Stephen Farry steps down as Alliance Party deputy leader

Dr Stephen Farry has announced that he will step down as deputy leader of the Alliance Party.

Farry lost his North Down seat in the general election earlier this year to Alex Easton but had remained as deputy leader until now.

In a statement, he thanked the party membership for “putting their trust” in him during his tenure. He was appointed deputy leader of the party in 2016.

A meeting of the Alliance Party Executive on September 12 will outline the timescale for an election of a new deputy leader, of which any serving MLA or MP can be nominated.

This weekend at a meeting of the Alliance Party Council, I announced that I was stepping down as Deputy Leader.

I wanted to take the opportunity to personally thank the party membership for putting their trust in me as Deputy Leader over the past eight years, and for their strong support for me during my 30 years in elected politics.

I have been privileged to have had so many opportunities in politics and to make a difference through being a councillor, MLA, Minister and most recently as an MP. Over that time, I hope I have made a significant contribution on many issues, and helped to make this place a more inclusive and prosperous society.

Having helped the party to weather some difficult times in the past, I have been delighted to see the party flourishing electorally in recent years, and I remain committed to the vision, values and policies of Alliance and assisting colleagues in their ongoing work.

Since the General Election in July, I have had many positive conversations regarding how I can further make a significant contribution to this society. I am currently considering several opportunities in this regard. Public service remains very important to me, and I will strive to make a difference through a range of mechanisms to address the considerable challenges facing society, domestically and internationally.  

– Stephen Farry