Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly since 2024
Commander
Steve Aiken
OBE MLA
Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 February 2024
Serving with Carál Ní Chuilín and John Blair
Preceded by
Patsy McGlone
Ulster Unionist Party spokesperson for Finance
Incumbent
Assumed office 24 May 2021
Leader
Doug Beattie
17th Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
In office 9 November 2019 – 27 May 2021
Preceded by
Robin Swann
Succeeded by
Doug Beattie
Member of the Legislative Assembly for South Antrim[a]
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 May 2016
Preceded by
Adrian Cochrane-Watson
Personal details
Born
Ballyclare, Northern Ireland
Political party
Ulster Unionist Party
Alma mater
Britannia Royal Naval College King's College London University of Cambridge
Profession
Royal Navy Commander, Submarine Warfare
Military service
Allegiance
United Kingdom
Branch/service
Royal Navy
Years of service
1980–2011
Rank
Commander
Unit
Submarine Service
a. ^ Suspended on 13 and 14 May 2024
Stephen Ronald AikenOBE MLA is a Northern Irish politician, serving as the Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly since 2024.
A member of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), he was party leader from 2019 to 2021, having previously served as Chief Whip from 2017 to 2019.
Aiken has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for South Antrim since 2016, although he received a brief suspension in May 2024 after being sanctioned for breaching the "confidentiality" of the assembly complaints process.[1]
^"Steve Aiken suspended from assembly after vote". BBC News. 7 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
2023. "Former submariner SteveAiken surfaces at Stormont". 10 May 2016. Aiken, Steve (31 January 2013). "Speech by SteveAiken British Irish Chamber"....
Clayton Holmes Aiken (né Grissom; born November 30, 1978) is an American singer, television personality, actor, politician, and activist. Aiken finished second...
leagues, along with Steve Chilcott and Brien Taylor. Aiken attended Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego, California. Aiken pitched for the 18U...
they would never support Corbyn as prime minister, with their leader SteveAiken also saying that he "can't really see" any situation in which they would...
Nicholson. Danny Kennedy stood as the UUP candidate polling 9.3% (-4.0%). SteveAiken succeeded Robin Swann as leader in November 2019. The party increased...
as First Minister, Paul Givan took up the position on 17 June 2021. SteveAiken announced his resignation as leader of the UUP on 8 May 2021, with Doug...
David Trimble, the inaugural First Minister of Northern Ireland; and SteveAiken, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party. The main cause of the legal action...
The University of South Carolina Aiken (USC Aiken or USCA) is a public university in Aiken, South Carolina. It is part of the University of South Carolina...
distraction. He endorsed SteveAiken, a former Royal Navy commander who was elected MLA for South Antrim in 2016. Both Aiken and Beattie were seen as...
contention as the next leader and endorsed former Royal Navy commander SteveAiken and served as Deputy instead. Beattie stood as a candidate for Member...
Swing 5.4% 6.7% 3.1% Fourth party Fifth party Leader Naomi Long SteveAiken Party Alliance UUP Leader since 26 October 2016 9 November 2019 Leader's seat...
office 8 April 2017 – 9 November 2019 Deputy SteveAiken Preceded by Mike Nesbitt Succeeded by SteveAiken Ulster Unionist Chief Whip In office 6 April...
Nicola Jane Aiken (née Durbin; born 4 February 1969) is a British Conservative Party politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cities of...
election was triggered following the resignation of incumbent leader SteveAiken, who was elected in 2019. Doug Beattie, a retired Army captain who was...
May 2022 Eóin Tennyson Upper Bann 5 May 2022 Ulster Unionist Party (9) SteveAiken ° South Antrim 5 May 2016 Andy Allen Belfast East 15 September 2015 Doug...
Féin since 6 February 2024 John Blair, Alliance since 3 February 2024 SteveAiken, UUP since 3 February 2024 First Minister Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Féin...
(DUP), Pam Cameron (DUP), Declan Kearney (SF), David Ford (Alliance), SteveAiken (UUP) and Trevor Clarke (DUP). Kula, Adam (12 May 2022). "ELECTION 2022:...
incumbent Sinn Féin Belfast North John Blair 3 February 2024 – incumbent Alliance South Antrim SteveAiken 3 February 2024 – incumbent UUP South Antrim...
Arbuckle (acting) January 2001 July 2001 John Graham 2001 March 2006 SteveAiken (acting) April 2006 March 2007 Susan Dudley April 4, 2007 January 20...
United 27–30 Nov 2019 2,422 30% 25% 13% 11% 16% 0% 5% 5% 9 November 2019 SteveAiken officially becomes leader of the Ulster Unionist Party Lucid Talk/Remain...
leaders of the UUP not to be a member of the Orange Order, the other being SteveAiken, who led the Party from 2019 to 2021. "'I could see myself getting old...
Mike Nesbitt 2012 2017 Leader of the Opposition 16 Robin Swann 8 March 2017 9 Nov 2019 17 SteveAiken 9 Nov 2019 27 May 2021 18 Doug Beattie 27 May 2021...
Incumbent Assumed office 3 February 2024 Deputy Carál Ní Chuilín John Blair SteveAiken Preceded by Alex Maskey Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party In office...
as Conservative Party MP Simon Hoare and Ulster Unionist Party leader SteveAiken. Minister of Infrastructure Nichola Mallon of the Social Democratic and...