Nichola Mallon
Nichola Mallon (born 23 August 1979) is an Irish SDLP politician. She has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Belfast North since 2016, and was Lord Mayor of Belfast in 2014–2015. She was elected Deputy Leader of the SDLP in 2017.[1]
Nichola Mallon | |
|---|---|
 Mallon as Lord Mayor of Belfast in 2014 | |
| Minister of Infrastructure | |
| Assumed office 11 January 2020 | |
| First Minister | Arlene Foster |
| Preceded by | Chris Hazzard |
| Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Belfast North | |
| Assumed office 5 May 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Alban Maginness |
| 59th Lord Mayor of Belfast | |
| In office 2 June 2014 – 1 April 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Máirtín Ó Muilleoir |
| Succeeded by | Arder Carson |
| Councillor on Belfast City Council | |
| Assumed office 2010 | |
| Constituency | Oldpark |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 August 1979 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | SDLP |
| Spouse(s) | Brendan Scott (m.2013) |
| Children | Elena |
| Residence | Crumlin, Belfast |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Dublin Queen's University Belfast |
Background
Nichola Mallon was born in Belfast in 1979. Her father was a printer and her mother was a dress-maker. She grew up in the Ardoyne district of North Belfast.
She attended Mercy Primary School followed by St Dominic's Grammar School for Girls. She read Economics and Politics at Trinity College, Dublin and graduated with a BA (Hons), followed by an MA in Comparative Ethnic Conflict from Queen's University Belfast.
When she left QUB, she joined the civil service before moving to the General Medical Council and then to a job with the SDLP.[2]
Family
She is married to Brendan Scott and has three children, two daughters and a son.[3]
Political life
Her family were involved in the trade union movement and she took part in May Day rallies as a girl. At school she became more interested in politics and was attracted to the SDLP. In 2010 she was co-opted by the SDLP onto Belfast City Council to replace Alban Maginness in the Oldpark (District Electoral Area). In 2014, she won the seat in her own right, polling just under 1,000 first preferences. In 2013, she was appointed a special adviser to the SDLP's Environment Minister Mark H Durkan, but stood down from that position when elected Lord Mayor of Belfast in 2014.[2] She served as the Lord Mayor of Belfast from 2014 to 2015,[4] the first female Irish nationalist politician to hold the position.[5]
She was elected a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Belfast North in 2016 and re-elected in 2017, increasing the SDLP vote to 5,431 first preferences.
She was elected Deputy Leader of the SDLP in 2017.[6]
References
- "Nichola Mallon named SDLP deputy leader". Irish News. 12 September 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- Kane, Alex (7 June 2014). "Nichola Mallon: A people's mayor". Belfast Telegraph.
- "SDLP's Nichola Mallon gives birth to 'perfect' baby girl". Belfast Telegraph. 4 March 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- "Lord Mayor". Belfast City Council. 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
- "SDLP's Nichola Mallon is new Belfast lord mayor". BBC News. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
- "Nichola Mallon elected SDLP deputy leader". BBC News. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
| Civic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Máirtín Ó Muilleoir |
Lord Mayor of Belfast 2014–2015 |
Succeeded by Arder Carson |
| Northern Ireland Assembly | ||
| Preceded by Alban Maginness |
MLA for Belfast North 2016–present |
Incumbent |