TUV/Reform UK have announced that Stevan Patterson will contest West Tyrone for the party in the upcoming Westminster election.
Stevan has lived all his life in the Castlederg area and is heavily involved in the Loyal Orders, serving as Worshipful Master of his local Orange Lodge.
During the troubles two members of his family, serving with the UDR were murdered by IRA terrorists. Stevan himself narrowly avoided being injured by a split second in an IRA terrorist attack aged just 17 when he was standing at the bridge in Castlederg and a van driven by an off-duty UDR member with an underbody device attached exploded almost beside him. Thankfully the soldier survived the attack.
Stevan’s working career has been in computing and he has recently retired after almost 40 years service at South West College, Omagh as a computer technician. He was also a part time lecturer in the College for many years.
Stevan is a local historian and industrial heritage author and has produced publications on vintage tractors, stationary engines and cars. His special interest is in our own Harry Ferguson, the father of the modern agricultural tractor and Mr Patterson has been lobbying over a long period for a dedicated museum to him and his team of Northern Ireland born engineers.
Stevan Patterson said:
“I am a passionate Unionist who believes the Union has been good for the people of Northern Ireland. However, the many benefits of the Union are being eroded by the Protocol, making the cost of living crisis even worse in Northern Ireland.
“I believe in the full restoration of Northern Ireland’s rightful place in the United Kingdom by the removal of the Sea Border. After 23 years of no representation because of abstentionism in this constituency it’s time to get to work for all the people of West Tyrone.”
Commenting on the announcement Jim Allister said:
“I warmly welcome the fact that a candidate of Stevan Patterson’s ability has stepped forward and been willing to fly the TUV/Reform UK banner in this election. West Tyrone is a constituency where we demonstrated considerable support in the last Assembly election and I look forward to Stevan building on that on 4th July.”