| Tom Benson | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Strangford |
|
| In office 25 June 1998 – 24 December 2000 |
|
| Preceded by | New Creation |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Hamilton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 August 1929 Enniskillen |
| Died | 24 December 2000 (aged 71) |
| Political party | Ulster Unionist Party |
Tom Benson (26 August 1929 – 24 December 2000) was a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.
Born in Enniskillen, Benson was an officer in the Royal Ulster Constabulary. He joined the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and was elected to Ards Borough Council, serving as Mayor of Ards from 1987-88.[1] During this year, he defied a ban on UUP representatives meeting Government ministers and met the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Tom King.[2]
In 1996, Benson was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum representing Strangford, and he held his seat at the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1998.[1] He fell ill in November 2000 and died the following month.[2] He was the first member of the Assembly to die, and was replaced by Thomas Hamilton, his hand-picked successor.[3]
| Northern Ireland Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by New creation |
MLA for Strangford 1998 - 2000 |
Succeeded by Thomas Hamilton |