Andrew McMurray

{{Short description|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland MLA}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}

{{Use Hiberno-English|date=April 2024}}

{{Infobox politician

| name = Andrew McMurray

| honorific-suffix = MLA

| image = Andrew McMurray MLA.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| constituency_AM = South Down

| assembly = Northern Ireland

| term_start = 30 April 2024

| term_end =

| predecessor = Patrick Brown

| successor =

| office1 = Member of
Newry, Mourne and Down Council

| constituency1 = Slieve Croob

| term_start1 = 8 October 2019

| term_end1 = 30 April 2024

| predecessor1 = Gregory Bain

| successor1 = Helena Young

| constituency2 = Slieve Croob

| term_start2 = 16 November 2016

| term_end2 = 2 May 2019

| predecessor2 = Patrick Clarke

| successor2 =

| birth_date =

| birth_place = County Down, Northern Ireland

| death_date =

| nationality = Northern Irish

| party = Alliance

| otherparty =

| education =

| alma_mater =

| profession =

| website =

}}

Andrew McMurray is an Alliance Party politician, serving as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for South Down since April 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-68920190|title=Alliance Party selects Andrew McMurray as new South Down MLA|date=29 April 2024|accessdate=29 April 2024|website=BBC News|last=Hughes|first=Brendan}}{{Cite web |title=The Northern Ireland Assembly |url=http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=www.niassembly.gov.uk |language=en-GB}}

Background

=Political career=

McMurray was co-opted onto to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council in November 2016, succeeding Patrick Clarke as Alliance councillor in the Slieve Croob District.{{cite news|title = New Alliance councillor is Castlewellan resident|url = http://www.thedownrecorder.co.uk/pages/?title=New_Alliance_councillor_is_Castlewellan_resident|work = The Down Recorder|date = 16 November 2016|access-date = 27 October 2024}}

McMurray ran in South Down at the 2017 general election, coming last, with 1,814 votes (3.6%).{{cite web|title = Election result for South Down|url = https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/3741/election/377|website = UK Parliament|access-date = 27 October 2024}}{{cite news|title = South Down results - General Election 2017|url = https://elections.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/general-election-2017/south-down|work = Belfast Telegraph|access-date = 27 October 2024}}

At the 2019 local elections, he moved to The Mournes District, though was unsuccessful.{{cite web|title = Newry, Mourne and Down local election: The Mournes area|url = https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/elections/local.newry-mourne-and-down.the-mournes.2019-05-02/the-mournes/|website = Who Can I Vote For?|access-date = 27 October 2019}}

McMurray returned to the Council in October 2019, following Gregory Bain's resignation.{{cite news|title = McMurray is back on council|url = https://www.outlooknews.co.uk/news/2019/10/08/gallery/mcmurray-is-back-on-council-6363/|work = Outlook News|date = 8 October 2019|access-date = 27 October 2024}}

He retained his seat at the 2023 Council election, being elected on the fourth count.{{cite web|title = Local Council Elections 2023 District Electoral Area of SLIEVE CROOB|url = https://www.eoni.org.uk/getmedia/708924e7-7eeb-4ff4-b794-5730ee16733e/Local-Council-Elections-2023-Result-Sheet-Slieve-Croob|website = The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland|access-date = 27 October 2024}}{{cite web|title = Local Council Elections|url = https://www.newrymournedown.org/media/uploads/declaration_of_results_slieve_croob.pdf|website = Newry, Mourne and Down District Council|access-date = 27 October 2024}}

In April 2024, he replaced Patrick Brown in the Northern Ireland Assembly as member for South Down.{{cite web|title = Andrew McMurray selected as new Alliance MLA for South Down|url = https://www.allianceparty.org/andrew_mcmurray_selected_as_new_alliance_mla_for_south_down|website = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland|date = 29 April 2024|access-date = 28 October 2024}}

McMurray contested South Down at the 2024 general election, coming fourth with 3,187 votes (7.0%).{{cite tweet |number=1794700054592143617 |user=allianceparty |title=Congratulations to @AndyofAlliance on being selected as Alliance's General Election candidate for South Down. |url=https://x.com/allianceparty/status/1794700054592143617/photo/1}}{{cite news|title = South Down - General election results 2024|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/N05000015|work = BBC News|access-date = 28 October 2024}}

References

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