Former senior PSNI officer Jon Burrows to become UUP MLA

Former senior police officer and media commentator, Jon Burrows, has joined the Ulster Unionist assembly team at Stormont.

He has been selected to replace the North Antrim MLA Colin Crawford who is stepping down after less than a year in the role.

Burrows, who is a former Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) superintendent, was one of three candidates interviewed for the job on Tuesday.

Since retiring from the PSNI in 2021 he has become a regular media contributor on policing issues.

He was also a guest speaker at the TUV conference in March where he insisted he was not a member of any political party.

In his speech he also accused the PSNI of having a “weak leadership” and being too open to political interference.

Burrows also spoke out recently against those involved in race riots in Ballymena during which a high number of police officers were injured.

He is now set to replace Colin Crawford who resigned from the party over a press release issued in his name after the disorder in Ballymena.

The statement condemned the violence and racism behind the attacks. The trouble followed a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault.

A senior source told BBC News NI that Crawford agreed the release but was subsequently uncomfortable with some of the wording.

In announcing his resignation on Facebook, Crawford said he was stepping away from politics after much “soul searching” and it was the “right decision from me and my family”.

Although he announced his resignation in June, Crawford was asked by the party to stay on until his replacement was found.

It is not clear when Jon Burrows will be signed in as the new Ulster Unionist MLA for North Antrim.

Analysis from BBC News NI’s political editor Enda McClafferty

Jon Burrows will be considered by some as a good catch for the Ulster Unionist Party as he is skilled media performer and comes with a strong pedigree in policing.

His father Colin was a former RUC assistant chief constable.

Though he has spent much of his career steering clear of politics he has been an outspoken critic of politicians and police chiefs since quitting the PSNI four years ago.

Don’t be surprised if he finds a seat on the policing board for his new party.

But Burrows biggest challenge may come from within with Ulster Unionists members unhappy with his lack of longstanding service to the party.

As a free-wheeling, straight-talking commentator he may also struggle to operate within the boundaries of a political party.