Carla Lockhart

Carla Rebecca Lockhart (born 28 February 1985) is a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Upper Bann since the 2019 general election. She currently serves as the DUP spokesperson for environment, food and rural affairs.^[2][3][4] She was previously a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Upper Bann from 2016 to 2019.^[5]

Carla Lockhart MP
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament for Upper Bann
Incumbent
Assumed office 12 December 2019
Preceded by	David Simpson
Majority	7,406 (15.6%)
Member of the Legislative Assembly for Upper Bann
In office 5 May 2016 – 13 December 2019
Preceded by	Stephen Moutray
Succeeded by	Diane Dodds
Member of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council
In office 22 May 2014 – 5 May 2016
Preceded by	Council established
Succeeded by	Terry McWilliams
Constituency	Lurgan
Mayor of Craigavon
In office 2012–2013
Preceded by	Alan Carson
Succeeded by	Mark Baxter
Member of Craigavon Borough Council
In office 2007 – 22 May 2014
Preceded by	Fergie Dawson
Succeeded by	Council abolished
Constituency	Lurgan
Personal details
Born	Carla Rebecca Lockhart (1985-02-28) 28 February 1985 (age 40) Aughnacloy, Northern Ireland[1]
Political party	Democratic Unionist Party
Spouse	Rodney Condell
Children	1
Alma mater	Ulster University

Early life and career

Carla Rebecca Lockhart^[6] was born to Kenneth and Valerie Lockhart in Aughnacloy, County Tyrone, as part of a working-class family. She attended Aughnacloy High School, before attending Armagh Tech (now part of Southern Regional College) and then obtaining a business degree from the University of Ulster. Interested in politics from a young age, she was a member of the DUP's Young Democrats in her youth.

Political career

Lockhart was elected to Craigavon Borough Council in 2007, representing the Lurgan area. She was Mayor of Craigavon from 2012 to 2013, and stepped down in 2016 to run for the Assembly elections. Lockhart was President of the Local Government Association of Northern Ireland from 2015 to 2016.^[3]

She worked full-time in the Lurgan DUP Advice Centre under Stephen Moutray, whilst working as a councillor.^[7] Lockhart was elected as an MLA for Upper Bann in 2016.^[3]

On 8 November 2019, Lockhart announced her candidacy for the Upper Bann Westminster constituency at the 2019 general election.^[8] On 13 December, Lockhart won the seat in Westminster, succeeding the retiring MP David Simpson, and stepped down from her seat as MLA for Upper Bann.^{[2][9][10][11]}

Lockhart is a governor at Lurgan Junior High School and Magheralin Primary School.^[3]

Despite previously stating during a 2017 interview that having no functioning Northern Ireland Executive was one of the biggest problems facing the citizens of Northern Ireland,^[7] in November 2022 Lockhart defended the DUP's collapse of the same institutions by claiming the party had a democratic mandate to do so.^[12]

In December 2022, Lockhart, Miriam Cates and Rosie Duffield signed a cross-party letter asking the British Government to block the Scottish Government's Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.^[13]

Lockhart retained her seat, with a decreased majority of 7,406 votes, at the 2024 general election.^[14][15] Despite a reduced majority, she increased her share of the vote to 45.7%, being the only DUP MP to do so.^[16][17]

In April 2025, Lockhart called for Kneecap to be denied entry to the USA and Canada ahead of their US-Canada tour after allegations of the rap trio calling for the death of British MPs and shouting "up Hamas, up Hezbollah" in previous gigs. ^[18]

Personal life

Lockhart is a member of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster.^[7] She is married to Rodney Condell, a quantity surveyor.^[19] In 2019, she gave birth to her first child.^[20]