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Harold McKee

Harold McKee (born 28 December 1957) is a Northern Irish unionist politician who was a Newry Mourne and Down Councillor for The Mournes DEA from 2014 to 2016, and then again from 2019 until 2023.

Harold McKee
McKee in 2017
Member of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
In office
2 May 2019 – 18 May 2023
Preceded byJill Macauley
Succeeded byJill Truesdale
ConstituencyThe Mournes
In office
22 May 2014 – 5 May 2016
Preceded byNew council
Succeeded byJill MacCauley
Member of the Legislative Assembly
for South Down
In office
5 May 2016 – 26 January 2017
Preceded byJohn McCallister
Succeeded bySeat abolished
Member of Newry and Mourne District Council
In office
5 May 2011 – 22 May 2014
Preceded byIsaac Hanna
Succeeded byCouncil abolished
ConstituencyThe Mournes
Personal details
Born (1957-12-28) 28 December 1957 (age 66)
Kilkeel, Northern Ireland
NationalityBritish
Political partyTUV (2021 - present)
Other political
affiliations		Ulster Unionist Party (until 2021)

McKee was previously a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for South Down from 2016 to 2017.

Background

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Political career

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McKee was first elected onto Newry and Mourne District Council at the 2011 local elections, representing The Mournes District, for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP).[1][2] He was re-elected at the 2014 local elections, this time onto the successor Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.[3][4]

McKee stood in South Down at the 2015 general election, finishing third with 3,964 votes (9.3%).[5]

At the 2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election, he was elected to represent South Down, taking the constituency's second seat.[6][7]During his time in the Assembly, McKee was the Ulster Unionist Party's agriculture spokesperson.[8] McKee warned against the collapsing of the Northern Ireland Executive in January 2017, expressing concern that the agri-food sector would be damaged in any such event.[9] He was defeated at the 2017 Assembly election, when the number of seats were reduced from six to five.[10][11]

At the June 2017 general election, he came fourth in South Down, polling 2,002 votes (3.9%).[12]

McKee made a comeback to Newry, Mourne and Down at the 2019 local elections, being the sixth candidate returned in The Mournes.[13][14]He became deputy chair of the council in June 2020, commenting on his new role that: “My position as Deputy Chairperson will look very different compared to previous years due to the current situation, however I am willing to embrace the challenge and look forward to working with all Elected Members across the district.”.[15][16]

In October 2021, McKee resigned from the UUP, citing disagreements over the 'liberal' direction the party was heading in, under Doug Beattie's leadership. He said it was "becoming very difficult to endorse a leader who is constantly to the fore promoting liberal issues".[17] Additionally, Beattie had previously advised members to "leave your religion at the door", something which McKee, a Christian, strongly disagreed with. [18][19] Commenting on McKee's resignation, a party spokesman said: “We would like to thank Harold for his service and wish him well for the future. The party will continue to hold out the hand of friendship as Harold takes a new path.”[20] He stated his intention to remain on the council as an independent, "at this point in time".[21]

The following month, he joined the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), saying: “Following discussions with TUV leader, Jim Allister, where I set out the importance of my Christian values as a politician, I have taken up an offer of another party much earlier than I had intended, but prayerfully and with the support of many other people’s prayers. Like many people across Northern Ireland I appreciate the strong and principled leadership Jim has offered, particularly in recent days when it has come to the Northern Ireland Protocol which is undermining our position in the U.K."[22][23]

He was announced as TUV's candidate for South Down in December 2021, ahead of the 2022 Assembly election.[24] Former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLA Jim Wells, who had been de-selected in favour of Diane Forsythe, quit the party and instead endorsed McKee's candidacy. Subsequently, all of the DUP's Officers in the South Down Association resigned their membership in order to support McKee.[25] [26][27] In the election, he polled 3,273 first-preference votes (6.0%), and was the sixth candidate to be eliminated. [28][29]

He lost his seat to Alliance's Jill Truesdale at the 2023 local elections, being eliminated on the eighth count with 880 first-preferences (6.6%).[30][31][32]

References

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  1. ^ "BBC News - Election 2011 - Northern Ireland council elections - Newry and Mourne council". BBC News. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Newry and Mourne District Council, 1993 - 2011". Ark elections. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Newry.ie - Election Results Drip In". Newry.IE. 23 May 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  4. ^ "BBC News NI on X: Harold McKee (UUP) is elected in Newry, Mourne and Down". X. 23 May 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Election result for South Down (Constituency) - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament". UK Parliament. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  6. ^ "As it happened: NI Assembly election results". RTE News. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  7. ^ "Results Northern Ireland Assembly Election 2016". Irish Times. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  8. ^ "McKee seeking clarity on FBIS funding package". Farming Life. 9 January 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  9. ^ "Uncertainty poses a critical challenge". Belfast Newsletter. 14 January 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  10. ^ "South Down results". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Assembly Election 2017 - South Down". Irish News. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  12. ^ "Election result for South Down". UK Parliament. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  13. ^ "Veteran McKee to stand in Mournes election". Down Recorder. 30 January 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Local Council Elections - Results 2019". Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Harold McKee is Incoming Council Deputy Chair". Down News. 23 May 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  16. ^ "SDLP and Ulster Unionists take top two seats on Newry, Mourne and Down Council". Armaghi. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Harold McKee: UUP councillor quits over party's 'liberal values'". BBC News. 30 October 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  18. ^ "Traditional views on social matters are increasingly sidelined in politics". Belfast Newsletter. 30 October 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  19. ^ "Former Ulster Unionist Party councillor Harold McKee joins TUV". BBC News. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  20. ^ "McKee stands down from UUP". Down Recorder. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  21. ^ "Former MLA Harold McKee quits UUP saying his Christianity is at odds with Doug Beattie's leadership". Irish News. 1 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  22. ^ "Councillor Harold McKee joins TUV". Traditional Unionist Voice. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  23. ^ "Councillor Harold McKee joins TUV after leaving UUP over its stance on abortion and LGBT issues". Belfast Newsletter. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  24. ^ "TUV announce South Down Assembly candidate". Traditional Unionist Voice. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  25. ^ "Jim Wells: Former DUP MLA quits party and endorses rival TUV". BBC News. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  26. ^ "DUP officers in South Down, representing 305 years' party membership, dramatically resign - Jim Wells confirms move to TUV". Belfast Newsletter. 26 April 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  27. ^ "Statement from the South Down Association". 26 April 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  28. ^ "South Down result - Northern Ireland Assembly Elections 2022". BBC News. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  29. ^ "South Down results - NI Assembly Election 2022". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  30. ^ "The Mournes: Newry, Mourne and Down result". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  31. ^ "Five-star Sinn Fein result as Finnegan steals show". Down Recorder. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  32. ^ "Surge for Sinn Fein and Alliance sees changing of the guard". Down Recorder. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  • Profile, bbc.co.uk; accessed 14 May 2016.
  • [1], aims.niassembly.gov.uk accessed 7 February 2017
Northern Ireland Assembly
Preceded by MLA for Down South
2016–2017 		Seat abolished


   

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