An Alliance Party councillor has been co-opted to serve as an MLA in Lagan Valley after the election of Sorcha Eastwood as an MP.
Castlereagh councillor Michelle Guy will take the Assembly seat after Ms Eastwood triumphed at last week’s Westminster election to win the seat previously held by the DUP’s former leader Jeffrey Donaldson.
On Wednesday the Northern Ireland Electoral Office said Ms Guy had been returned to serve as an MLA for Lagan Valley.
![Jim Allister speaking at a lectern](https://img.resized.co/breaking-news/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL2ltYWdlLmFzc2V0cy5wcmVzc2Fzc29jaWF0aW9uLmlvXFxcL3YyXFxcL2ltYWdlXFxcL3Byb2R1Y3Rpb25cXFwvMjAxM2ZhZDEyYWQ0OTUxMmJlYzFlM2FkZGU2NDFjMWVZMjl1ZEdWdWRITmxZWEpqYUdGd2FTd3hOekl3Tmpnek1qZzJcXFwvMi43Njc1MzM4My5qcGc_dz02NDBcIixcIndpZHRoXCI6XCI2NDBcIixcImhlaWdodFwiOlwiNTIyXCIsXCJkZWZhdWx0XCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5icmVha2luZ25ld3MuaWVcXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL25vLWltYWdlLnBuZ1wiLFwib3B0aW9uc1wiOntcIm91dHB1dFwiOlwid2VicFwifX0iLCJoYXNoIjoiNzAzODc2Yzg3YWE4N2I5NDBkOWI3NzI1YTA2ZmYzNzE0NjVkNDllNCJ9/alliance-councillor-co-opted-to-replace-sorcha-eastwood-in-assembly.jpg?w=640)
A number of co-options are set to be announced in other constituencies after the General Election.
They include replacements for independent Alex Easton in North Down after his election as MP, the UUP’s Robin Swann in North Antrim after his election as MP in South Antrim, and TUV leader Jim Allister in North Antrim after his election as MP.