Clare Bailey

Clare Bailey (born 18 June 1970) is a Northern Irish politician who has been the Leader of Green Party Northern Ireland since November 2018.

Clare Bailey
MLA
Bailey in 2011
Leader of Green Party Northern Ireland
Assumed office
21 November 2018
DeputyCllr Malachai O'Hara
Preceded bySteven Agnew
Deputy Leader of Green Party Northern Ireland
In office
November 2014 – 1 October 2017
LeaderSteven Agnew
Preceded byOffice created
Succeeded byTanya Jones
Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Belfast South
Assumed office
May 2016
Preceded byFearghal McKinney
Personal details
Born (1970-06-18) 18 June 1970
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Political partyGreen Party
Children2
Alma materQueen's University Belfast

Early life

Bailey was born in Clonard on the Lower Falls.[1] She was one of the first 28 pupils of Lagan College, Northern Ireland's first integrated school.[2][3] She later attended Queen's University Belfast.

Political career

Bailey identifies as pro-choice and a feminist.[4] She was a client escort for women accessing healthcare advice at the Belfast Marie Stopes Clinic, enduring assault and intimidation from anti-abortion protesters.[5] She has also worked supporting survivors of sexual violence and abuse.[6]

In 2011 she stood unsuccessfully for the Laganbank district electoral area on Belfast City Council, narrowly missing a seat and coming 6th in a 5-seater district electoral area. She has been an MLA for Belfast South since the 2016 election, after nearly tripling the Green Party vote in the area compared to the previous Assembly election. She was re-elected to the Assembly in 2017.[7][8]

She served as the GPNI deputy leader until 2017, when she stood down to focus on her work as an MLA.

In November 2018, Bailey became leader of the Northern Irish Green Party.

In May 2019, Bailey ran unsuccessfully for European Parliament, receiving 12,471 votes which placed her 7th. Bailey managed to increase the Greens' share of the vote by 0.48%.

References
  1. McNeilly, Claire (24 July 2017). "MLA Clare Bailey: I know what it's like to be homeless single mum on benefits". Belfast Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  2. Atkinson, Karen (11 March 2017). "The Scout Hall school". BBC News. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  3. "Clare Bailey MLA, South Belfast". The Green Party Northern Ireland.
  4. "The Big Interview: Clare Bailey deputy leader of the Green Party". Belfast Telegraph. 28 June 2015.
  5. Ferguson, Amanda (8 December 2017). "Closure of Marie Stopes Belfast clinic ends five years of hostility". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  6. The Newsroom (28 May 2016). "'˜I could have ended up sleeping on the streets'". News Letter. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  7. Allsop, Bradley (8 May 2016). "Winds of change as Greens and People Before Profit win seats". Bright Green. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  8. "NI Assembly election: DUP remains largest as assembly count ends". BBC News. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
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