Jim Allister

Jim Allister, QC (born April 2, 1953 in County Down) is a Northern Ireland unionist politician and barrister. He is a member of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and was elected to be a member of the European Parliament (succeeding Ian Paisley) in 2004. In the European Parliament, although an avowed Euro-sceptic, he is also a strong supporter of the Common Agricultural Policy. He joined the DUP at its founding in 1971. In 1982 he was elected as a Member of the Parliamentary Assembly at Stormont and served as the DUP Chief Whip. He stood as candidate for the DUP in Westminster elections, but had not been active since 1987 until he ran for MEP in 2004.