Alex Easton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alex Easton
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Official portrait, 2024
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| Member of Parliament for North Down |
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| Assumed office 4 July 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Stephen Farry |
| Majority | 7,305 (16.8%) |
| Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for North Down |
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| In office 26 November 2003 – 5 July 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Jane Morrice |
| Succeeded by | Peter Martin |
| Member of North Down Borough Council | |
| In office 7 June 2001 – 22 May 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Elizabeth Roche |
| Succeeded by | Council abolished |
| Constituency | Ballyholme and Groomsport |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alexander Easton
19 May 1969 Bangor, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Independent Unionist (2021–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Democratic Unionist Party (2000–2021) |
Alex Easton, born on May 19, 1969, is a politician from Northern Ireland. He has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for North Down since 2024. Before that, he was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for North Down from 2003 until 2024.
He started his political journey with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). He served on the North Down Borough Council from 2001 to 2014, representing Ballyholme and Groomsport. He became an MLA in 2003. In July 2021, he left the DUP because of disagreements within the party. Since then, he has been an independent unionist politician.
Easton won the House of Commons seat for North Down in the 2024 United Kingdom general election. He ran as an independent candidate. He had tried to win this seat three times before as a DUP candidate but was not successful. In 2024, he defeated the sitting MP, Stephen Farry, with a majority of 7,305 votes.
Early Life and Work
Alex Easton's father was from South Africa, so he has South African roots. He grew up in Bangor, Northern Ireland. He moved a few times but returned to Bangor when he was 10 years old.
He went to Gransha Boys High School and Bangor Technical College. Before becoming a politician, he worked as a clerical officer. He worked in the accident and emergency departments at the Newtownards and Ulster Hospitals.
Political Journey
Easton began his political career with the Democratic Unionist Party. He was first elected to the North Down Borough Council in 2001. He was re-elected to the Council in 2005 and 2011.
He was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in the 2003 election. He represented the constituency of North Down. He was re-elected in 2007, 2011, 2016, and 2017. In the 2017 election, he received the most votes in North Down.
Easton also ran for the UK Parliament seat in North Down. In the 2017 General Election, he came very close to winning. In the 2019 General Election, he ran again but was defeated.
In July 2021, Easton announced he was leaving the DUP. He stated that he felt there was a lack of "respect, discipline or decency" in the party's recent actions.
He was re-elected as an independent candidate in the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election. He again received the most votes in his constituency for the fifth time in a row.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In the 2024 United Kingdom general election, Alex Easton was elected as an independent MP for North Down. Before the election, on May 24, 2024, the DUP and TUV parties announced they would support his campaign. They decided not to put forward their own candidates in North Down.
Personal Life
Alex Easton is a member of the Orange Order and the Church of Ireland. He also served on the North Down Policing Partnership, which works to improve policing in the area.
In January 2023, his parents, who were both in their 80s, passed away in a fire at their home in Bangor, County Down.
