Alastair Patterson (born 14 December 1972) is a Northern Irish unionist politician who was an

Ulster Unionist Party The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is a Unionism in Ireland, unionist political party in Northern Ireland. The party was founded as the Ulster Unionist Council in 1905, emerging from the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster. Under Edward Carson, it l ...

(UUP)

Member of the Legislative Assembly A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected to sit in a legislative assembly. The term most commonly refers to members of the legislature of a federated state or an autonomous region, but is also used for several nation ...

(MLA) for Fermanagh and South Tyrone between January and May 2016. Patterson defected to the

Democratic Unionist Party The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is a Unionism in Ireland, unionist, Ulster loyalism, loyalist, British nationalist and national conservative political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1971 during the Troubles by Ian Paisley, who ...

(DUP) in June 2016, a month after losing his seat in that year's Assembly election.

Political career

As a member of the

, Patterson was co-opted to the

Northern Ireland Assembly The Northern Ireland Assembly (; ), often referred to by the metonym ''Stormont'', is the devolved unicameral legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliam ...

in January 2016, having replaced

Neil Somerville Neil Somerville (born 15 May 1973) is a Northern Irish businessman and former Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician. He was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Fermanagh and South Tyrone between 2015 and 2016, having succeede ...

, following the latter's resignation due to ill health. He served on the Environment Committee, and was Ulster Unionist Party Spokesperson on the Environment. Patterson contested the 2016 Assembly election, alongside his running mate, Rosemary Barton. In the election, he polled 3,010 (6.4%) of first preference votes, and was eliminated on the fifth count, with his transfers electing Barton. Following his defeat, he went on to defect to the

, saying he was "let down and disappointed" by UUP decisions both locally and nationally. In an email to Ulster Unionist members, Patterson revealed that the majority of his friends and families were DUP supporters and that he "at a time of weakness on my part give icinto the advice they have been giving me since the Election"

Personal life

Outside politics, Patterson spent over twenty years in the Construction Industry, most recently serving as a Senior Quantity Surveyor. Patterson is a keen Pipe Bandsman, a former Drum Major with

Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band is a competitive Pipe band#Competition & The World Pipe Band Championships, grade one pipe band from Lisburn, Northern Ireland named in honour of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of ...

, a four times World Champion Drum Major and current Adjudicator. He is a member of the

Orange Order The Loyal Orange Institution, commonly known as the Orange Order, is an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland and primarily associated with Ulster Protestants. It also has lodges in England, Grand Orange Lodge of ...

. Patterson is a supporter of

Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founded in ...

and

Ulster Rugby Ulster Rugby is one of the four professional provincial rugby union teams from the island of Ireland. They compete in the Irish regional pool of the United Rugby Championship and in the European Rugby Champions Cup, each of which they have won ...

References

1972 births Living people Northern Ireland MLAs 2011–2016 Ulster Unionist Party MLAs People from Castlederg Politicians from County Tyrone {{Northern-Ireland-MLA-stub