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2024 Alliance Party of Northern Ireland deputy leadership election

The 2024 Alliance Party of Northern Ireland deputy leadership election was triggered on 8 September 2024 by the resignation of Stephen Farry as deputy leader of the Alliance Party. Farry, who lost his seat in North Down to Alex Easton in the most recent general election back in July, had been in the role in the party since 2016.[1] The party's finance spokesperson, Eóin Tennyson, was elected to succeed him.[2]

2024 Alliance Party of Northern Ireland deputy leadership election
← 2016 8 October 2024
190 party delegates
96 votes needed to win
 
Eoin Tennyson.jpg
Candidate Eóin Tennyson Kate Nicholl
Popular vote >95 <95
Deputy Leader before election

Stephen Farry

 Elected Deputy Leader

Eóin Tennyson

In a statement, Farry thanked the party membership for “putting their trust” in him during his tenure.[3] Alliance MLAs Kate Nicholl and Eóin Tennyson went head-to-head to be the party’s next deputy leader.[4]

Background

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Following the resignation of David Ford as Alliance leader on 5 October 2016, Farry was named by The Irish Times as a potential leadership contender alongside Naomi Long.[5] However, he did not stand as a leadership candidate and was later elected unopposed as Deputy Leader of the party.[6][7]

Farry lost his seat in the 2024 United Kingdom general election. It was reported that he would not take the seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly vacated by Sorcha Eastwood.[8]

The former North Down MP announced his resignation to delegates at the Alliance Party council meeting on 7 September 2024, but only made it public the day after. He said he announced his resignation at the party council as he wanted to "take the opportunity to personally thank the party membership for putting their trust in me as deputy leader from 2016 onwards, and for their ongoing support for me during my 30 years in elected politics".[9]

Campaign

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Tennyson's campaign logo

The party's sole MP, Sorcha Eastwood, ruled herself out of the contest on 24 September 2024, saying her focus is on her constituency of Lagan Valley.[10] In the wake of her success in winning Lagan Valley from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), it was thought that Eastwood would be the front-runner for the position. Having a deputy leader in Westminster, while Naomi Long is Justice Minister in Stormont, would be the natural choice, party sources said.[11]

Following the closure of nominations at 6pm on 24 September, it was revealed that South Belfast MLA Kate Nicholl and Upper Bann MLA Eóin Tennyson will run against each other for the leadership, after it was previously believed Tennyson would be the only candidate.[11]

Tennyson became Stormont’s youngest MLA when he was elected in Upper Bann in 2022. He had been a councillor for the previous three years. He is the third openly gay MLA to serve, joining his party colleagues John Blair and Andrew Muir. He is one of Alliance’s most high-profile media performers.[11]

Nicholl was elected to Stormont in 2022 when Alliance won two seats in South Belfast. She had been a member of Belfast City Council for six years previously, becoming Lord Mayor in 2021. She has been a passionate advocate for migrants and asylum seekers, and has been reported as "one of the best liked MLAs in Stormont across the parties."[11]

Both Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir and North Belfast MLA Nuala McAllister had ruled themselves out of the race.[11]

The two candidates will address Alliance Party conference on 8 October.[12]

Procedure

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A meeting of the Alliance Party Executive was held on 12 September to set out the arrangements for the election of the party's new deputy leader. Any Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) or Member of Parliament (MP) could be nominated. Farry will remain in his post as acting deputy leader until a replacement is confirmed.[13][14] Up to 10 delegates from each of the party’s 18 local associations will meet to elect a new deputy leader on October 8. Alliance’s 17 MLAs, sole MP, and the party’s 67 councillors will also have a vote.[15]

Key dates[16][17]
Date Event
13 September Nominations opened.
24 September Nominations closed.
8 October A special meeting of delegates will take place where the new deputy leader will be declared.

Candidates

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Declared

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Declined

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References

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  1. ^ "Stephen Farry announces resignation as Alliance deputy leader". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2024-09-08. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  2. ^ "Upper Bann MLA Eoin Tennyson becomes new Alliance deputy leader". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  3. ^ "Stephen Farry steps down as Alliance Party deputy leader - Northern Ireland Elects". nielects.com. 2024-09-08. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  4. ^ "Two Alliance MLAs to go head-to-head for party's deputy role". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2024-09-24. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  5. ^ Moriarty, Gerry. "David Ford to step down as leader of North's Alliance Party". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
  6. ^ "Naomi Long becomes new Alliance leader". BBC News. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  7. ^ "Farry is new deputy leader of Alliance". BBC News. 3 December 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  8. ^ "Alliance: Stephen Farry 'will not take' Sorcha Eastwood's seat". BBC News. 2024-07-07. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  9. ^ "Stephen Farry resigns as Alliance deputy leader". BBC News. 2024-09-08. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  10. ^ https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/sorcha-eastwood-rules-herself-out-of-running-for-alliance-deputy-leader-role-4795738
  11. ^ a b c d e "Two Alliance MLAs to go head-to-head for party's deputy role". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2024-09-24. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  12. ^ "Nicholl and Tennyson to address Alliance conference as pair do battle for deputy leadership". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2024-10-01. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  13. ^ "Stephen Farry announces resignation as Alliance deputy leader". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2024-09-08. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  14. ^ "Stephen Farry steps down as Alliance Party deputy leader - Northern Ireland Elects". nielects.com. 2024-09-08. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  15. ^ "Two Alliance MLAs to go head-to-head for party's deputy role". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2024-09-24. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  16. ^ "New Alliance Party deputy leader to be selected in October". BBC News. 2024-09-13. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  17. ^ "Two Alliance MLAs to go head-to-head for party's deputy role". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2024-09-24. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  18. ^ "Two Alliance MLAs to go head-to-head for party's deputy role". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2024-09-24. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  19. ^ "Sorcha Eastwood not standing to be Alliance Party deputy leader - Northern Ireland Elects". nielects.com. 2024-09-24. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  20. ^ "Two Alliance MLAs to go head-to-head for party's deputy role". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2024-09-24. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
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