- Michael Copeland
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Alderman Michael Copeland Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Belfast EastIncumbent Assumed office
05 May 2010Preceded by Reg Empey Personal details Born 23 June 1954
Belfast, Northern IrelandNationality British Political party Ulster Unionist Party Spouse(s) Sonia Copeland Children 1 daughter (Sarah), 1 son (Matthew) Residence Cherryvalley, Belfast Occupation Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Councillor for Castlereagh Central Profession Politician Committees Department of Social Development, Standards and Priviledges, Public Accounts Religion Church of Ireland Alderman Michael Copeland (born 23 June 1954 in Belfast) is a Unionist politician from Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
Copeland was educated at Lisnasharragh Primary School, Lisnasharragh Secondary School, Castlereagh College and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst becoming a lieutenant of the Ulster Defence Regiment, HM Armed Forces.
Copeland was first elected to Castlereagh Borough Council in 2001 and in May 2002 was elected Deputy Mayor of Castlereagh.
In 2002, he was elected chairman of Castlereagh District Policing Partnership. He later he resigned in protest at the treatment of the RUC full-time Reserve. He also served as Director of Castlereagh Local Strategy Partnership.
After defeating incumbent MLA Ian Adamson for the East Belfast UUP nomination for the 2003 Assembly Election he was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly. He was re-selected to stand for the constituency in the forthcoming elections in 2007 but lost his seat. Copeland remains an extremely active figure in local governmental politics within Northern Ireland: maintaining a keen interest in domestic, socioeconomic and housing problems. He was re-elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly as MLA for East Belfast in the Assembly Elections in May 2011.
A member of the Orange Order and the Royal Black Institution, Alderman Copeland is the party's Parades spokesman.
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External links
Northern Ireland Assembly Preceded by
Ian AdamsonMLA for Belfast East
2003 - 2007Succeeded by
Wallace BrownePreceded by
Reg EmpeyMLA for Belfast East
2011–presentIncumbent Categories:- 1954 births
- Living people
- People from Belfast
- Ulster Defence Regiment officers
- Ulster Unionist Party politicians
- Northern Ireland MLAs 2003–2007
- Northern Ireland MLAs 2011–
- Sandhurst graduates
- British politician stubs
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