Alderman Stoker, by then one of Belfast's longest serving councillors, left the Ulster Unionist Party in October 2014 to join the UK Independence Party (UKIP).[2] He cited wanting to be "part of a national party" and claimed that the old unionist parties were neglecting the very people on the ground who elected them. He contested the 2015 general election for UKIP in South Belfast finishing 7th with 1900 votes (4.9% of the total share).
In 2015, Stoker was appointed as Vice Chairman of UKIP in Northern Ireland by the local membership of the party. He was his party's candidate in South Belfast at the 2016 Assembly election, but was not elected.
In 2017, Stoker retired from active politics to focus on his work as a Community Worker in South Belfast.
stoker, robert, stoker, northern, irish, community, worker, former, unionist, politician, south, belfast, lord, mayor, belfast, from, 1999, 2000, ulster, unionist, party, belfast, city, councillor, balmoral, from, 1995, 2014, right, honourablevice, chairman, u. Robert Stoker is a Northern Irish Community Worker and former unionist politician in South Belfast who was Lord Mayor of Belfast from 1999 to 2000 and an Ulster Unionist Party UUP Belfast City councillor for the Balmoral DEA from 1995 to 2014 The Right HonourableBob StokerVice chairman of UKIP Northern IrelandIn office 2015 201756th Lord Mayor of BelfastIn office 1 June 1999 1 June 2000DeputyMarie MoorePreceded byDavid AlderdiceSucceeded bySammy WilsonMember of Belfast City CouncilIn office 1995 22 May 2014Preceded byJim KirkpatrickSucceeded byJeff DudgeonConstituencyBalmoralPersonal detailsBornBelfast Northern IrelandPolitical partyUKIP 2014 2017 Ulster Unionist until 2014 Biography editAs a member of the Ulster Unionist Party Stoker was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum for Belfast South in May 1996 He had already been elected as a councillor to represent the Balmoral electoral area in a by election in May 1995 He was re elected in May 1997 June 2001 and June 2005 and 2011 He was elected Deputy Lord Mayor of the city in June 1998 and Lord Mayor of Belfast in June 1999 He contested the Belfast South constituency in the 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election but was unsuccessful finishing 9th out of 18 candidates with 1 122 votes 3 7 of the total first preference votes cast 1 Alderman Stoker by then one of Belfast s longest serving councillors left the Ulster Unionist Party in October 2014 to join the UK Independence Party UKIP 2 He cited wanting to be part of a national party and claimed that the old unionist parties were neglecting the very people on the ground who elected them He contested the 2015 general election for UKIP in South Belfast finishing 7th with 1900 votes 4 9 of the total share In 2015 Stoker was appointed as Vice Chairman of UKIP in Northern Ireland by the local membership of the party He was his party s candidate in South Belfast at the 2016 Assembly election but was not elected In 2017 Stoker retired from active politics to focus on his work as a Community Worker in South Belfast References edit South Belfast results Walker Stephen 15 October 2014 Bob Stoker Ulster Unionist former lord mayor to join UKIP BBC News Retrieved 8 May 2022 Northern Ireland Forum New forum Member for South Belfast1996 1998 Forum dissolved Civic offices Preceded byJim Rodgers Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast1998 1999 Succeeded byMarie Moore Preceded byDavid Alderdice Lord Mayor of Belfast1999 2000 Succeeded bySammy Wilson nbsp nbsp This biographical article about a mayor in Northern Ireland is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bob Stoker amp oldid 1195838446, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,