| Leader Title: | Chair |
| Leader Name: | David Campbell |
The Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) is a British Unionist and Loyalist organisation in Northern Ireland.
The organisation was founded in 2015 by English diplomat Jonathan Powell, and former Ulster Unionist Party chairman David Campbell,[1] along with David McNarry and Billy Hutchinson.
Among representatives within the council are those representing paramilitary organisations such as the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and Red Hand Commando (RHC).[2]
In 2024, BBC News described the organisation as a legal entity that represents illegal orgnanisations.
The organisation was launched in 2015 by former Downing Street Chief of Staff, Jonathan Powell.[3] who had played a rolle within the political and social peace talks in Northern Ireland,[4] along with UKIP Member of the Legislative Asembly (MLA) David McNarry, and Progressive Unionist Party leader Billy Hutchinson.
The organisation was launched on 13 October 2015 at a press conference fronted by Powell, McNarry and Hutchinson in response to the perceived neglect and social and political disenfranchisement of working class loyalists. As well as political issues, conceived social focuses of the council are upon looking at and improving areas of disadvantage including education.
The chairman of the council since its founding is David Campbell. Campbell is a former UUP politician and chairman, a former Senior Policy Advisor and Chief of Staff to Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble and an Honorary Consul for Turkey in Northern Ireland as appointed by the Turkish President.[5] [6]
On the council's launch Dr Ian McNie, then moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland said
At the time of the council's launch, DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson who would later become party leader said the organisation
In the 2017 UK general election the LCC issued a statement supporting the DUP and the UUP. However, this support was rejected by both parties.[7]
During the Brexit negotiations the council said that it was "strongly opposed" to the proposed Withdrawal Agreement due to the treatment of the Irish border question.[8] In late February 2021 the DUP met with the LCC to discuss the Northern Ireland Protocol.[9] In early March 2021 the LCC declared that, as a result of its opposition to the protocol, it would no longer support the Good Friday Agreement.[10]
In 2024, BBC News described the organisation as paradoxical as a legal entity that represents illegal orgnanisations, as well as being opaque in its structure and activties.