Billy Armstrong
Encyclopedia
Billy Armstrong is an Ulster Unionist politician in Northern Ireland
.
He served as Assembly Member for Mid Ulster
from 1998 until 2011, when he was succeeded by his daughter, Sandra Overend
. He was a member of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, the Committee for Enterprise, Trade & Industry and the Committee of the Environment. In 2005, he became the first Ulster Unionist candidate since 1983 to contest Mid Ulster in the Westminster General Election.
Armstrong served as a part-time Royal Ulster Constabulary
Reserve Constable for fourteen years from 1975 until 1989.
He is a member of Brigh Presbyterian Church. He is also a member of the Loyal Orange Order, holding the position of Honorary Secretary of Chambré's Volunteers L.O.L. 171, and a member of the Royal Black Institution were he currently holds the position of Lay Chaplin of Tamlaghtmore Red Cross Temperance R.B.P. 518. He has also held the positions of Worshipful Master, Treasurer and Secretary of this preceptory.
Having first been elected in 1998, Armstrong is now one of the longest-serving members of the Northern Ireland Assembly. He currently serves as Deputy Whip of the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly Group, and is the UUP Spokesman for Social Development.
In 1998 Assembly election Armstrong polled 9% of the popular vote; in 2003 9.7%; and in 2007 10.8%. Over the same period the UUP vote has decreased from 13.93% in 1998 to 10.8% in 2007 and lost 2,157 votes.
In September 2007 Armstrong talked of need of Unionist Unity, stating, "I do not pretend that any merger with the DUP is likely – indeed it may not even be desirable – but I do believe that for the sake of the Unionist electorate, we should try to see if some kind of accommodation or understanding is possible. .". This topic was also discussed by Ulster Unionist supporter and Newsletter
columnist Alex Kane.
Following the revelation that Conservative MP Derek Conway
paid his son from his expenses to do no work, public interest in elected representatives' expenses mounted. It was revealed that Billy Armstrong had paid rent to his wife for his constituency office for a period up to 2007. Armstrong's office is a prefab, which stands beside his home, Prospect House near Stewartstown, County Tyrone.
Armstrong officially opened a second Constituency Office at 20 High Street, Moneymore on Friday 6 March 2009, although this office has been serving the constiuents of Mid-Ulster since November 8.
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...
.
He served as Assembly Member for Mid Ulster
Mid Ulster (UK Parliament constituency)
Mid Ulster is a Parliamentary Constituency in the British House of Commons.-Boundaries:The constituency was created in 1950 when the old two-seat constituency of Fermanagh and Tyrone was abolished as part of the final move to single member seats...
from 1998 until 2011, when he was succeeded by his daughter, Sandra Overend
Sandra Overend
Sandra Overend is an Ulster Unionist Party politician in Northern Ireland who was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2011.Overend was born near Stewartstown, County Tyrone and educated at Cookstown High School and the University of Ulster. She lives near Bellaghy, County Londonderry...
. He was a member of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, the Committee for Enterprise, Trade & Industry and the Committee of the Environment. In 2005, he became the first Ulster Unionist candidate since 1983 to contest Mid Ulster in the Westminster General Election.
Armstrong served as a part-time Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
Reserve Constable for fourteen years from 1975 until 1989.
He is a member of Brigh Presbyterian Church. He is also a member of the Loyal Orange Order, holding the position of Honorary Secretary of Chambré's Volunteers L.O.L. 171, and a member of the Royal Black Institution were he currently holds the position of Lay Chaplin of Tamlaghtmore Red Cross Temperance R.B.P. 518. He has also held the positions of Worshipful Master, Treasurer and Secretary of this preceptory.
Having first been elected in 1998, Armstrong is now one of the longest-serving members of the Northern Ireland Assembly. He currently serves as Deputy Whip of the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly Group, and is the UUP Spokesman for Social Development.
In 1998 Assembly election Armstrong polled 9% of the popular vote; in 2003 9.7%; and in 2007 10.8%. Over the same period the UUP vote has decreased from 13.93% in 1998 to 10.8% in 2007 and lost 2,157 votes.
In September 2007 Armstrong talked of need of Unionist Unity, stating, "I do not pretend that any merger with the DUP is likely – indeed it may not even be desirable – but I do believe that for the sake of the Unionist electorate, we should try to see if some kind of accommodation or understanding is possible. .". This topic was also discussed by Ulster Unionist supporter and Newsletter
The News Letter
The News Letter is one of Northern Ireland's main daily newspapers, published Monday to Saturday. It is the oldest English language general daily newspaper still in publication in the world, having first been printed in 1737....
columnist Alex Kane.
Following the revelation that Conservative MP Derek Conway
Derek Conway
Derek Leslie Conway TD is an English politician and television presenter. A member of the centre-right Conservative Party, Conway served as a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Old Bexley and Sidcup from 2001 to 2010....
paid his son from his expenses to do no work, public interest in elected representatives' expenses mounted. It was revealed that Billy Armstrong had paid rent to his wife for his constituency office for a period up to 2007. Armstrong's office is a prefab, which stands beside his home, Prospect House near Stewartstown, County Tyrone.
Armstrong officially opened a second Constituency Office at 20 High Street, Moneymore on Friday 6 March 2009, although this office has been serving the constiuents of Mid-Ulster since November 8.