THOMAS BURNS MLA (SDLP)


Thomas was born in August 1960 in Aldergrove.  He is married with three sons and is now living in Crumlin.  He is a founding member of the Camlin Credit Union and has served as a director of Antrim's Citizen's Advice Bureau.  A member of the SDLP for over twenty years, he has been a local councillor on Antrim Borough Council since 1997 and is a member of the District Policing Partnership.  His election in November 2003 as MLA squeezed out SDLP colleague Donovan McClelland, a former Deputy Speaker.  In 2007 Thomas was re-elected after again edging a party colleague, this time Donovan McClelland’s wife, Noreen. In March 2008 Burns replaced his party colleague Patsy McGlone MLA (Mid-Ulster) on the Public Accounts Committee. The Party Spokesperson for Social Development, Burns is a member of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and Social Development Committee in the Assembly.

AVID BURNSIDE MLA (UUP)

David Burnside was born in August 1951 in Ballymoney and educated at Coleraine Academical Institution and Queen's University. He was elected as an MP in 2001 but lost his Westminster seat in 2005 to Rev. Willie McCrea.  David is former Director of Public Affairs at British Airways (1984 - 1993). David has been an MLA since 2003 when he topped the poll.  In the 2007 Assembly Election he was re-elected but on a much reduced share of the vote. Burnside is not a member of any of the Assembly Committees.

TREVOR CLARKE MLA (DUP)

Trevor Clarke is married to Linda with three children and lives in Randalstown. Trevor was self-employed before entering the Assembly. He is an active member of the Orange Order and has recently held the position of District Master of Randalstown District LOL.   He is one of the founder members of the Maine Credit Union in Randalstown Orange Hall and has held the position of Treasurer since its inception.  Trevor attends Second Randalstown Presbyterian Church and has worked with youth organisations in the area.  Trevor was elected as an MLA in the 2007 Assembly Election on the eighth count. Clarke is a member of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and the Environment Committee in the Assembly.

DAVID FORD MLA (ALL)

Born in 1951, David Ford was educated at Warren Road Primary School, Orpington and Dulwich College, London. He graduated from Queen's University, Belfast with a BSc Economics and from the then Northern Ireland Polytechnic (now UUJ) with a Certificate in Social Work. He is married to Anne and they have four children. He was elected leader of the Alliance party on 6 October 2001.  His own success at seeing off Sinn Féin's Martin Meehan ensured that the Alliance Party held its own, despite the squeeze on smaller parties in the 2003 Assembly elections.  In the 2007 Assembly Election he consolidated his position and comfortably held his seat receiving over 5,000 first preference votes.  He is a member of the Environment Committee in the Assembly and is Party Spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development issues, the Environment and Constitutional and Institutional Affairs.

REV. WILLIAM MCCREA MP MLA (DUP)

Rev William McCrea was born in Stewartstown Co. Tyrone in 1948. He was educated at Cookstown Grammar School and then attended Theological College. He became a Free Presbyterian Minister, having also spent time as a Civil Servant in the Department of Health and Social Services. In 1971 he was jailed for six months for riotous behaviour in Dungiven, Co. Derry. He was Chair of the Environment Committee in the 1998-2003 Assembly, where he served as MLA for Mid Ulster. He has served as MP for both Mid Ulster (1983 - 1997) and for South Antrim (2000 – 2001, 2005 - present). In 2007 William stood for the Assembly Election in Antrim South, where he is now MP, and was successfully elected on the first count. McCrea is Chair of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee in the Assembly and Party Spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development issues.

MITCHEL MCLAUGHLIN MLA (SF)

Mitchel McLaughlin was born in Derry in 1945. A refrigeration engineer by profession, he was educated in the Christian Brothers' Technical College, Derry. He is married to Mary-Lou and they have three sons.  Mitchel was first elected to Derry City Council in 1985 and has been Sinn Féin Spokesperson on the Environment.  Mitchel is now Sinn Féin’s General Secretary and in 2007 switched from his Foyle constituency to contest Antrim South in the Assembly Election in an attempt to win Sinn Féin’s first ever seat there.  Mitchel was successful and in the process topped the poll pushing DUP MP William McCrea into second place. Mitchel is Party Spokesperson on Economic and Finance issues and chairs the the Finance and Personnel Committee. He also sits on the Public Accounts Committee in the Assembly.