Election 2023: ​Unionists hoping for better representation on Belfast City Council

“It is a sign of the DUP's lack of credibility over its call for unionist cooperation that they chose to stand a second candidate who has no chance of winning.

“If the unionist turnout was as high as the nationalists and Alliance we would regain our seat, but not when the vote is needlessly shredded.”

Over in Lisnasharragh, DUP candidate Davy Douglas is hoping to follow in his father’s footsteps.

MBE-recipient Sammy Douglas was an MLA for East Belfast from 2011 to 2017 and his son hopes to occupy the seat he held in Lisnasharragh with his father contesting in the Titanic DEA this time round.

Davy said: “I got involved in politics in 2011, helping my dad with his assembly election campaign. I have tried to follow in his footsteps and if I could achieve half of what he has, I think I'll have done well.”

He added: “I believe we have a strong chance of strengthening the DUP group and the unionist voice in City Hall. Ultimately, we need to see a strong turnout, and unionism can't afford splitting the vote because, as we saw in the Assembly election, that costs seats.

"I'm hopeful that my dad and I can both be elected. He was a community worker in east Belfast for many years before entering politics. We've been canvassing together during this election and he seems to know everybody. I do feel we've an excellent chance of having all three candidates elected in Titanic.

"John Kyle, who is a good friend of my dad's, is not standing again. He was a very popular councillor and the unknown factor is where his vote will go.”

Ron McDowell is hopeful the TUV can make their presence felt on Belfast City Council.

Ron, who is running in the Court DEA, which covers the wards of Ballygomartin, Clonard, Falls, Forth River, Shankill, and Woodvale, said: “The big issue leading up to the election was the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. In the past 25 years our area has stagnated.

"The biggest arguments I have for TUV is the streets that the people live in.

“That’s what they’re telling me as well. They want to see development, they want to see investment.

"There’s a big opportunity for TUV in this area, what we’re hearing on the streets makes us not just optimistic, but confident.”

He added: “We’re not looking to have a sole representative in City Hall – we’re confident in Titanic and optimistic in Ormiston.

"There’s a very outside chance of a seat in Oldpark.”

Full list of Belfast City Council candidates:

Balmoral

Tara Brooks (All),

Sarah Bunting (DUP),

Lauren Kendall (Green),

Joshua Lowry (UUP),

Dónal Lyons (SDLP),

Geraldine McAteer (SF),

Sarah Mulgrew (SDLP),

Micky Murray (All),

Sean Napier (Sinn Fein),

Gareth Spratt (DUP)

​

Black Mountain

Ciaran Beattie (SF),

Ryan Brown (All),

Arder Carson (SF),

Matt Collins (PBP),

Paul Doherty (SDLP),

Micheal Donnelly (SF),

Róis-Máire Donnelly (SF),

Gerard Herdman (Aontú),

Stevie Maginn (Green),

Ursula Meighan (WP),

Dan Murphy (IRSP),

Áine McCabe (SF),

Ronan McLaughlin (SF)

​

Botanic

Billy Dickson (TUV),

Jeffrey Dudgeon (UUP),

Emma-Jane Faulkner (SF),

John Gormley (SF),

Áine Groogan (Green),

Tracy Kelly (DUP),

Darren Leighton (DUP),

Paddy Lynn (WP),

Idris Maiga (Con),

Emmet McDonough-Brown (All),

Gary McKeown (SDLP),

Neil Moore (Soc),

Chris Ogle (All),

Sipho Sibanda (PBP)

​

Castle

Brónach Anglin (SF),

Fred Cobain (DUP),

Julie-Anne Corr-Johnston (UUP),

Barney Doherty (PBP),

Lily Kerr (WP),

Conor Maskey (SF),

Dean McCullough (DUP),

Sam Nelson (All),

Mal O'Hara (Green),

Carl Whyte (SDLP)

Collin

Michael Collins (PBP),

Patrick Crossan (WP),

Joe Duffy (SF),

Matt Garrett (SF),

Ash Jones (Green),

Tony Mallon (Ind),

Caoimhín McCann (SF),

Luke McCann (Aontú),

Gerard McDonald (SDLP),

Julieann McNally (Ind),

Eoin Millar (All),

Clíodhna Nic Bhranair (SF),

Séanna Walsh (SF)

​

Court

Tina Black (SF),

Claire Canavan (SF),

Sara Haller (Green),

Ally Haydock (All),

Billy Hutchinson (PUP),

Michael Kelly (IRSP),

Cailín McCaffery (PBP),

Frank McCoubrey (DUP),

Ron McDowell (TUV),

Ian McLaughlin (DUP),

Olcan McSparron (SDLP),

Nicola Verner (DUP),

Tony Walls (WP),

Geoffrey Wilson (Ind)

​

Lisnasharragh

Nick Cropper (PBP),

Séamus de Faoite (SDLP),

Davy Douglas (DUP),

Bradley Ferguson (DUP),

Stephen Ferguson (TUV),

Eric Hanvey (All),

Stevie Jenkins (SF),

Michael Long (All),

Bill Manwaring (UUP),

Anna McErlean (All),

Brian Smith (Green)

​

Oldpark

Nichola Bradley (SF),

Charlotte Carson (SDLP),

Ange Cruz (Green),

Jordan Doran (DUP),

Fiona Ferguson (PBP),

JJ Magee (SF),

Ryan Murphy (SF),

Fiona McCarthy (WP),

Ann McClure (TUV),

Paul McCusker (Ind),

Tomás Ó Néill (SF),

Chris Shannon (All),

Gillian Simpson (DUP)

​

Ormiston

Christine Bower (All),

Fiona Doran (PBP),

Anthony Flynn (Green),

John Hiddleston (TUV),

Carole Howard (UUP),

James Lawlor (DUP),

Jenna Maghie (All),

Caitríona Mallaghan (SF),

Andrew McCormick (DUP),

Loran McGuirk (SDLP),

Ross McMullan (All),

Jim Rodgers (UUP),

Caitlin Sullivan (All)

​

Titanic

David Bell (All),

Ruth Brooks (DUP),

Sonia Copeland (UUP),

Pádraig Donnelly (SF),

George Dorrian (DUP),

Sammy Douglas (DUP),

Gillian Hamilton (Green),

Fiona McAteer (All),

Elly Odhiambo (SDLP),

Anne Smyth (TUV)