Traditional Unionist Voice facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Traditional Unionist Voice
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|---|---|
 |
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| Abbreviation | TUV |
| Leader | Jim Allister |
| Chairman | Keith Ratcliffe |
| President | William Ross |
| Deputy Leader | Ron McDowell |
| Founded | 7 December 2007 |
| Split from | Democratic Unionist Party |
| Headquarters | 38 Henry Street, Ballymena, Northern Ireland |
| Ideology |
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| Political position | Right-wing |
| National affiliation | Reform UK–TUV alliance |
| Colours | Blue (primarily), red and white |
| House of Commons (NI Seats) |
1 / 18
|
| NI Assembly |
1 / 90
|
| Local government in Northern Ireland |
10 / 462
|
The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland. Like other unionist parties, its main goal is to keep Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom. A key belief of the party is that "nothing which is morally wrong can be politically right."
The TUV was started in December 2007 by Jim Allister. He was a well-known member of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) but left because he disagreed with a major decision. The DUP leader, Ian Paisley, had agreed to share power in the Northern Ireland government with the Irish republican party Sinn Féin.
Allister and his supporters felt this went against what the DUP had always stood for. Before this, the DUP had opposed parts of the Good Friday Agreement, a peace deal from 1998. The TUV has continued to oppose Sinn Féin's role in the government.
Today, the TUV is the third-largest unionist party in Northern Ireland, after the DUP and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). It is often described as being more "hardline" in its unionist views. The party has held a seat in the Northern Ireland Assembly since 2011 and won its first seat in the UK Parliament in 2024.
Contents
What the TUV Believes In
The TUV was created to represent what it calls "traditional unionist" values. The party felt the DUP had left these values behind when it agreed to share power with Sinn Féin. The TUV believes that the power-sharing system in Northern Ireland is not the best way to govern.
The party's policies are generally considered right-wing and socially conservative, meaning they support traditional values.
Key Policies
The TUV has clear views on many important topics. These ideas are often found in their election plans, known as manifestos.
Government and Power-Sharing
A major difference between the TUV and other unionist parties is its view on how Northern Ireland should be governed. The current system requires unionist and nationalist parties to share power in a "mandatory coalition."
The TUV argues this system doesn't work well because the parties have opposite goals. Instead, they support a "voluntary coalition," where any group of parties that can agree on a plan could form a government.
The Economy
The TUV supports an economy with low taxes and more freedom for individuals and small businesses. They believe the government should be careful with spending taxpayers' money.
Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol
The TUV was a strong supporter of Brexit, the UK's departure from the European Union. They were against the UK sending money to the EU and wanted local laws to be made in the UK, not by the EU.
The party strongly opposes the Northern Ireland Protocol, a trade agreement made after Brexit. They believe it separates Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.
Social Issues
The TUV holds socially conservative views. The party believes that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. They feel these issues should be decided by local politicians in Northern Ireland.
Education
The party supports keeping grammar schools, which use academic tests for entry. They believe this "academic selection" should be an option for students. They also want all types of schools to receive fair funding.
Election History
The TUV has participated in many elections since it was formed. Here is a look at some of its key results.
Early Elections
The party's first election was a local by-election in 2008, where its candidate performed well but did not win. In the 2009 European Parliament election, party leader Jim Allister ran for a seat. He received 66,000 votes but was not elected.
In the 2010 United Kingdom general election, the TUV ran candidates in 10 areas but did not win any seats in the UK Parliament.
Assembly and Council Success
In the 2011 Northern Ireland Assembly election, the TUV won its first major seat. Jim Allister was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the North Antrim area. He has held this seat ever since.
In local council elections, the party has steadily grown. In 2014, it won 13 council seats across Northern Ireland. By 2023, the party had 9 councillors, with a strong presence in the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.
2022 Assembly Election
In the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election, the TUV's main campaign message was its opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol. The party ran candidates in all 18 constituencies for the first time.
The TUV received over 65,000 first-choice votes, which was 7.6% of the total and a big increase from the previous election. However, due to Northern Ireland's voting system, only Jim Allister was elected as an MLA.
2024 General Election Breakthrough
In the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the TUV achieved a historic victory. Party leader Jim Allister was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Antrim. This was the first time the TUV had won a seat in the UK Parliament at Westminster.
Party Leader
| Leader | Born | Term start | Term end | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jim Allister |  |
1953 | 7 December 2007 | Incumbent |
See also
In Spanish: Voz Unionista Tradicional para niños
