Gary Middleton

Gary Middleton MLA (born 20 June 1990) is a Unionist politician from Northern Ireland representing the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). He has been a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Foyle since 2015.

For the Australian motorcycle racer, see Garry Middleton.

Gary Middleton
MLA
Junior Minister at the Executive Office
In office
17 June 2021 – 5 May 2022
Serving with Declan Kearney
Preceded byGordon Lyons
In office
2 February 2021 – 8 March 2021
Acting
Serving with Declan Kearney
Preceded byGordon Lyons
Succeeded byGordon Lyons
Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Foyle
Assumed office
13 April 2015
Preceded byMaurice Devenney
Deputy Mayor of Derry City Council
In office
June 2013 – March 2015
Personal details
Born (1990-06-20) 20 June 1990
Newbuildings, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
NationalityBritish
Political partyDemocratic Unionist Party
SpouseAlderman Julie Middleton (m.2015)
Alma materUniversity of Ulster
OccupationPolitician

He served as Acting Junior Minister for the Executive Office from February to March 2021 while Gordon Lyons was Acting Agriculture Minister while Edwin Poots stood aside due to ill health. In June 2021, Middleton replaced Lyons permanently as Junior Minister.

Early life

Born in Newbuildings, County Londonderry, Middleton studied Computer Science at the University of Ulster, and also obtained a diploma in Civic Leadership and Community Planning from the same institution. Prior to becoming an MLA, he was a youth worker and also worked as an assistant to Foyle MLA William Hay and later Maurice Devenney, who was himself co-opted to replace William Hay in October 2014 upon the latter's retirement after being elevated to the House of Lords.[1]

Electoral history

Middleton was first elected to Derry City Council in 2011 at the age of 20, replacing William Hay by co-option. He also served as Deputy Mayor from June 2013 – March 2015.[2]

In 2014 he was elected to the new Derry and Strabane 'super council' and was appointed group leader of the DUP councillors. In April 2015, he was co-opted to replace fellow DUP member Maurice Devenney in the Northern Ireland Assembly, becoming the assembly's youngest member at 24.[3]

Shortly after joining the assembly, it was announced that Middleton would be the DUP's candidate for the Foyle constituency in the United Kingdom general election, eventually finishing a distant third with 12.4% of the vote.[3]

General Election 2015: Foyle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
SDLP Mark Durkan 17,725 47.9 +3.2
Sinn Féin Gearóid Ó hEára 11,679 31.6 −0.4
DUP Gary Middleton 4,573 12.4 +0.5
Ulster Unionist Julia Kee 1,226 3.3 +0.1
Alliance David Hawthorne 835 2.3 +1.7
UKIP Kyle Thompson 832 2.2 N/A
NI Conservatives Hamish Badenoch 132 0.4 N/A
Majority 6,046 16.3
Turnout 37,002 52.8 −4.7
SDLP hold Swing

References
  1. McAdam, Noel. "Co-opted MLA quits seat after five months". Belfasttelegraph. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  2. "Who We Are - Gary Middleton". Mydup.com. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  3. "Gary Middleton pays tribute to DUP colleagues". Londonderry Sentinel. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
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