Clare Bailey

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Clare Bailey

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Clare Bailey 2020.png

| alt =

| caption = Bailey in 2020

| office = [[Green Party Northern Ireland|Leader of Green Party

Northern Ireland]]

| deputy = Mal O'Hara

| term_start = 21 November 2018

| term_end = 15 August 2022

| predecessor = Steven Agnew

| successor = Mal O'Hara

| office1 = Deputy Leader of Green Party Northern Ireland

| leader1 = Steven Agnew

| term_start1 = November 2014

| term_end1 = 1 October 2017

| predecessor1 = Office created

| successor1 = Tanya Jones

| office2 = Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Belfast South

| assembly2 = Northern Ireland

| majority2 =

| term_start2 = 5 May 2016

| term_end2 = 28 March 2022

| predecessor2 = Fearghal McKinney

| successor2 = Kate Nicholl

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|06|18|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Clonard, Belfast, Northern Ireland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Green Party

| spouse =

| children = 2

| residence =

| alma_mater = Queen's University Belfast

}}

Clare Bailey (born 18 June 1970) is a Northern Irish activist and former politician who was the Leader of Green Party Northern Ireland from November 2018 to August 2022, having been deputy leader of the party from 2014 to 2017.

Bailey was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Belfast South from 2016 to 2022.

Early life

Bailey was born in Clonard on the Lower Falls.{{Cite news|last=McNeilly|first=Claire|date=24 July 2017|title=MLA Clare Bailey: I know what it's like to be homeless single mum on benefits|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/mla-clare-bailey-i-know-what-its-like-to-be-homeless-single-mum-on-benefits-35955376.html|work=Belfast Telegraph|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235|access-date=1 August 2020}} She was one of the first 28 pupils of Lagan College, Northern Ireland's first integrated school.{{Cite news|last=Atkinson|first=Karen|date=11 March 2017|title=The Scout Hall school|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-39236638|work=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=1 August 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Clare Bailey MLA, South Belfast|url=http://www.greenpartyni.org/whoweare/our-people/clare-bailey/|website=The Green Party Northern Ireland}} She later attended Queen's University Belfast.

Political career

Bailey identifies as pro-choice and a feminist.{{Cite web|title=The Big Interview: Clare Bailey deputy leader of the Green Party|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/the-big-interview-clare-bailey-deputy-leader-of-the-green-party-31335841.html|work=Belfast Telegraph|date=28 June 2015}} She was a client escort for women accessing healthcare advice at the Belfast Marie Stopes Clinic, enduring assault and intimidation from anti-abortion protesters.{{Cite news|last=Ferguson|first=Amanda|date=8 December 2017|title=Closure of Marie Stopes Belfast clinic ends five years of hostility|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/closure-of-marie-stopes-belfast-clinic-ends-five-years-of-hostility-1.3318970|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=1 August 2020}} She has also worked supporting survivors of sexual violence and abuse.{{Cite web|author=The Newsroom|date=28 May 2016|title='˜I could have ended up sleeping on the streets'|url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/i-could-have-ended-sleeping-streets-1235442|website=News Letter|language=en|access-date=1 August 2020}}

In 2011 she stood unsuccessfully for the Laganbank district electoral area on Belfast City Council, narrowly missing a seat and coming 6th in a 5-seat district electoral area.

Bailey was elected as an MLA in Belfast South at the 2016 Assembly election. She nearly trebled the Green Party vote in the area compared to the previous Assembly election. Political commentators considered her election so unlikely that pundit Alex Kane said he would sing on the steps of the Assembly if Bailey was elected. Kane kept this promise and was filmed by the BBC doing so.{{Cite news|last=Williamson|first=Claire|date=13 May 2016|title=Political pundit Alex Kane dons dress and sings on steps of Stormont after losing Assembly election bet|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/political-pundit-alex-kane-dons-dress-and-sings-on-steps-of-stormont-after-losing-assembly-election-bet-34711681.html|work=Belfast Telegraph|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235|access-date=27 March 2022}}{{Cite news|title=Alex Kane keeps promise to sing in dress|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-northern-ireland-36285012|work=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=27 March 2022}}

Bailey was re-elected to the Assembly in 2017.{{cite web|last=Allsop|first=Bradley|date=8 May 2016|title=Winds of change as Greens and People Before Profit win seats|url=http://bright-green.org/2016/05/08/winds-of-change-in-northern-ireland-as-greens-and-people-before-profit-win-seats|website=Bright Green|access-date=1 May 2021}}{{cite web|title=NI Assembly election: DUP remains largest as assembly count ends|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2016-northern-ireland-36234717|work=BBC News|date=7 May 2016|access-date=9 May 2016}}

She served as the Greens' Deputy Leader until 2017. In November 2018, Bailey became Leader of the Green Party.

In May 2019, Bailey ran unsuccessfully for European Parliament, receiving 12,471 votes which placed her 7th and increased the Greens' share of the vote by 0.48%. In December 2019, she pulled out of the Westminster election to back Claire Hanna of the SDLP who she described as the "pro-Remain" candidate.{{Cite news |date=2024-06-06 |title=Ex-Green Party leader Clare Bailey backs SDLP candidate Claire Hanna in election |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ex-green-party-leader-clare-bailey-backs-sdlp-candidate-claire-hanna-in-election/a1450223976.html |access-date=2024-11-12 |work=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}

In March 2022, Bailey secured cross-party support and successfully passed a bill through the Assembly creating 'safe zones' around abortion clinics to prevent the harassment of women.{{Cite news|last=Black|first=Rebecca|date=24 March 2022|title=Range of legislation passed in final hours of Assembly mandate|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/range-of-legislation-passed-in-final-hours-of-assembly-mandate-41484779.html|work=Belfast Telegraph|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235|access-date=27 March 2022}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/legislation/2017-2022-mandate/non-executive-bill-proposals/abortion-services-safe-access-zones-bill/|title=Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill|website=www.niassembly.gov.uk}} Bailey also proposed her own Climate Change Bill,{{Cite web|url=http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/legislation/2017-2022-mandate/non-executive-bill-proposals/climate-change-bill/|title=Climate Change Bill|website=www.niassembly.gov.uk}} and ultimately succeeded in strengthening Minister Edwin Poots' eventual Climate Change Bill.{{Cite web|url=http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/legislation/2017-2022-mandate/primary-legislation---bills-2017---2022-mandate/climate-change-bill/|title=Climate Change (No. 2) Bill|website=www.niassembly.gov.uk}}{{Cite news |title=Running late, but Bailey sees climate bill amendment pass|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/running-late-but-bailey-sees-climate-bill-amendment-pass-41302588.html|work=Belfast Telegraph|issn=0307-1235|language=en-GB|access-date=27 March 2022}}{{Cite web|last=Manley|first=John|date=11 March 2022|title=Green leader Clare Bailey slams rivals who 'rowed back' on net zero commitments ahead of assembly election|url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/politicalnews/2022/03/11/news/green-leader-clare-bailey-slams-rivals-who-rowed-back-on-net-zero-commitments-ahead-of-assembly-election-2611840/|website=The Irish News|language=en|access-date=2022-03-27}} Bailey said that Poots' Bill "simply wouldn’t be in place" if it wasn't for the Green Party proposing a climate bill in the first place.{{Cite news|last=Hewitt|first=Ralph|date=3 April 2022|title=Climate Change Bill was 'not everything' Green Party leader Clare Bailey hoped for|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/climate-change-bill-was-not-everything-green-party-leader-clare-bailey-hoped-for-41515952.html|work=Belfast Telegraph|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235|access-date=2022-04-09}}

Speaking ahead of the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election, Bailey highlighted the Green Party's outsized influence in the Assembly by noting that the Greens' policies, previously dismissed by rival parties, were now appearing in their manifestos.{{Cite web|last=Hughes|first=Brendan|date=11 March 2022|title=Green leader says their long-held policies now adopted by rivals |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/clare-bailey-green-party-policies-23359601|website=BelfastLive|language=en|access-date=27 March 2022}} In the election, she lost her seat to Lord Mayor of Belfast Kate Nicholl of the Alliance Party.{{Cite news|last=Black|first=Rebecca|date=7 May 2022|title=Alliance gain seat in South Belfast as Green Party leader loses out|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/alliance-gain-seat-in-south-belfast-as-green-party-leader-loses-out-41624716.html|work=Belfast Telegraph|issn=0307-1235|language=en-GB|access-date=7 May 2022}}

After the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election, Bailey chose not to stand for re-election as leader. She was succeeded by Mal O'Hara in August 2022.{{Cite news|date=15 August 2022|title=Alliance gain seat in South Belfast as Green Party leader loses out|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-62548519|work=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=7 August 2022}}{{cite news |last= McClements |first= Freya |date= 15 August 2022 |title= Mal O'Hara to replace Clare Bailey as leader of North's Green Party |url= https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2022/08/15/mal-ohara-to-replace-clare-bailey-as-leader-of-norths-green-party/ |newspaper= The Irish Times |access-date= 17 August 2022}}

Ahead of the 2024 Westminster elections she signed the nomination papers of Claire Hanna of the SDLP, choosing not to endorse her former party colleague Cllr Áine Groogan.{{Cite news |date=2024-06-06 |title=Ex-Green Party leader Clare Bailey backs SDLP candidate Claire Hanna in election |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ex-green-party-leader-clare-bailey-backs-sdlp-candidate-claire-hanna-in-election/a1450223976.html |access-date=2024-11-12 |work=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}