Carla Lockhart has resigned from the Democratic Unionist Party over its handling of the dispute surrounding an Orange Order parade at Drumcree in Portadown, County Armagh. She will continue to represent Upper Bann in the House of Commons as an independent unionist.
Lockhart had urged the DUP to withdraw its support for Stormont’s deputy first minister, Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O’Neill. She argued that doing so would force O’Neill out of the joint first ministerial office. DUP leader Gavin Robinson rejected that approach, stopping short of the action sought by Lockhart.
The dispute follows unionist anger over Sinn Féin’s involvement in protests on Garvaghy Road, where demonstrators blocked a contentious Orange Order parade from passing through the mainly nationalist area. O’Neill and other senior Sinn Féin figures have been interviewed by police investigating the demonstrations. Unionists have accused the party of acting unlawfully, while O’Neill has defended her involvement, saying it was the “right thing to do”.
The DUP, which shares power with Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland’s devolved government, announced last week that it would block official engagements involving O’Neill. Lockhart had described removing her from office as the “only one credible option”, rejecting what she called a graduated response.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Lockhart said her first responsibility remained to the people of Upper Bann. She described leaving the party as a “sad day and a deeply personal decision”, adding that she could not stand by while Sinn Féin “wilfully ignores the rule of law” and promised consequences failed to materialise.
The DUP said it regretted Lockhart’s resignation and thanked her for her service to the party and the people of Upper Bann. It said the disagreement concerned which course of action would secure accountability and best serve Northern Ireland, adding that further divisions within unionism would benefit Sinn Féin.
Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister welcomed Lockhart’s decision and said he looked forward to working with her. He argued that the DUP had prioritised keeping O’Neill in office over retaining Lockhart.
Lockhart’s departure leaves the DUP with four MPs, compared with the ten it once held. The resignation follows weeks of tension between the Upper Bann MP and the party leadership, and comes seven months before the next assembly election.
Sources: BBC News UK.