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Deborah Erskine

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Deborah Erskine
MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly
forFermanagh and South Tyrone
Assumed office
11 October 2021
Preceded byArlene Foster
Member ofFermanagh and Omagh District Council
In office
2 May 2019 – 11 October 2021
Preceded byDavid Mahon
Succeeded byPaul Stevenson
ConstituencyErne North
Personal details
Born
Deborah Armstrong

1990/1991
Enniskillen, County Fermanagh,Northern Ireland
NationalityBritish
Political partyDemocratic Unionist Party
SpouseRobert Erskine (m.2019)
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionJournalist

Deborah Erskine(born 1990 or 1991;néeArmstrong) is aDemocratic Unionist Party(DUP) politician fromNorthern Ireland.She was elected as a councillor for Erne North in the2019 Fermanagh and Omagh District Council election,and has been aMember of the Legislative Assembly(MLA) forFermanagh and South Tyronesince 11 October 2021. Erskine is the DUP Spokesperson for Promoting the Union with Young People and New Communities.[1]

Career[edit]

Before becoming a politician, Deborah Armstrong worked as a journalist. Her first role was a reporter for theUlster Herald,a weekly newspaper based inOmagh.[2]She then became a press officer for the DUP, before working inArlene Foster'sconstituency office.

Council[edit]

Armstrong was elected toFermanagh and Omagh District Councilin the2019 election,for the Erne North electoral area, ranking sixth out of ten candidates on first preference votes. She unseated incumbent DUP councillor David Mahon once all vote transfers had been completed.[3]Arlene Foster was named as her election agent.[4]She had been considered a favourite for chairperson of the council in 2021 following the end of Diana Armstrong's term, however the role went to Errol Thompson of the DUP.[5]

Armstrong (Erskine following her marriage in late 2019[5]) was supportive of Arlene Foster when DUP MLAs and MPs signed a letter of no confidence in her leadership. Along withMid Ulster District Councilcouncillor Kim Ashton, she criticisedChristopher Stalford'shandling of the fallout.[5]Following Foster's resignation as leader, and the subsequentleadership election,Erskine was critical of Foster's removal, with her constituency group saying it was "not done in our name".[6]She was thought to be supportive of Paul Bell, Ashton's father, who left the party following Poots's election.[7]

MLA[edit]

Foster announced her resignation as MLA forFermanagh and South Tyroneon 7 September 2021.[8]A month later, on 7 October, Erskine was announced to have been co-opted to replace Foster,[9]and became MLA on 11 October 2021.[10]Erskine used her acceptance speech to praise Foster, saying that "[h]er dedication to Fermanagh and South Tyrone has been unstinting. I thank Arlene for her unwavering encouragement to me, and I know that will continue."[11]Her seat on Fermanagh and Omagh District Council was filled by Paul Stevenson. Erskine is a member of theCommittee for Healthin the Assembly.[12]

In the2022 Assembly election,Erskine was elected to a full term with 5,272 first preference votes. She was elected in the eighth count with 6695.3 votes.[13]She used her acceptance speech to praise Foster, saying that she "should be here today for re-election and I want to pay tribute to her for her work and dedication to this constituency and indeed, Northern Ireland."[14]

Personal life[edit]

Erskine married Robert Erskine on 31 October 2019.[15][5]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Deborah Erskine MLA".DUP.Retrieved20 November2023.
  2. ^"Deborah Armstrong Archives".Ulster Herald.Archived fromthe originalon 22 October 2021.Retrieved22 October2021.
  3. ^"Erne North DEA - Election Results 2019"(PDF).fermanaghomagh.Retrieved22 October2021.
  4. ^"Deborah Erskine replaces Arlene Foster as Fermanagh-South Tyrone MLA".BBC News.7 October 2021.Retrieved22 October2021.
  5. ^abcdHughes, Brendan (8 September 2021)."Deborah Erskine, the DUP councillor tipped to replace Arlene Foster as MLA".BelfastLive.Retrieved22 October2021.
  6. ^Leebody, Christopher."Fermanagh and South Tyrone DUP group express 'disgust' at removal of Arlene Foster as leader".Belfast Telegraph.Retrieved22 October2021.
  7. ^Manley, John (7 July 2021)."Former DUP press officer Deborah Erskine earmarked for Arlene Foster's Stormont seat".The Irish News.Retrieved22 October2021.
  8. ^"Arlene Foster to step down as MLA by end of month".BBC News.7 September 2021.Retrieved22 October2021.
  9. ^"Ex-Herald journalist replaces Arlene Foster as MLA".Ulster Herald.7 October 2021.Retrieved22 October2021.
  10. ^"The Northern Ireland Assembly".niassembly.gov.uk.Retrieved22 October2021.
  11. ^"New DUP Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA welcomed by leader".Impartial Reporter.Retrieved22 October2021.
  12. ^"Membership".niassembly.gov.uk.Retrieved9 March2022.
  13. ^"NI Assembly Election 2022 Results For Fermanagh South Tyrone".Belfast Telegraph.Retrieved7 May2022.
  14. ^Campbell, Niamh (6 May 2022)."Fermanagh and South Tyrone: UUP lose female representation at Stormont as Tom Elliott replaces Rosemary Barton, as DUP and Sinn Fein's seats remain".Belfast Telegraph.Retrieved7 May2022.
  15. ^@deborah_cheryl (2 November 2019)."Our wedding day. On Thursday I took on another role - wife. Thank you to everyone for their love and support. Wonderful memories to last a lifetime"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
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