McNarry left the UUP and joined UKIP in October 2012, becoming UKIP's first MLA and first ever Member of a devolved Assembly in the United Kingdom. In 2013, McNarry was elected unopposed as the UKIP Leader in Northern Ireland.
McNarry abandoned his affiliation with the UUP and joined UKIP in October 2012, marking a significant milestone as the party's first MLA and the first person to hold office in a devolved Assembly in the UK. The following year, McNarry was elected unopposed to lead UKIP in Northern Ireland.