The late David McClarty.
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has paid tribute to David McClarty, one of the North’s best known politicians, who has died.
Mr McClarty (63), the independent unionist Northern Ireland Assembly member from Coleraine, had been suffering from cancer for some time.
Mr McGuinness of Sinn Féin said on Twitter: “David was a gentleman – we will miss him.”
DUP East MP Gregory Campbell said Mr McClarty would be a “very sad loss.”
He added: “David was a popular, affable person who nearly everyone in the Coleraine area knew and liked.”
SDLP East MLA John Dallat said Mr McClarty was “respected by everyone”.
East Derry MLA Mr McClarty left the Ulster Unionist Party in 2011 after being de-selected as a candidate for that year’s assembly election.
Before leaving the party, he was one of the UUP’s longest serving MLAs.
He was first elected to Coleraine Council in 1989 and the Assembly in 1998 acting as one its deputy speakers from 2007 to 2011.
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