15/09/2009

TUV Ards Defections Announced

Two serving Ards councillors have joined Jim Allister's Traditional Unionist Voice.

Independents George Ennis and Terry Williams will now stand under the TUV banner.

Both men are former DUP members, having left the party in 2007.

Mr Ennis was elected to the Assembly as a DUP MLA for Strangford in 2003.

He was deselected by the DUP in 2007 and sought reelection as a member of Robert McCartney's now defunct UK Unionist Party. He was unsuccessful.

Today TUV Leader Mr Allister (pictured) welcomed both men into the Traditional Unionist fold, which he described as "the natural home for more and more principled unionists."

Mr Allister formed the anti-Agreement party after leaving the DUP in 2007.

At the time he was the Democratic Unionist's incumbent MEP.

Mr Allister objected to the DUP's decision to power-share with Sinn Féin at Stormont.

At this year's European Parliamentary elections Mr Allister polled over 70,000 votes, badly damaging the DUP's voting share.

However, Mr Allister failed to hold on to his seat, and still has no political representation at the Assembly.

The TUV has a number of local councillors across Northern Ireland.

Mr Allister has hinted that he may contest Ian Paisley's North Antrim Westminster seat at the next general election.

(PR/BMcC)

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