Stephen Farry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephen Farry
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|---|---|
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| Deputy Leader of the Alliance Party | |
| In office 3 December 2016 – 8 October 2024 |
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| Leader | Naomi Long |
| Preceded by | Naomi Long |
| Succeeded by | Eóin Tennyson |
| Member of Parliament for North Down |
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| In office 12 December 2019 – 30 May 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Sylvia Hermon |
| Succeeded by | Alex Easton |
| Minister for Employment and Learning | |
| In office 5 May 2011 – 6 May 2016 |
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| First Minister | Peter Robinson (FM) Arlene Foster (FM) Martin McGuinness (dFM) |
| Preceded by | Danny Kennedy |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly for North Down |
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| In office 7 March 2007 – 16 December 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Eileen Bell |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Muir |
| Member of North Down Borough Council |
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| In office 19 May 1993 – 5 May 2011 |
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| Preceded by | James Magee |
| Succeeded by | Michael Bower |
| Constituency | Abbey |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Stephen Anthony Farry
22 April 1971 Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland |
| Political party | Alliance (until 2024) |
| Spouse |
Wendy Watt
(m. 2005) |
| Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast |
Stephen Anthony Farry (born 22 April 1971) is a Northern Irish academic and former politician. He was the Deputy Leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland from December 2016 to September 2024.
Mr. Farry was also a Member of Parliament (MP) for North Down. He held this role from 2019 until May 2024. Before becoming an MP, he was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). He represented North Down from 2007 to 2019.
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Early Life and Education
Stephen Farry was born on April 22, 1971. His parents are Vincent and Margaret Farry. He studied at Queen's University Belfast. In 1992, he earned a degree in Politics. He later completed a PhD in International Relations in 2000.
Mr. Farry began his political career early. He was first elected to the North Down Borough Council in 1993. In 2007, he became the Mayor of North Down. He also served as the General Secretary of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland.
Political Career
Stephen Farry has held several important roles in Northern Irish politics. He has been a local councillor, an MLA, and an MP.
Minister for Employment and Learning
In 2011, Stephen Farry was re-elected as an MLA for North Down. He was then appointed as the Minister for Employment and Learning. This role involved overseeing education and job training in Northern Ireland.
In September 2011, he announced a freeze on university fees. This meant fees would only increase slightly with inflation. In 2013, he started a review of apprenticeships. He wanted to create a "gold standard" system. This system aimed to help businesses find skilled workers.
In December 2012, there was an incident at Belfast City Hall. Alliance Party councillors voted to limit when the Union flag could be flown. After this, Mr. Farry's office in Bangor was attacked.
After the 2016 elections, the Alliance Party decided to be in opposition. This meant Mr. Farry returned to being a regular MLA. He served on committees for the economy and business.
Deputy Leader of the Alliance Party
In October 2016, the Alliance Party leader, David Ford, stepped down. Stephen Farry was considered a possible new leader. However, he did not run for the position. Instead, he was elected as the Deputy Leader of the party without anyone opposing him.
In the 2017 Assembly election, Mr. Farry was re-elected for North Down. He became the Alliance Party's spokesperson on Brexit. He strongly supported a "People's Vote" on Brexit. He also argued against a "no-deal Brexit."
On September 8, 2024, Mr. Farry announced he would step down as Deputy Leader. This decision came after he lost his North Down seat in the general election earlier that year. He also resigned his membership from the party.
Member of Parliament
On December 13, 2019, Stephen Farry was elected as an MP. He represented the North Down area in the UK Parliament. He took over from Lady Hermon, who had been the MP for 18 years.
Mr. Farry gave his first speech in Parliament on December 20, 2019. He started his speech by speaking in the Irish language. He said this was to show the shared traditions of Northern Ireland. This was the first time since 1901 that a first speech was given in Irish.
In May 2020, Mr. Farry was among several politicians warned about threats. These threats were believed to come from loyalist groups.
He lost his seat in the 2024 United Kingdom general election.
Personal Life
Stephen Farry married Wendy Watt in 2005. He enjoys traveling and learning about international affairs. He also likes quizzes and reading history and biographies. He even appeared on the TV show University Challenge in 1994.
