Chris Lyttle MLA
Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle was elected to the Assembly for East Belfast in 2011. Chris is Deputy Chair of the OFMDFM Committee, a member of the Employment and Learning Committee, Deputy Chair of the All-Party Group on Children and Young People and Chair of the Northern Ireland Assembly Business Trust.
How did you get started in politics?
I have always been passionately angry about the brutality and waste caused by division and shared the Alliance vision for a more united community.
My experience as a volunteer church youth worker in East Belfast inspired me to gain skills and experience to help my community. I gained a deg re e in gover nment and p olitics at Q ue en ’s Univers i ty and a scholarsh ip for postgraduate training in public policy at Harvard University.
Many great people have inspired me to enter public service, in cluding former Assembly Deputy Speaker Jane Morrice, but none more than Alliance Party deputy leader Naomi Long MP. I first met Naomi as the youngest independent member of the inaugural district policing partnerships and was privileged to serve as her constituency manager for East Belfast before succeeding her as MLA for the area.
It is a challenging privilege to serve as an elected representative and I believe we need people of all backgrounds to get involved if we are to deliver a more effective government and shared society for all.
What’s unique about East Belfast?
The character, creativity and diversity of the people. At the turn of the 20th century we led global industry and now have a world-class legacy project in place at Titanic Belfast to both commemorate tragic loss but also inspire future innovation and endeavour.
Despite significant change and challenge, firms like Bombardier Aerospace, Harland & Wolff, AM Light and Sepha are playing a key role in developing advanced, renewable manufacturing and engineering and creating the knowledge-based industry needed to rebuild and rebalance our economy.
Our writers, musicians and sportspeople like CS Lewis, Van Morrison and George Best have inspired local people that it is possible to make a world-class contribution despite barriers to achievement.
The good work of East Belfast Partnership is also connecting our SMEs and community organisations with development (in particular the Connswater Community Greenway, a multi-million pound linear park and civic square project) and highlighting the need for a partnership approach to deliver equal opportunities in education, health and community safety.
What, in your view, makes a good community?
I believe a good community is a shared and integrated community, which relentlessly values all its members and provides equality of opportunity to all regardless of background.
It has also been said that you can judge the standing of a community by how well it treats its children: their education, health, sense of value and inclusion in the families and society into which they are born.
As Deputy Chair of the OFMDFM Committee, it is my responsibility to scrutinise the work of the Executive on behalf of children and young people and there is a lot to be done to meet this test.
Fundamental reform is needed if fair access to quality childcare, early years, primary and secondary education provision (with parental engagement at every stage and equal opportunities to develop talent in an integrated system) is to be achieved.
What can Northern Ireland learn from US politics and vice versa?
I greatly value my time with the Washington Ireland Program, at the University of California and at Harvard University. Our social and political histories are intertwined and the US has played a pivotal role in the Northern Irish peace process and establishment of a power-sharing Executive and Assembly.
The ongoing challenge of tackling the human and financial cost of years of division and under investment in Northern Ireland will require new leadership and ongoing partnership with the US.
US entrepreneurs are increasingly looking to Northern Ireland as having the infrastructure and skills with which to do business and this type of investment and partnership can help create real value and mutual benefits for all our citizens.
I also believe we have a responsibility to organise and share the peace-building and conflict transformation experience we have gained in partnership with the US with other areas in conflict around the world.
What do you consider your main achievements to date?
It is a privilege to be part of the Alliance Party team delivering progressive and effective political representation for the people of East Belfast.
At a local level, I have worked with organisations like Sustrans to deliver investment in sustainable transport and improvements for the Comber Greenway, our dedicated walk-and-cycle way. In particular, improvements have been made at the Titanic Quarter rail halt that connects inner East Belfast with development in the area.
Employment and Learning, I have contributed to an important inquiry into young people not in education, employment and training, the recommendations of which helped inform the Executive NEETS strategy. It is vital that the relevant government ministers implement this policy and I will continue to support and scrutinise its delivery. The most recent Labour Force Survey confirms the need for urgent action in response to youth unemployment and I am working to ensure the Minister for Employment’s multi-million pound investment in a targeted youth employment scheme benefits East Belfast.
Further to my election to the Assembly in 2011, I was also proud to be chosen by my party leader David Ford to serve as the Alliance representative on the cohesion, sharing and integration strategy working group. Despite the breakdown of this group, I was able to present our position to OFMDFM junior ministers and senior representatives from the main political parties, and will continue to work towards the delivery of a shared future strategy of the standard that Northern Ireland deserves and demands.
How do you relax?
I am still in denial that I am fit and able to play amateur league soccer every week, and there is nothing better to put life into perspective than spending time with my family.
