challenge and opportunity for Northern Ireland and unionism in a fast-changing world. I look forward to outlining my vision for my party and our union.”
Professor Peter Shirlow, Director of the Institute of Irish Studies, added “The invitation to party leaders is a feature of Institute events. They provide an opportunity to hear about leadership principles and commitments. This talk in particular, will examine parliamentary reform and a vision for the constitutional future of the United Kingdom.”
The talk will be held in the University of Liverpool’s Central Teaching Hub on the evening of 12 February and is open to the public. Those wishing to attend can register for free at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1981423814969.
Jon Burrows MLA is the Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and Member of the Legislative Assembly for North Antrim.
Originally from Bangor, County Down, Jon was educated at Bangor Grammar School and graduated from Ulster University with a BA (Hons) in Law and Government. He also holds a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice and a Master of Laws.
Jon served for 22 years as a police officer, working primarily in Northern Ireland with the Police Service of Northern Ireland. During his policing career, he held several senior leadership roles, including Area Commander in Foyle (Londonderry) and later Head of the PSNI’s Discipline Branch.
He developed a reputation for innovative policing, crime reduction, counter-terrorism, and improving public confidence in policing. A central theme of his work was building legitimacy and trust in policing within a contested society, which led to his involvement with the Forums for Cities in Transition.
After retiring from policing in 2021, Jon became a prominent media commentator on policing and justice issues before entering politics in August 2025 as an MLA. He was elected Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party on 31 January 2026.