Progressive Unionist Party
Founded in 1977, the PUP has a working class support base in the Loyalist community and has close links with the Loyalist paramilitary organisation, the Ulster Volunteer Force. The party campaigned strongly for the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
There are two PUP candidates standing in the forthcoming Westminster elections. Party leader, David Ervine is contesting the East Belfast constituency, while Dawn Purvis is seeking election in South Belfast. At the last general election in 1997, the PUP secured 1.38%.
In 1998, the party won two seats in the new Northern Ireland Assembly when David Ervine won in East Belfast and Billy Hutchinson was elected on the final count in North Belfast. The party won a 2.5% share of the vote throughout Northern Ireland.
Initially Billy Hutchinson had indicated that he would be contesting the parliamentary election in North Belfast. On 14t May, he withdrew from the contest stating that he did not want to split the Unionist vote further. He urged his supporters to vote for the Unionist candidate who best represents their interests but stopped short of explicitly endorsing the pro-Agreement candidate and sitting UUP MP, Cecil Walker.
