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Steven Agnew joined the Green Party in Northern Ireland in 2003.

Mr Agnew has led the party in Northern Ireland since 2011 and is an assembly member for North Down.

Born in Dundonald in 1979, he studied philosophy at university, but said he was turned off by a "negative political landscape" in Northern Ireland.

He joined the Greens after meeting the then leader John Barry at a protest march against the Iraq invasion.

Writing on his website, he said: "I was passionate about social justice but I did not see politicians in Northern Ireland representing my views."

He unsuccessfully contested the Northern Ireland Assembly election in 2007, in East Belfast, where he took 2.2% of the vote.

First seat

However, it was a breakthrough election for the party in Northern Ireland with Brian Wilson taking its first assembly seat in North Down.

Mr Agnew, who had previously worked with the homeless for five years, became Mr Wilson's research officer.

In 2009, Mr Agnew stood unsuccessfully for the Green Party in the European election and, a year later, he contested his first general election, standing for North Down.

He was elected as an MLA for North Down in May 2011 and his first motion in the assembly was on fracking.

Recently, Mr Agnew tried to amend the controversial Welfare Reform Bill and joined with Sinn Féin and the SDLP in signing a petition of consent that meant the bill had to get cross-community support - ensuring it not go through.

Mr Agnew once said in a newspaper interview that he sits in the "naughty corner" in the assembly - a reference to his position on the backbenches with parties such as the TUV and UKIP.

A film buff, he has appeared in a movie called I Wanted to Talk to You Last Night, made by Belfast director Michael MacBroom, a personal friend.

He has also appeared as a singer for a band called The Killing Spree.

Mr Agnew has been a member of Amnesty International and Friends of the Earth and is passionate about animal welfare issues.