Tom Ekin

Who is Tom Ekin?

Tom Ekin is a politician and business owner in Northern Ireland.

Ekin joined the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland and was elected to Belfast City Council at the Northern Ireland local elections, 1997. From 2000 until 2002, he served as the Chairperson of the Alliance Party.

Ekin held his seat with an increased vote in 2001. In 2004, he was elected Lord Mayor of Belfast, but was chosen ahead of Democratic Unionist Party member Eric Smyth only on the casting vote of Martin Morgan, the previous year's Lord Mayor. Smyth instead stood for the Deputy's election, but was defeated by Joe O'Donnell of Sinn Féin, this time on the casting vote of Ekin. Following this defeat, reports claim that Smyth told Ekin "your hands are covered in blood, you shameless traitor".