Ryan McCready (born 1985 or 1986) is an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician, serving as a Derry and Strabane Councillor for the Faughan DEA since 2019. McCready is a former soldier with the Royal Irish Regiment, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.^[1] McCready is known for his active presence on social media.

Career

In December 2011, McCready was honoured as the Most Outstanding Soldier by the Duke of Cambridge at an awards ceremony for British troops at the Imperial War Museum.^[2]

In the 2019 local elections, McCready was elected to represent the Faughan district electoral area on Derry City and Strabane District Council, being elected on the 4th count for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

On 14 June 2021, McCready left the DUP, saying the party was "no longer compatible" with his beliefs following the ousting of Arlene Foster as party leader.^[3] Consequently, he chose to sit on Derry and Strabane council as an Independent Unionist.

McCready joined the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) on 5 July 2021 as a "progressive and more moderate" alternative to the DUP. UUP leader, Doug Beattie, welcomed McCready's defection to the party, saying that McCready was an "impressive individual and impressive councillor".^[4]

In the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election, McCready was the UUP candidate for the Foyle constituency. He received 3,744 first preference votes, and was eliminated on the final count.

McCready was re-elected to Derry City and Strabane District Council in the 2023 local elections. He topped the poll in the Faughan DEA with 1,282 first preference votes and was elected on the second count.

References