Thomas Buchanan (Unionist politician)

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix =

|name = Thomas Buchanan

|honorific-suffix = MLA

|image = Thomas Buchanan 2021.jpg

|alt =

|caption = Buchanan in 2021

|constituency_AM = West Tyrone

|assembly = Northern Ireland

|majority =

|term_start = 26 November 2003

|term_end =

|predecessor = Oliver Gibson

|successor =

| office1 = Member of
Omagh District Council

| constituency1 = West Tyrone

| term_start1 = 19 May 1993

| term_end1 = 22 May 2014

| predecessor1 = Harry Cairns

| successor1 = Council abolished

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|6|30|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Drumquin, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland

|death_date =

|death_place =

|nationality = British

|party = Democratic Unionist Party

|occupation = Contractor

}}

Thomas Buchanan {{post-nominals|country=GBR|MLA}} (born 30 July 1963) is a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician, serving as a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for West Tyrone since 2003. Buchanan is the DUP Spokesperson for Victims Rights and Groups Liaison.{{Cite web |title=Tom Buchanan MLA |url=https://mydup.com/our-team/tom-buchanan |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=DUP |language=en}}

He is also one of the DUP's members of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

Background

He was educated at Langfield Primary School, Castlederg Secondary School, and at Omagh Technical College.

Political career

In 1993 he was elected to Omagh District Council and became its youngest member and in 2004 was voted Vice Chairman.

=Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly=

Buchanan was first elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly at the 2003 election, taking the fourth seat in West Tyrone. {{cite web|title = The Northern Ireland Assembly - 26 November 2003 Constituency Results - West Tyrone|url = https://archive.niassembly.gov.uk/members/constits/const_wt03.htm|website = Northern Ireland Assembly|access-date = 14 March 2025}}

In July 2010, he complained about a display of bunting inside an Omagh bank that celebrated a success by the Tyrone GAA team. The bank had been sponsoring the Ulster Championship. Buchanan accused the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) of being a political and Irish republican organisation.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-10745220 "MLA hits out at Ulster Bank Omagh branch GAA display"] – BBC News (23 July 2010)

On 25 October 2013 Buchanan told school children attending a public event that homosexuality is an 'abomination'.{{cite web|title=Local politician tells school kids homosexuality is 'an abomination'.|url=http://ulsterherald.com/2013/10/24/local-politician-tells-school-kids-homosexuality-is-an-abomination/|website=Ulster Herald|date=24 October 2013|accessdate=27 February 2015}}

Buchanan believes in creationism. In September 2016 he supported an event promoting the teaching of creationism in every school, stating that "I’m someone who believes in creationism and that the world was spoken into existence in six days by His power".{{cite news|title=From abortion to evolution: the terrifying views of the DUP you need to know|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dup-hung-parliament-results-policies-manifesto-abortion-gay-marriage-climate-change-who-are-they-a7781656.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dup-hung-parliament-results-policies-manifesto-abortion-gay-marriage-climate-change-who-are-they-a7781656.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|accessdate=10 June 2017|work=The Independent|date=9 June 2017}}{{cbignore}}{{cite news|title=Five things you need to know about DUP politicians and science|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/2134162-five-things-you-need-to-know-about-dup-politicians-and-science/|accessdate=10 June 2017|work=New Scientist}}

He is the DUP candidate in West Tyrone in the 2024 United Kingdom general election.{{Cite news |date=2024-05-29 |title=Gavin Robinson ratified as DUP leader and confirms party will not stand in Fermanagh-South Tyrone or North Down |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/gavin-robinson-ratified-as-dup-leader-and-confirms-party-will-not-stand-in-fermanagh-south-tyrone-or-north-down/a1820997942.html |access-date=2024-06-03 |work=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}