Tom Elliott
Encyclopedia
Tom Elliott MLA is a Northern Ireland
Ulster Unionist MLA and the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
and former UDR
member. He beat Basil McCrea
643 votes to 296 in a leadership contest after the 2010 UK general election.
Elliott was selected as the UUP candidate for Fermanagh and South Tyrone UK Parliament constituency
in the 2010 general election, but stood down in favour of independent Unionist candidate Rodney Connor
.
In June 2010, Elliott announced his intention to run in the Ulster Unionist Party leadership election, 2010
. He was elected although not without some controversy. It emerged shortly before the leadership election that a quarter of the UUP membership came from Fermanagh and South Tyrone
, a disproportionately high figure. The Irish political magazine, the Phoenix
, described Elliott as a "blast from the past" and that his election signified "a significant shift to the right" by the UUP
.
Magheracross Parish Church. He also has a strong interest in local soccer at Ballinamallard Football Club. He served part-time in the Ulster Defence Regiment
and the Royal Irish Regiment for 18 years.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
Ulster Unionist MLA and the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
and former UDR
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
member. He beat Basil McCrea
Basil McCrea
Basil McCrea MLA is a unionist politician in Northern Ireland. He was elected in 2007 to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Ulster Unionist Party member for Lagan Valley. He unsuccessfully contested the 2005 UK General Election in Lagan Valley for the UUP...
643 votes to 296 in a leadership contest after the 2010 UK general election.
Education
- Ballinamallard Primary School
- Duke of Westminster High School, Ballinamallard & Kesh
- EnniskillenEnniskillenEnniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
College of Agriculture where he earned a College Certificate in Agriculture
Political
- Activist in Ballinamallard Ward Ulster Unionist committee for many years. Currently Chairman of that committee.
- Honorary Secretary Fermanagh Divisional Unionist Association since 1998.
- Chairman of internal Ulster Unionist ad-hoc Review Group for its duration.
- Election Agent for James Cooper in 2001 Westminster campaign.
- Ulster Unionist Councillor on Fermanagh District CouncilFermanagh District CouncilFermanagh District Council is a local council in Northern Ireland. The borders of the district are very similar to those of the traditional County Fermanagh, containing all of that county plus a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore Road and Kilskeery Road areas. Council headquarters are...
representing Erne North – Elected June 2001 – Re-elected May 2005 - Resigned to allow a Co-option August 2010 - Member of the Northern Ireland AssemblyNorthern Ireland AssemblyThe Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
representing Fermanagh & South Tyrone – Elected November 2003 - Re-elected March 2007 - Re-elected May 2011. - Ulster Unionist Assembly spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
- UUP candidate for Fermanagh and South Tyrone UK Parliament constituencyFermanagh and South Tyrone (UK Parliament constituency)Fermanagh and South Tyrone is a Parliamentary constituency in the British House of Commons. The current MP for the constituency is Michelle Gildernew of Sinn Féin....
, in 2005 Westminster elections. - Currently Vice Chair of the Agricultural Committee in StormontNorthern Ireland AssemblyThe Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
and also sits as a member of the Committee of the Office of the First and deputy First Minister.
Elliott was selected as the UUP candidate for Fermanagh and South Tyrone UK Parliament constituency
Fermanagh and South Tyrone (UK Parliament constituency)
Fermanagh and South Tyrone is a Parliamentary constituency in the British House of Commons. The current MP for the constituency is Michelle Gildernew of Sinn Féin....
in the 2010 general election, but stood down in favour of independent Unionist candidate Rodney Connor
Rodney Connor
Rodney Connor was the Unionist "Unity" candidate for the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in Fermanagh and South Tyrone in the 2010 Westminster election. He had the backing of the Democratic Unionist Party , and the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force electoral alliance between...
.
In June 2010, Elliott announced his intention to run in the Ulster Unionist Party leadership election, 2010
Ulster Unionist Party leadership election, 2010
An election for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party was held on 22 September 2010.-Background:Following poor results in the UK general election, 2005, the UUP held a leadership election, in which Reg Empey was successful...
. He was elected although not without some controversy. It emerged shortly before the leadership election that a quarter of the UUP membership came from Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Fermanagh and South Tyrone
Fermanagh and South Tyrone can refer to:*Fermanagh and South Tyrone *Fermanagh and South Tyrone...
, a disproportionately high figure. The Irish political magazine, the Phoenix
The Phoenix (magazine)
The Phoenix is Ireland's best selling political and current affairs magazine. Inspired by the British magazine Private Eye, and a source of investigative journalism in Ireland...
, described Elliott as a "blast from the past" and that his election signified "a significant shift to the right" by the UUP
Membership of the Loyal Orders
Elliott is a Past County Grand Master of the Orange Order within Fermanagh and Assistant Secretary to the Grand Lodge of Ireland. He is also a member of the Royal Black PreceptoryRoyal Black Preceptory
The Royal Black Institution, also known as the Royal Black Preceptory or The Imperial Grand Black Chapter Of The British Commonwealth or simply as the Black Institution is a Protestant fraternal society....
.
Personal life
He is married to Anne and has one daughter and one son. They live on the family farm near Ballinamallard. He is a member of the Church of IrelandChurch of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
Magheracross Parish Church. He also has a strong interest in local soccer at Ballinamallard Football Club. He served part-time in the Ulster Defence Regiment
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
and the Royal Irish Regiment for 18 years.
Controversies
- Elliott caused controversy while campaigning for the UUP leadership when he stated publicly that he wouldn't attend gay prideGay prideLGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
parades or Gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic Athletic AssociationThe Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
matches.
- After he was elected in the 2011 Assembly election, in his victory speech Elliott referred to the Irish tricolour as a "flag of a foreign nation". When he started to receive heckles from the audience, he went on to describe nationalist supporters holding Irish flags as "the scum of Sinn Féin". Independent Unionist David McClartyDavid McClartyCouncillor David McClarty, MLA is an Independent Unionist politician from Northern Ireland.He is from Coleraine and was educated at Coleraine Academical Institution and Magee College...
quipped that he "made Jim AllisterJim AllisterJames Hugh "Jim" Allister, QC is a Northern Ireland Unionist politician and senior barrister. He is the leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice political party, serving as MLA in the Northern Ireland Assembly, where he represents Antrim North.He was formerly a member of the Democratic Unionist...
sound like the Dalai LamaDalai LamaThe Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
'. Although initially refusing to retract his comments he later issued an apology.