PUP leader Billy Hutchinson says he will in the council and general elections

Progressive Unionnist Party leader Billy Hutchinson is to enter the political fray again.

The former UVF prisoner said he will throw his hat into ring for at the next council and general elections.

The party currently has two councillors in Belfast – Dr John Kyle and Hugh Smyth – and plans to boost its number in an election drive in loyalists areas.

Mr Hutchinson, a former PUP MLA, also said his party would contest next year’s European Elections.

It supports the European Union but is opposed to the UK joining the euro zone.

The party hopes to cash in on loyalist anger over the removal of the Union flag at Belfast City Hall last December.

It also wants to be a voice of “disenfranchised” loyalists who will no longer vote for the DUP and UUP.

He said he planned to stand in South Antrim at the next Westminster election where he is already doing a lot of ground work.

“I’ve made my mind up. I will be standing in the general election in South Antrim in 2015,” he said yesterday.

He added that the party had a short-list of candidates for the European poll and it was up to the PUP’s executive and council to make the final selection.

But he ruled himself out of standing for Europe.

The PUP is planning to put up candidates for council election in in Belfast, North Antrim, South Antrim, East Antrim, Foyle and Portadown.

He said all PUP candidates standing for Belfast would sign a public pledge to work to get the union flag back up over Belfast City Hall.

At the next election, Ulster’s 26 council’s will be reduced to 15 ‘super’ councils in a public purse cost-cutting drive.

Mr Hutchinson said new boundary changes will throw up challenges.

“Belfast will be green and Castlereagh and Lisburn will be Orange,” he added.