DUP Tyler Hoey’s social media posts ‘indefensible but in the past’ says leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has criticised historical social media posts by one of his party’s election candidates as “indefensible” – but said he believes Tyler Hoey is entitled to a second chance.

Mr Hoey is set to stand for the DUP as a council candidate in the Bannside area of Ballymena for Mid and East Antrim Council in May.

Several controversial posts he made in the past resurfaced at the weekend, and he had also liked a tweet glorifying the gunmen involved in the UDA’s killing of eight people in Greysteel, Co Derry, in 1993.

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Mr Hoey also made references to the UDA in posts, appeared to have attempted to make a joke about the death of 39 immigrants in a lorry in 2019, and criticised lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic.

In an interview with the PA news agency, Sir Jeffrey said Mr Hoey “deeply regrets” some of what he had posted in the past, adding: “Well, I have to say that some of the things that were said in the past on social media were indefensible, and we’ve spoken with Tyler and he understands that, and deeply regrets some of the things that he said in the past.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (PA)

“This is a young man, and many people in their youth make mistakes, and say and do things they regret, and I think he is entitled to a second chance.

“He wants to make a contribution to his community, he wants to do something that makes life better for his community, and I think he is entitled to the opportunity to do that.”

Sir Jeffrey said it will be for the voters to decide if they want Mr Hoey to represent them.

“Ultimately it will be for the people of his area to decide if Tyler is the person they want to represent them, but we’ve received assurances from him that what happened in the past is in the past, and his focus now is on making a positive contribution to the community that he desires to represent,” he added.

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