He was elected to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention (1975–1976) for North Belfast, and to the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Lagan Valley constituency in 1998 and again in 2003. In 1996 he was an unsuccessful candidate in the Northern Ireland Forum election in Lagan Valley.
He was elected as a representative for North Belfast at the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention (1975–1976), and later served in the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Lagan Valley constituency in both 1998 and 2003. In 1996, he failed to secure a position in the Northern Ireland Forum election in the same area.