Traditional Unionist Voice

Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) is a Northern Irish political party [ [http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/regulatory-issues/regpoliticalparties.cfm?frmGB=0&frmPartyID=800&frmType=partydetail The Electoral Commission : Regulatory issues : Political parties : Registers : Register of political parties ] ] founded on 7 December, 2007, as an anti-St Andrews Agreement splinter group from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Its first Leader is MEP Jim Allister who sits as an independent, having been elected for the DUP in 2004. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7131912.stm BBC NEWS | UK | Northern Ireland | New unionist group to be launched ] ] [ [http://www.4ni.co.uk/northern_ireland_news.asp?id=69467 Northern Ireland News - Allister Announces 'Alternative Ulster' Voice ] ]

The four founding principles of the new movement are [ [http://www.jimallister.org/uploads/_249.pdf Traditional Unionist Voice Leaflet ] ]
* retention of the Union between Northern Ireland and Great Britain
* commitment to a form of devolution that rejects mandatory coalition
* that the rule of law must prevail in every part of Northern Ireland and be administered without fear or favour
* support for traditional family values

Dromore By-Election

The party's first electoral contest was the Dromore local government by-election for Banbridge District Council [ [http://www.jimallister.org/default.asp?blogID=864 TUV to contest Dromore by-election] ] which took place on Wednesday 13 February 2008 [ [http://www.banbridge.com/home.asp by-election date] ] with their candidate being Dromore solicitor, Keith Harbinson. He took almost 20% of the 1st preference votes cast.

TUV were the last party to be eliminated, and more of their votes transferred to the UUP than to the DUP, enabling the former to retain its seat. [http://www.eoni.org.uk/dromore_result.pdf]

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