Diana Armstrong : It a challenge to be a woman in unionism – The Irish News

irishnews.com · Feb 16, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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Less than 18 months ago, Diana Armstrong occupied a seat on Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, one that she had sat in for nine years.Today the Co Fermanagh woman sits as an MLA at Stormont and, most recently, the deputy leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, having been described as the “kingmaker” in the selection of Jon Burrows as the party’s new leader.A meteoric rise for the representative who follows closely in the political footsteps of her late father, former Ulster Unionist leader Harry West. West narrowly lost out to Bobby Sands in a 1981 Westminster by-election, a development which helped move some within republicanism towards an electoral strategy.Ms Armstrong says she believes her father would be “very proud” of her as she embarks on the challenging task of returning the party to its former glory as the largest within unionism.The only female of her party’s nine representatives at Stormont, Ms Armstrong tells The Irish News it is an issue not just faced by the Ulster Unionists, but acknowledged that it needs to do better.The Fermanagh South Tyrone MLA says being an MLA is currently “not conducive” to being able to raise children.Jon Burrows officially becomes UUP leader amid questions over support from his own MLAsOpens in new window“I see it really as a challenge for females to be in unionism.“When I did a survey of councillors for the DUP and the UUP, around 24% of councillors in the DUP are female and 25% of UUP councillors are female.“So there’s a message there and it could also be cultural. “Working here, working in Stormont buildings itself in Parliament Buildings, it’s not really a conducive life to where you have childcare and elder care responsibilities.“That is something we are looking for, reform in how we deliver in this place, how we maximise efficiencies and how we deliver for both the electorate, the constituents, but also the elected representatives and making it meaningful so that we can do the best job, in the best conditions.”UUP leader Jon Burrows and deputy Diana Armstrong after an EGM at the Stormont Hotel in Belfast (Mark Marlow/PA) Ms Armstrong says that an attempt was made by former party leader Doug Beattie to introduce more women as election candidates during his tenure, but this was unsuccessful and led to a loss of talent within the party ranks. Addressing the gap is one of her top priorities as deputy leader.“That’s one of my objectives certainly, and it’s something we are working on developing policy on, recruiting females and also supporting and retaining them.“We had the experience with Doug Beattie as leader, we brought a raft of females in as candidates. When those candidates didn’t get selected, there’s an economic section there where people have to learn a living. “So the candidates naturally, if they weren’t in an elected position, had to really consider their career choices and in that sense you can lose some talent.“But what we are trying to do is bring people through that pathway, either as activists or as elected representatives, but it’s very much up to the electorate to work with us. “The input of females to our policy making, our decision making is valuable and we need to consider that at all times.”The treatment of some female MLAs has made headlines on a number of occasions within the last twelve months. Ms Armstrong’s party colleague and Assembly deputy speaker Steve Aiken was accused of “patronising” Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister within the chamber last September, while TUV MLA Timothy Gaston was suspended from the Assembly for two days last week after the Standards Commissioner found comments towards committee chair Paula Bradshaw to be “unnecessary and personal”.Just this week, Alliance turned accused after its MLA David Honeyford referred to Ms Armstrong as the “DUP’s little sister” during a debate in the chamber.UUP Deputy Leader Diana Armstrong speaks to Irish News journalist Conor Coyle at Stormont. PICTURE:BRIAN LINCOLN The new UUP deputy leader described Mr Honeyford’s comments as “hugely misogynistic” - and suggested there was a wider issue of commentary towards female MLAs at Stormont.“I think none of the behaviours and the outspoken language are befitting of this place,” Ms Armstrong said.“You are here in an institution that is here to govern and it’s very much on the shoulders of all elected representatives to set an example and that’s what they should do.“It’s a privilege to be in this place, our focus is on delivering for our country, for Northern Ireland to get the best opportunities for all who live here.“Minor spats like that, they are a distraction and respect has to be at the basis of all cooperation.“David has apologised to me today personally. I’d like to draw a line in the sand, I would like the Alliance Party to be more aware that they have called this out on many occasions. It has now been called out by me against them and they need to consider how it appears on the outside too.”Much was made of the fact that there was no “team photo” taken of UUP MLAs during the ratification of the Burrows-Armstrong ticket at the party’s AGM at the end of last month, with reports emerging of a lack of support from Stormont MLAs for the new leader.In an interview asking whether he supported the new leader this week, former deputy leader and would-be challenger to Burrows, Robbie Butler, struggled to deliver a direct answer to the question.The new deputy leader and chief whip rubbished those reports, saying that the party had a “cohesive unit” at Stormont and that she didn’t sense any ill discipline within its ranks.“It was really pleasing and very positive that every MLA did attend the AGM. I’m now chief whip as well, so that would be my role to organise the party in the business in the weeks ahead. There’s obviously a disciplinary role and I don’t see any ill discipline in that role at all.“We are a cohesive unit and certainly I always have total support for my colleagues there.“I went with my instinct and that was to support Jon Burrows. In the end it was a coronation as people have referenced, so I was just glad to be part of that.“You hold yourself up for scrutiny in every aspect of your public life. The fact that it wasn’t a contest, ideally we would have preferred a contest. We’re a very democratic party, it was unanimously supported by the grassroots and by those attending the AGM.“In terms of satisfaction, perhaps it would have been a thing to have a vote. That didn’t take place but we had the unanimous mandate there on that day.”Some have suggested the new leadership of the party represents a move to the right of the political spectrum, and a rejection of a more central ground which may have been offered by Butler.“I don’t think a shift to the right is in that thinking at all. I think we are very proudly unionist with the values of the Ulster Unionist Party, so no that will not change.“What you see in Jon is a very clear minded and confident person, moving forward focused on how we can deliver best here.“I always listen to the grassroots, particularly if you’re from Fermanagh you listen to your electorate.“To me the overwhelming, the compelling backing was for Jon Burrows and myself. Robbie is a fantastic colleague and has previously been deputy leader and chief whip, he has been a very good colleague to work with.“Robbie hit the nail on the head, it is service before self in our party, it always has been.”Ms Armstrong says she sees “growth and optimism” in the future ahead of the Ulster Unionists, in contrast to its electoral fortunes in recent years which has seen it eclipsed by the DUP and under pressure from the hardline TUV.UUP Deputy Leader Diana Armstrong speaks to Irish News journalist Conor Coyle at Stormont. PICTURE:BRIAN LINCOLN “I see growth, I see optimism. There are 250,000 people in Northern Ireland who are totally turned off by politics“With the response that we have had recently to the change of leadership within the party and the vision being captured by Jon Burrows and me as his deputy.“I see an enthusiasm and interest there in clear speaking in insisting that we get delivery right - we owe that to our people in Northern Ireland to make these institutions work and deliver across the board.“I think it can be [the biggest party within unionism again], it will take time. Growth takes time. “Looking forward we would have the challenge after the next mandate of whether we go in to government or whether we go into opposition. Those are things we are considering actively at the moment.”Ms Armstrong said her own rise to the higher ranks of the party is an opportunity she wanted to grab with both hands, and hopes that she can forge the way for other women in unionism coming after her.“I know a lot of women who have gone before and the opportunity didn’t present itself then, it’s presented itself now so I certainly wasn’t going to turn it down.“I have to say, it’s all been very positive, and I sense also the excitement that came from the grassroots to the names being put forward.“I’ve always believed in stepping up when the opportunity presents itself, and it’s very much one that I want to take on board to show other women, particularly women in our party that there are those pathways there.”