The Chair of the Ulster Unionist Party, Councillor Jill Macauley, has described Lord Trimble as a man who showed true leadership that saved many lives and whose passing is an immense loss to Unionism.

Jill Macauley said:

“I am deeply saddened to hear of the untimely passing of Lord Trimble. He was a political giant, a brave politician and a humble, truthful gentleman who I was blessed to call a friend and Ulster Unionist colleague.

“There is no doubt that his passing is an immense loss to Unionism, Northern Ireland and indeed his dear family who know the full extent of the personal sacrifices that he paid to help bring peace for us all.

“Speaking from a personal perspective, as a child of the 80s I can recall seeing a lot of the Troubles and horrific times through innocent eyes. As a teenager in the 90s excitedly being able to vote for the first time, I could see a glimmer of hope through the Belfast  Agreement and David Trimble, who was a true example of a Leader among men.

“In the Referendum I voted Yes along with 71.1% of the population. I voted Yes to a brighter future, Yes to a safer Northern Ireland ending over 30 years of a terrorist campaign that caused thousands of deaths, tens of thousands of injuries and billions of pounds of economic damage to Northern Ireland. Yes to making this place work under a devolved government with our own say.

“Even then I could see that the Ulster Unionist Party, led by David Trimble, had to make very difficult decisions (much to its own cost) and had many unpalatable compromises to swallow. That was hard, but that was true leadership that undoubtedly saved many more lives in the intervening years.

“I want to pay tribute to David Trimble and those others who genuinely put in the hard yards back in 1998, and believed then and now that it would benefit the people of Northern Ireland. I know that history will undoubtedly remember him and his legacy fondly.

“My sincere sympathies go to his wife Daphne and his children Richard, Victoria, Sarah and Nicholas at this difficult time, and I will hold them as a family in my thoughts and prayers.”