McKee was born in the port town of Larne on 4 September 1943 as the third of three children to a working-class family with Ellen and Robert as parents.

[2] McKee's interest in politics was sparked by the television appearance of Ian Paisley in a debate at the Oxford Union in the 1960s.

[8] In 2015 McKee objected to the construction of a memorial to former residents of Islandmagee, who had been convicted of witchcraft on the grounds that he "remained to be convinced that the women were not guilty of Satanic practices".

[2] McKee died at the age of 72 on 4 October 2015,[10] from infective exacerbated pulmonary fibrosis, the same illness which killed his father.

Former DUP colleague Sammy Wilson called him a "dedicated public servant" and despite their political differences they maintained a cordial relationship.