Christopher Stalford
{{Short description|Northern Irish politician (1983–2022)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Christopher Stalford
| honorific-suffix =
| image = File:Christopher_Stalford_at_the_2013_Horasis_Global_India_Business_Meeting_(cropped).jpg
| imagesize =
| alt =
| caption =
| office = Principal Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly
| term_start = 14 January 2020
| term_end = 19 February 2022
| predecessor = Catríona Ruane
| successor = Carál Ní Chuilín (2024)
| constituency_AM1 = Belfast South
| assembly1 = Northern Ireland
| majority1 =
| term_start1 = 5 May 2016
| term_end1 = 19 February 2022
| predecessor1 = Michael McGimpsey
| successor1 = Edwin Poots
| office2 = Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast
| term_start2 = June 2013
| term_end2 = June 2014
| predecessor2 = Tierna Cunningham
| successor2 = Máire Hendron
| office3 = High Sheriff of Belfast
| term_start3 = January 2010
| term_end3 = January 2011
| predecessor3 = Frank McCoubrey
| successor3 = Ian Adamson
| office4 = Member of
Belfast City Council
| constituency4 = Balmoral
| term_start4 = 22 May 2014
| term_end4 = 5 May 2016
| predecessor4 = Ruth Patterson
| successor4 = Lee Reynolds
| constituency5 = Laganbank
| term_start5 = 5 May 2005
| term_end5 = 22 May 2014
| predecessor5 = Jim Clarke
| successor5 = District abolished
| birth_date = {{birth date|1983|01|17|df=y}}
| birth_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland
| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|2|19|1983|1|17|df=y}}
| death_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland
| nationality = British
| party = Democratic Unionist Party
| children = 4
| education = Wellington College Belfast
| alma_mater = Queen's University Belfast
| website = {{URL|http://www.mydup.com/who-we-are/christopher-stalford}}
}}
Christopher David Matthew Stalford{{cite web |title=Stalford, Christopher David Matthew |url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-287508?rskey=znWKp2&result=346 |website=WHO WAS WHO 2022 |access-date=25 October 2022}} (17 January 1983 – 19 February 2022) was a Northern Irish politician who was a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for South Belfast from the 2016 election until his death in 2022.
Biography
Stalford was born in the Annadale Flats in south Belfast, on 17 January 1983.{{cite news |title=Youngest High Sheriff is sworn in at Belfast City Hall |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/youngest-high-sheriff-is-sworn-in-at-belfast-city-hall-14640324.html |work=Belfast Telegraph |date=19 January 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120903213825/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/youngest-high-sheriff-is-sworn-in-at-belfast-city-hall-14640324.html |archive-date=3 September 2012 |access-date=8 May 2022}} He studied nearby at Wellington College Belfast and Queen's University Belfast.{{Cite web |title=Christopher Stalford MLA |author= |website=DUP – Our Team|date= |access-date=20 February 2022 |url= https://mydup.com/our-team/christopher-stalford|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024175549/http://www.mydup.com/who-we-are/christopher-stalford|archive-date=24 October 2016}} After graduation he worked in the European office of Jim Allister three days a week, and the office of Peter Weir two days a week. He then moved to the DUP press office for six years and then onto the policy unit.{{cite news |last=McNeilly |first=Claire |date=14 August 2017 |title=Christopher Stalford: 'I don't see myself as a future DUP leader. I'm an Arlene 'ultra' |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/christopher-stalford-i-dont-see-myself-as-a-future-dup-leader-im-an-arlene-ultra-36023875.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210717143743/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/christopher-stalford-i-dont-see-myself-as-a-future-dup-leader-im-an-arlene-ultra-36023875.html |archive-date=17 July 2021 |work=Belfast Telegraph |location=Belfast |language=en |issn=0307-5664 |access-date=26 September 2021}}
At the 2005 local elections, he was elected to Belfast City Council, representing the Laganbank area[http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/lgbelfast.htm#lb Belfast City Council Elections 1993–2011 – Lagan Bank] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726100947/http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/lgbelfast.htm#lb |date=26 July 2018 }}, Ark – Northern Ireland Elections
At the 2014 local elections, Laganbank was abolished and he was re-elected for the Balmoral area.{{cite web|last=Ferguson|first=Amanda|date=26 April 2016|title=Fly-tipping fine notices appear at loyalist bonfire in Belfast|url=http://www.irishnews.com/news/2016/04/26/news/fly-tipping-fine-notices-appear-at-loyalist-bonfire-in-belfast-498130|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429150110/http://www.irishnews.com/news/2016/04/26/news/fly-tipping-fine-notices-appear-at-loyalist-bonfire-in-belfast-498130/|archive-date=29 April 2016|website=The Irish News|access-date=8 May 2022}}
Stalford served as High Sheriff of Belfast in 2010. Aged only 27, the Belfast Telegraph described him as the youngest ever High Sheriff of the city. He was elected as Deputy Lord Mayor for the 2013–14 term.{{cite web|title=Belfast Deputy Lord Mayor Christopher Stalford told of threat|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-25155525|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181229200353/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-25155525|archive-date=29 December 2018|website=BBC News|date=29 November 2013|access-date=8 May 2022}}
In 2008 he was selected as the chairman of the Belfast District Policing Partnership.{{cite web|last=McWilliams|first=Gráinne|date=8 October 2008|title=Stalford gets Belfast DPP chairman post|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/stalford-gets-belfast-dpp-chairman-post-28449712.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605133626/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/stalford-gets-belfast-dpp-chairman-post-28449712.html|archive-date=5 June 2016|work=Belfast Telegraph|access-date=8 May 2022}}
At the 2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election, he was one of two DUP candidates elected in South Belfast.{{Cite news|last=Bell|first=Jonny|date=8 May 2016|title=Ruth Patterson to quit politics after disappointing South Belfast Assembly election result|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland-assembly-election/ruth-patterson-to-quit-politics-after-disappointing-south-belfast-assembly-election-result-34694645.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508120418/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland-assembly-election/ruth-patterson-to-quit-politics-after-disappointing-south-belfast-assembly-election-result-34694645.html|archive-date=8 May 2016|newspaper=Belfast Telegraph}}
Death
Stalford died suddenly on 19 February 2022, at the age of 39.{{Cite news|last=Kearney|first=Vincent|date=20 February 2022|title=Tributes paid after death of DUP's Christopher Stalford|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2022/0220/1281951-christopher-stalford-dup/|website=RTÉ News|access-date=20 February 2022}}{{Cite news|last=Quinn|first=Ben|date=20 February 2022|title=Tributes paid to DUP politician Christopher Stalford, who has died at 39|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/feb/20/tributes-paid-to-dup-politician-christopher-stalford-who-has-died-at-39|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=20 February 2022}} While Stalford was described as "unionist to the core", his funeral was attended by a range of political parties including Sinn Féin colleagues John O'Dowd and Deirdre Hargey, SDLP MP Claire Hanna and Alliance Party leader Naomi Long.{{cite web |last1=Simpson |first1=Mark |date=26 February 2022 |title=Christopher Stalford: DUP MLA was 'humble, loving and kind' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-60535927 |website=BBC News |access-date=8 May 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Clinton |first1=Jane |date=26 February 2022 |title=Funeral of DUP’s Christopher Stalford attended by all main parties |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/feb/26/funeral-of-dups-christopher-stalford-attended-by-all-main-parties |website=The Guardian |access-date=8 May 2022}}
When Edwin Poots was elected to Stalford's former constituency of Belfast South at the 2022 Assembly election, he paid tribute to Stalford and pledged to "build a legacy for Christopher".{{cite web |title=We did this for Chris: Poots vows to build Stalford legacy following election win |url=https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2022-05-06/we-did-this-for-chris-emotional-poots-tribute-to-tragic-mla |website=ITV |date=6 May 2022 |access-date=8 May 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|ni/ass}}
{{s-bef | before = Michael McGimpsey }}
{{s-ttl
| title = MLA for Belfast South
| years = 2016–2022
}}
{{s-aft | after = Edwin Poots}}
{{s-civ}}
{{succession box|title=High Sheriff of Belfast| before=Frank McCoubrey|after=Ian Adamson|years=2010}}
{{succession box | title=Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast | before=Tierna Cunningham| after= Máire Hendron| years= 2013–2014}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stalford, Christopher}}
Category:Alumni of Queen's University Belfast
Category:Democratic Unionist Party MLAs
Category:High sheriffs of Belfast
Category:Members of Belfast City Council
Category:Northern Ireland MLAs 2016–2017
Category:Northern Ireland MLAs 2017–2022
Category:People educated at Wellington College Belfast
Category:Politicians from Belfast
{{NorthernIreland-politician-stub}}