NI election 2022: Which MLAs are standing down from Stormont?

The Northern Ireland Assembly election is getting nearer and candidates have already been pounding the pavements appealing for people to vote for them.

But a few familiar faces will be missing from the election posters.

Some have chosen to retire or to move on to other things, while others were not selected for another election campaign.

BBC News NI looks at those who will shortly be removing the nameplate from their office door and ending their time as assembly members (MLAs)

Chris Lyttle

One of Alliance's two Belfast East MLAs, Chris Lyttle is leaving the political scene after 12 years at Stormont.

It was a surprise to some commentators when the 41-year-old announced he would not run again, but he insisted he wanted to move on to new challenges.

It's not yet known what he plans to do next.

His main role has been as chairman of Stormont's education committee, which met frequently during the coronavirus pandemic to discuss the situation with the virus in schools.

His last day as an MLA saw his private member's bill pass its final hurdle - it will change laws that currently exempt the recruitment of teachers outlawing religious discrimination in Northern Ireland.

Paula Bradley

The DUP's deputy leader and most high-profile female politician announced in March that she would not be seeking re-election.

Ms Bradley, who was first elected to Stormont in 2011, has decided to step away to care for her mother.

She had already worked in a number of other fields before elected politics, first in the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) as a part-time reserve when she was 22, and for a time as a social care assistant for the Northern Health Trust.

Most recently the North Belfast MLA had chaired Stormont's communities committee - a role she enjoyed.

In her final speech in the assembly she also paid tribute to the many women "inside and outside" the chamber who, she said, had helped her along the way - MLAs who are newer to Stormont say she returned the favour for many of them.

William Humphrey

Mr Humphrey is another DUP Belfast North MLA who is stepping down after more than a decade at Stormont, citing personal reasons.

He was a councillor prior to that and served as deputy lord mayor of Belfast.

In the 2021 New Year Honours he was made an MBE for public service, particularly during the Covid-19 response.

He has served on several Stormont committees during his time as an MLA, most recently as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.

George Robinson

George Robinson is another DUP stalwart who is stepping down from Stormont.

Mr Robinson announced he would retire as an MLA, having joined the DUP in the 1980s.

The Limavady man has represented the East Londonderry constituency at Stormont since 2003, and joked that given he was now 79, it was an appropriate time to retire.

Robin Newton

The 76-year-old was not selected to run again, so he is retiring from Stormont.

He has been an MLA for Belfast East since 2003 and served as junior minister from 2009 until 2011.

But it was his tenure as assembly Speaker in 2016 until 2017 that saw him put in the spotlight.

Political opponents called for his resignation after claims he misled the Northern Ireland Assembly about the true nature of his role with an Ulster Defence Association-linked community organisation.

Mr Newton has always rejected the suggestion.

He did not stand again as a candidate for Speaker once the assembly returned in 2020.

Paul Rankin

Not to be confused with the celebrity chef, it would be odd not to mention Mr Rankin since he will technically be stepping down and not running in the assembly election.

But the councillor was only co-opted in as Edwin Poots' replacement in Lagan Valley on 14 March.

He will soon go down in the history books as Stormont's shortest-serving MLA.

Jim Wells

One of Stormont's most recognisable faces, Jim Wells, is now stepping down - though in a manner not of his making.

Having represented South Down in the assembly since 1998, he was deselected by the DUP to run again in this election, a move that he said hurt him.

But the outspoken MLA more than once found himself drawn into controversy over his views or for comments he had made.

Less than a year after he had been appointed health minister, Mr Wells was heavily criticised when he made remarks at an election hustings linking same-sex relationships to child abuse.

He stepped down soon after, saying he wanted to help his wife, Grace, who was seriously ill.

He later had the whip withdrawn by the DUP after he criticised the party, claiming it had promised to reinstate him as minister.

After the 2017 assembly election he gained the title of father of the house - Stormont's longest-serving MLA - and at times he proved a thorn in the side of the DUP, able to cast his vote without being tied to party policy.

Alex Maskey

After many decades on the front line, the Sinn Féin politician - and former boxer - is hanging up his political sparring gloves.

He is one of the few remaining MLAs who was first elected to the assembly in 1998, after the Good Friday Agreement.

After Stormont returned two years ago, he was nominated to become the Speaker, chairing debates and overseeing proceedings - a role he recently described as a "privilege".

In 2002 he was the first member of Sinn Féin to serve as the lord mayor of Belfast, and has represented Belfast South and Belfast West at various times during his career.

He was also involved in the infamous 2001 Stormont "brawl in the hall", which saw rival parties lose their tempers during a difficult time for devolution.

In more recent times he had argued in favour of greater civility in the chamber and for an electronic voting system to be set up at Stormont.

Emma Rogan

Ms Rogan was co-opted by Sinn Féin to join the assembly in 2017, to represent South Down.

She had for years been a victims' campaigner, speaking out about the murder of her father, Adrian Rogan, in the Loughinisland killings of 1994.

However, her tenure as an MLA has been short.

Last year Sinn Féin announced she had not been selected to stand in the upcoming election.

Sinéad Bradley

She has only been an MLA for six years but said she would not be running for re-election in 2022.

Politics runs deep in her family, as her late father PJ Bradley represented the same constituency of South Down from 1998 to 2011.

She had also helped run his election campaigns prior to getting involved herself.

During her term as an MLA she had been both the economy and health spokesperson for the SDLP.

Trevor Lunn

Mr Lunn has been a well-known face in Lagan Valley since becoming an MLA in 2007.

For many of those years he was an Alliance member, but cut ties with the party in 2020, citing "internal difficulties".

He previously described himself as a soft unionist, but has said discussions need to take place about the debate on a united Ireland.

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