Stewart Dickson
Encyclopedia
Stewart Dickson is an Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
politician and member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
, where he represents East Antrim
.
Dickson entered politics in 1977
, when he was elected to Carrickfergus Borough Council
representing Area A, the predecessor of the current Knockagh Monument electoral area. He lost his seat to the Democratic Unionist Party
in the 1981 local elections
but regained it at the 1985 local elections
and has been re-elected at each local election since then. He served as Mayor from 1992 to 1993
Dickson unsuccessfully contested the East Antrim constituency at the 1996 Northern Ireland Forum
election and the Assembly
elections of 1998
, 2003
and 2007
, before winning the seat held by former Alliance leader Sean Neeson at the 2011 elections.
Outside political life, he is a member of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance trade union and the Greenisland Presbyterian Church. He serves as Captain of First Greenisland Boys’ Brigade, through which he runs a drug awareness course, and sits on the Boards of Governors of Carrickfergus Central and Silverstream Primary Schools. He also works as Arbitration Secretary at the Northern Ireland Labour Relations Agency.
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
politician and member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
, where he represents East Antrim
East Antrim (Assembly constituency)
East Antrim is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996. Since 1998, it has elected members to the current Assembly....
.
Dickson entered politics in 1977
Northern Ireland local elections, 1977
Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland in May 1977.The elections saw good performances by the four largest parties: the Ulster Unionist Party , Social Democratic and Labour Party , Alliance Party of Northern Ireland and Democratic Unionist Party , while smaller parties failed...
, when he was elected to Carrickfergus Borough Council
Carrickfergus Borough Council
Carrickfergus Borough Council is a district council in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. The council headquarters are in Carrickfergus and the council administers the town, on the north shore of Belfast Lough, and surrounding area, which extends from Greenisland in the south-west to Whitehead in...
representing Area A, the predecessor of the current Knockagh Monument electoral area. He lost his seat to the Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
in the 1981 local elections
Northern Ireland local elections, 1981
Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland in 1981.-Overall:-Belfast:...
but regained it at the 1985 local elections
Northern Ireland local elections, 1985
Elections for local government were held in Northern Ireland on 15 May 1985.-1981 elections:The previous elections had been fought in the middle of the hunger strike and the H-Block Prison Protest...
and has been re-elected at each local election since then. He served as Mayor from 1992 to 1993
Dickson unsuccessfully contested the East Antrim constituency at the 1996 Northern Ireland Forum
Northern Ireland Forum
The Northern Ireland Forum was a body set up in 1996 as part of a process of negotiations that eventually led to the Belfast Agreement in 1998....
election and the Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
elections of 1998
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998
-Seats summary:-Details:Although the SDLP won the most first preference votes, the Ulster Unionists won the most seats in the Assembly. This has been attributed to several reasons, including:...
, 2003
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2003
The second elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly, which at the time of the elections had been suspended for just over a year, were held on Wednesday 26 November 2003. Six members were elected by Single Transferable Vote from each of Northern Ireland's eighteen Westminster Parliamentary...
and 2007
Northern Ireland Assembly election, 2007
The third elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly were held on 7 March 2007 when 108 new members were elected. The election saw endorsement of the St Andrews Agreement and the two largest parties, the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin, along with the Alliance Party, increase their...
, before winning the seat held by former Alliance leader Sean Neeson at the 2011 elections.
Outside political life, he is a member of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance trade union and the Greenisland Presbyterian Church. He serves as Captain of First Greenisland Boys’ Brigade, through which he runs a drug awareness course, and sits on the Boards of Governors of Carrickfergus Central and Silverstream Primary Schools. He also works as Arbitration Secretary at the Northern Ireland Labour Relations Agency.