Coalition to support Independent candidate John Gilliland in the European elections, achieving the best result for the centre ground for 25 years. Ford's greatest triumph came in the 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election, when the party achieved its highest vote share since Alderdice's departure and picked up a seat in what was an otherwise poor election for the moderates. Despite media predictions once again of his demise, Ford himself was elected third in South Antrim, with over 13% of the poll. In the 2011 Assembly elections, the Alliance Party managed to increase their vote by 50% gaining an extra seat in East Belfast and surpassing the Ulster Unionist Party in Belfast. Northern Ireland Justice Minister On 12 April 2010, Ford was chosen by the Assembly to become Northern Ireland's first Justice Minister in 38 years. Ford was supported in the Assembly by the DUP, Sinn Féin, the Alliance Party, the Green Party and the Progressive Unionist Party. Separate candidates for the position were put forward by both the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP, being Danny Kennedy and Alban McGuinness respectively. Referencing the election, Ford said, "I am fully conscious that I am not the unanimous choice of this assembly but I do say to every member of this house, that we have a duty together to provide leadership and if we didn't know that before, we sadly had a reminder of it at half past twelve this morning." Personal life David Ford and his wife Anne have four grown-up children and live in rural County Antrim. Until the spring of 2013, he was an elder in the Second Donegore congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. He was removed from his role as a ruling elder over differences with fellow congregants on the subject of gay marriage. See also Alliance Party of Northern Ireland References External links Official site 1951 births Living people English Presbyterians Leaders of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland Alumni of Queen's University Belfast Alliance Party of Northern Ireland MLAs Northern Ireland MLAs 1998–2003 Northern Ireland MLAs 2003–2007 Northern Ireland MLAs 2007–2011 Northern Ireland MLAs 2011–2016 Northern Ireland MLAs 2016–2017 Northern Ireland MLAs 2017–2022 People educated at Dulwich College English people of Welsh descent People from Orpington Presbyterians from Northern Ireland Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive (since 1999) Members of Antrim Borough Council Alliance Party of Northern Ireland councillors Alliance Party parliamentary candidates