DAVID Trimble's son's ambitions of following in his father's political footsteps have been dealt a blow.
Former Lisburn and Castlereagh lord mayor Nicholas Trimble was widely expected to be selected as the Ulster Unionist Party's second assembly candidate in Lagan Valley, running alongside deputy leader and sitting MLA Robbie Butler.
However, despite putting his name forward for selection, the 34-year-old former first minister's son was overlooked in favour of a relative unknown.
The UUP last week announced that Laura Turner and Mr Butler would contest the Stormont election in Lagan Valley.
The party said Ms Turner was a "long-time community activist in Lisburn" and "part of a successful campaign to get a 3G pitch for Ballymacash".
She is a part-time respite carer who has campaigned to raise awareness of cardiomyopathy, having had a heart condition as a young mother.
"I have worked with most of the local political parties through my community activism but never felt I could align myself with one," she said last week.
"However, I have been increasingly impressed with the authenticity of Robbie Butler and Doug Beattie's drive for progressive politics."
Ms Turner highlighted how "compared to nationalist parties, women are under-represented in unionism".
Mr Butler said his fellow candidate's selection was a "reflection of our ambition to promote the voice of women in Northern Ireland".
The UUP currently has only one female MLA, Fermanagh-South Tyrone's Rosemary Barton.
Mr Trimble told The Irish News that despite not being selected he still had ambitions to be an MLA.
"It's something I've certainly thought about and something I'd probably aspire to but at the moment I'm serving as a councillor and feel I can get things done at this level - Stormont sometimes just delivers frustration," he said.
"I'm content where I am at the moment but I wouldn't rule it (standing in the assembly election) out."
He said that despite being "unknown in the political sphere" Ms Turner was well known in the area where she was standing.
"I'm going to put my weight behind her and supporting her," he said.
