Michael Copeland Politician

Michael Copeland MLA (born 23 June 1954) is a Unionist politician from Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.Copeland was born in Belfast and was educated at Lisnasharragh Primary School, Lisnasharragh Secondary School, Castlereagh College and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst becoming a lieutenant of the Ulster Defence Regiment, HM Armed Forces.Copeland was first elected to Castlereagh Borough Council in 2001 and in May 2002 was elected Deputy Mayor of Castlereagh.In 2002, he was elected chairman of Castlereagh District Policing Partnership. He later resigned in protest at the treatment of the RUC full-time Reserve. He also served as Director of Castlereagh Local Strategy Partnership.After defeating incumbent MLA Ian Adamson for the East Belfast UUP nomination for the 2003 Assembly Election he was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly. He was re-selected to stand for the constituency in the elections in 2007 but lost his seat. Copeland remains an extremely active figure in local governmental politics within Northern Ireland: maintaining a keen interest in domestic, socioeconomic and housing problems. He was re-elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly as MLA for East Belfast in the Assembly Elections in May 2011.A member of the Orange Order and the Royal Black Institution, Copeland has served as the party's Parades spokesman.Copeland has come out in favor of gay marriage, saying he "backed the change."His wife Sonia was elected to Belfast City Council in the Northern Ireland local elections, 2014.