John Stewart (Northern Ireland politician)

John Stewart (born 9 April 1983) is an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician and businessman who has been a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for East Antrim since 2017.[1][2]

John Stewart
MLA
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for East Antrim
Assumed office
2 March 2017
Preceded byAlastair Ross
Ulster Unionist Chief Whip
Assumed office
25 May 2021
LeaderDoug Beattie
Preceded byRobbie Butler
Ulster Unionist Party spokesperson for the Executive Office
Assumed office
25 May 2021
LeaderDoug Beattie
Ulster Unionist Party spokesperson for Infrastructure
Assumed office
25 May 2021
LeaderDoug Beattie
Personal details
Born (1983-04-09) 9 April 1983
Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland
NationalityBritish
Political partyUlster Unionist Party
SpouseDeborah Stewart
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Cardiff
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionSales director

Early life and education

Stewart was born on 9 April 1983.[3] He was educated at Carrickfergus Grammar School, a controlled grammar school in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.[4] He studied history at Cardiff University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.[5]

Career

Before his election to the assembly, Stewart worked as the sales director of his family's business, Robinson's Shoemakers, which is based in Carrickfergus, County Antrim.[5]

Stewart serves in the Army Reserve (formally known as the Territorial Army).[3] He is a soldier of the North Irish Horse.[5]

Political career
John Stewart MLA - Larne constituency office

Stewart joined the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) in 2008.[6] He was elected to Carrickfergus Borough Council in the 2011 local elections as a councillor for the Knockagh Monument electoral area.[7] In 2014, he was elected to the newly created Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for Carrick Castle.[8] He served as Deputy Mayor of Carrickfergus 2013–14.

On 2 March 2017, Stewart was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for East Antrim in stage 9 of the count.[9] In the 2022 Assembly election he polled 6195 votes and was re-elected after the third count.

Stewart is the Ulster Unionist Party's Infrastructure spokesperson. In August 2023, he called for action to tackle MoT waiting lists and outlined that the UUP would reuse the Temporary Exemption Certificates, used at the height of the pandemic, "to allow backlogs to be cleared and fines to be appealed."[10]

On 24 August 2023, Stewart called for the Kilroot coal-powered power station to be kept open during the coming winter, this followed news that the gas turbines to replace coal would not be commissioned on time.[11]

Personal life

Stewart is married to Deborah.[6] He has two sons, Cohen and Harrison. He also has 2 office dogs Jaxon and Henry.[8]

References
  1. @BBCNewsNI (3 March 2017). "John Stewart (UUP) elected in East Antrim #ae17" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. "Ups and downs across Northern Ireland constituencies". Belfast Telegraph. 3 March 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  3. "Mr John Stewart". Assembly Information Management System. Northern Ireland Assembly. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  4. Victoria Leonard (9 October 2015). "Fears for pupil safety at Carrick Grammar School". Carrickfergus Times. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  5. "John Stewart". Ulster Unionist Party. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  6. Cousins, Graeme (3 April 2017). "New MLA who is more frustrated than most at our political limbo". Belfast News Letter. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  7. "Carrickfergus Borough Council Elections 1993-2011". Ark Northern Ireland Elections.
  8. "Double celebrations for Deputy Mayor". Carrickfergus Times. 30 May 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  9. "East Antrim". Northern Ireland Election 2017. British Broadcasting Corporation. 4 March 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  10. "John Stewart MLA Calls for Action on MoT Waiting Lists". UUP Live. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  11. "John Stewart MLA Calls for Kilroot Coal-Powered Power Station to be Kept Open During the Coming Winter". UUP Live. Retrieved 25 August 2023.


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