Politically, one of his finest moments came in the Dromore council by-election in February 2008 when his party made its electoral debut, gathering 739 votes and effectively depriving the DUP of the seat.
He lost his European seat in the 2009 election but, as a North Antrim assembly member, has continued to make outspoken attacks on the DUP and Sinn Féin.
In 2013 Mr Allister, a father of three, succeeded in getting a private members' bill passed preventing anyone with a serious criminal conviction being appointed as a Stormont Special Adviser.
In October 2014, Mr Allister was barred from speaking in the assembly for a month due to a clash with a deputy speaker.
The TUV leader was told his behaviour towards Roy Beggs was "among the worst the assembly had seen".
Mr Allister is not standing in the 2015 general election.