Dr Kyle was appointed interim leader until the party's annual conference in October. He was co-opted onto Belfast City Council to represent the Pottinger Ward after the death of Cllr David Ervine MLA.

John Kyle was born in East Belfast and attended Grosvenor Grammar School and Queen's University Belfast. He graduated as a doctor in 1975 and has practiced medicine in Belfast and London. Since 1993 he has been a General Practitioner in Holywood Arches Health Centre. He is married to Helen and has 5 grown up children.

For many years he has been involved in community development projects and partnerships such as the Oasis Centre, the East Belfast Community Health Information Project (EBCHIP) and the East Belfast Partnership.

His motivation springs from a strong Christian commitment and a desire to see communities damaged by conflict and deprivation transformed and renewed.

He joined the Progressive Unionist Party in response to a new and inclusive vision of unionism articulated by David Ervine. He believes passionately that the future lies in peaceful co-operation and co-existence but that this is best achieved by overcoming social injustices and the inequalities of opportunity that blight working class communities.

His work as a General Practitioner keeps him in touch with the most pressing concerns of the residents of inner East Belfast.

He is committed to serving the constituents of East Belfast through improving educational and employment opportunities, combating health inequalities and promoting better inter-racial understanding.