Michelle Guy (née Davey) is an Alliance Party politician who has been a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Lagan Valley since July 2024,[1][2] as well as a member of the Alliance Party Executive, currently serving as Chair.[3]
Early life
Guy comes from Teconnaught in County Down and went to Assumption Grammar School.[4]
She graduated with a law degree from Queen's University Belfast but decided not to pursue a legal career. Guy did a postgraduate course in marketing and secured a work placement with Newry-based financial technology company First Derivatives. She has also worked for several other small Northern Irish technology firms.[5]
Political career
Guy was elected to Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council in 2019, representing the Castlereagh South District.[6] During her term, she served as Deputy Mayor in 2022.
At the 2024 general election, she contested the Strangford constituency, where she finished second against Jim Shannon of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), receiving 10,428 votes (26.8%).[7]
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
However, following Sorcha Eastwood's election as Lagan Valley's MP, Guy applied for the now-vacant MLA seat in the Lagan Valley constituency. On July 10th, the party announced her as the new MLA.[8]
Guy's first attendance to the chamber was in supporting the Opposition to Racism motion following 'far-right' rioting in Belfast in August 2024.[9][10]
In her capacity as the Alliance's education spokesperson, Guy voiced concerns regarding the Education Minister's decision to allocate £250,000 for magnetic lockable phone pouches in schools in September 2024. She welcomed the guidance on mobile phone use but criticised the expenditure amid financial constraints in the education sector, stating, "I find it difficult to believe this is the most appropriate use of the department's limited budget."[11]
As a member of the Education Committee, Guy raised her concerns about a controversial meeting between the Education Minister and the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) in September 2024. She expressed her concern about the legitimacy of the LCC as a stakeholder in educational discussions, remarking, "It was disturbing to see it... not credible for the Minister to be standing against paramilitary exploitation of children then meeting with LCC."[12]
Personal life
Guy lives just outside Drumbo with her husband Chris and their two children, Caitlin and Daniel. Chris Guy works in corporate law.[13][14]
She is a supporter of Manchester United F.C. and enjoys walking in the Mourne Mountains.[4]
References
- ^ McClafferty, Enda; McCormack, Jayne (11 July 2024). "DUP councillor nominated for Easton Stormont seat". BBC News NI. Archived from the original on 2 February 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
Lisburn and Castlereagh councillor Michelle Guy has been selected by Alliance to replace Sorcha Eastwood in Lagan Valley.
- ^ Masson, Jim (20 June 2024). "A Chat With Alliance Strangford Candidate Michelle Guy". Down News. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
- ^ "Leadership & Spokespeople". Alliance Party. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ a b Masson, Jim (20 June 2024). "A Chat With Alliance Strangford Candidate Michelle Guy". Down News. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "'I decided to live life without regrets': Alliance's new Lagan Valley MLA Michelle Guy on how a health scare served as pathway to politics". 19 August 2024. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "District Electoral Area: Castlereagh South". Belfast Telegraph. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Strangford - General election results 2024". BBC News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Alliance has selected Michelle Guy as its new Lagan Valley MLA". Alliance Party. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ "The Northern Ireland Assembly". www.niassembly.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ "Stormont recalled to discuss Belfast riots amid 'paramilitary element'". Sky News. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ Corr, Shauna (5 September 2024). "Education Minister's £250k for phone pouches slammed amid school pressures". Belfast Live. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
- ^ "MLAs clash over Minister's meeting with loyalist umbrella group about east Belfast school". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 25 September 2024. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
- ^ "'I decided to live life without regrets': Alliance's new Lagan Valley MLA Michelle Guy on how a health scare served as pathway to politics". 19 August 2024. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
- ^ "Chris Guy | Mills Selig Solicitors". Retrieved 12 February 2025.