Allister Kyle aims to turn TUV’s East Londonderry gains into Assembly seat bid

North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston, Allister Kyle, Chairman of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) with Party Leader Jim Allister MP

A senior TUV figure and Causeway Coast and Glens councillor has been unveiled as the party’s candidate for East Londonderry ahead of next year’s Northern Ireland Assembly election, with a pledge to build on what he described as the party’s strongest-ever electoral performance in the constituency.

Allister Kyle, who currently serves as Chairman of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), has been selected to contest the Assembly seat as the party looks to increase its representation at Stormont and convert growing support in East Londonderry into a constituency breakthrough.

The announcement places another experienced local political figure into what is expected to be a closely watched contest in a constituency that has seen shifting unionist dynamics in recent elections.

Long-standing local roots and political experience

Mr Kyle grew up on a small farm at Craigahulliar, outside Portrush, and was educated at Carnalridge Primary School and Dunluce School in Bushmills.

Married to Jill, he is involved in the Loyal Orders and has held a variety of offices within those organisations. He was also previously a member of both Dunseverick Accordion Band and Dunloy Accordion Band.

Away from politics, Mr Kyle runs his own electrical business and has also been involved in local sport, having previously served on the board of directors of Coleraine Football Club.

He currently represents constituents as a councillor on Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council while also serving as Chairman of the TUV.

Focus on rural issues and unionist concerns

Allister Kyle, Chairman of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) with Party Leader Jim Allister MP

Confirming his decision to stand, Mr Kyle said he believes East Londonderry would benefit from what he described as a stronger TUV presence at Stormont.

“East Londonderry needs the strong voice that only TUV can deliver,” he said.

“When I look at what Timothy Gaston has been able to achieve in holding officials and Ministers to account on the Executive Office Committee, I cannot help but wonder how Andrew Muir would cope if faced with a TUV presence on the Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee.”

Mr Kyle said he wanted to become a “strong and determined advocate” for rural communities and argued that voters had become disillusioned with established political parties.

“I want to be a strong and determined advocate for the rural community in which I grew up and, indeed, for the entire community of East Londonderry, which I believe has been let down by the old parties,” he said.

Protocol, agriculture and immigration among campaign themes

A central theme of Mr Kyle’s remarks was opposition to post-Brexit trading arrangements and criticism of unionist parties that returned to government at Stormont despite previous opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol.

“At the last Assembly election, unionists unitedly went to the people pledging that they would not return to a Stormont Executive while the Sea Border remained,” he said.

“The unionist members elected for East Londonderry betrayed the trust that the people placed in them when they went into a Sinn Féin-led Executive which implements the Protocol.”

Mr Kyle pointed to the party’s performance at the most recent Westminster election as evidence of growing support.

“We saw that a considerable number of people across East Londonderry resented that betrayal when, at the Westminster election, TUV secured its highest-ever vote in the constituency,” he said.

“I am determined to build on that and be returned to serve the people of a community that I know and love.”

The TUV candidate said issues including the Irish Sea border, immigration, pressures on agriculture and what he described as a “radical woke agenda” would form part of the party’s message to voters.

“Whether it is the Sea Border, immigration, the pressures on local agriculture or the radical woke agenda, people know where they stand with TUV,” he said.

“We offer the electorate something they can trust and depend upon.

“And in that knowledge, I believe that we can secure an Assembly seat next year and build significantly on the foothold that we have established on the council.”

Election battle begins to take shape

The announcement marks an early step in preparations for the next Assembly election, with parties across Northern Ireland already beginning to position candidates and shape campaign messages around issues including public services, agriculture, constitutional matters and the economy.

For the TUV, the selection of a sitting councillor and party chairman signals its intention to mount a serious challenge in East Londonderry as it seeks to translate council and Westminster election support into Assembly representation.

With the election campaign expected to intensify over the coming months, voters in East Londonderry can expect an increasingly active contest as parties compete to secure support across one of Northern Ireland’s most closely watched constituencies.