Son of murdered solicitor expected to be new lord mayor of Belfast

John Finucane was elected to the City Council for the first time for Sinn Fein in the recent local government election.

He is expected to be installed as the new lord mayor later today, the BBC has reported.

His father was shot dead in front of his family in February 1989 by loyalists in an attack found to have involved collusion with the state.

The 39-year-old was shot 14 times while enjoying Sunday lunch at home with his family.

John Finucane is also a solicitor.

The recent election delivered 18 Sinn Fein councillors, 15 DUP councillors, 10 Alliance, six SDLP, four for the Green Party, three for People Before Profit, two for the UUP and two for the PUP.

The new City council’s first meeting after the election will take place this evening (Tuesday).

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s second city has already formally elected a new Mayor and deputy mayor.

Sinn Fein Councillor Michaela Boyle has accepted the mayoral chain for the Derry City and Strabane District Council from her namesake predecessor, SDLP councillor John Boyle.

The SDLP’s Cara Hunter takes up the position of deputy mayor.

The recent election in Derry City and Strabane delivered 11 SDLP councillors, 11 Sinn Fein councillors, seven DUP, four independents, two UUP, two Alliance, two People Before Profit, and one Aontu.