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 April 22, 1971) is a former politician from Northern Ireland. He was the Deputy Leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland from December 2016 until September 2024. Stephen Farry also served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for North Down from 2019. He lost his MP seat in the 2024 election.
Before becoming an MP, Farry was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for North Down from 2007 to 2019. He also worked as the Minister for Employment and Learning in the Northern Ireland Executive. This job was later removed in 2016.
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Early Life and Education
Stephen Farry was born in Newtownards, Northern Ireland. He went to Queen's University Belfast, where he studied Politics. He earned his first degree in 1992. Later, in 2000, he completed his PhD in International Relations.
His political journey began early. In 1993, he was first elected to the North Down Borough Council. This was a local government role. In 2007, he was elected as an MLA for North Down. He also served as the Mayor of North Down in 2007.
Political Journey
Minister for Employment and Learning
After being re-elected as an MLA in 2011, Stephen Farry became the Minister for Employment and Learning. This role meant he was in charge of jobs and education in Northern Ireland.
In 2011, he announced that university fees in Northern Ireland would not increase much. They would only go up a little bit to match inflation.
In 2013, he started a review of apprenticeships and training for young people. His goal was to create a "gold standard" system. This system would help people get the skills needed for jobs. It would also help the local economy grow. Many business groups supported his plans.
After the 2016 elections, his party decided to be in opposition. This meant he did not become a minister again. He then worked on committees in the Assembly until it stopped working in 2017.
Deputy Leader of the Alliance Party
In 2016, Stephen Farry was chosen as the Deputy Leader of the Alliance Party. He was the only person who put their name forward for the job.
In the 2017 Assembly election, he received many votes and was re-elected as an MLA. He became the Alliance Party's spokesperson on Brexit. He believed that people should have a vote on the final Brexit deal. He also argued against leaving the European Union without a deal.
In September 2024, Stephen Farry announced he would step down as Deputy Leader. This decision came after he lost his MP seat in the general election earlier that year. He also left the Alliance Party.
Member of Parliament
On December 13, 2019, Stephen Farry was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for North Down. An MP represents their local area in the UK Parliament in London. He took over from Lady Hermon, who had been the MP for 18 years.
When he gave his first speech in Parliament, he started by speaking in Irish. He did this to show the different traditions in Northern Ireland. It was the first time since 1901 that someone had started their first speech in Irish.
In May 2020, Stephen Farry and other politicians were warned about their safety. This warning was related to some groups in Northern Ireland.
He lost his MP seat in the 2024 general election.
Personal Life
Stephen Farry married Wendy Watt in 2005. He enjoys traveling and learning about international events. He also likes quizzes and reading history books. He even appeared on a TV quiz show called University Challenge in 1994.
