Billy Hutchinson is leader of the Progressive Unionist Party. He has been active in Loyalism since the early 1970s and was involved in securing the CLMC ceasefire in 1994. He stood as a North Belfast candidate in the 1996 Forum elections, was elected to Belfast City Council in 1997 and became a North Belfast MLA in 1998. He played a central role in the negotiations which led to the Good Friday Agreement.