How best to describe the Upper Bann MP? I’m going to go with divisive. But it seems she may not be a member of the happy DUP family for long as she has quit as party officer. From the BelTel:
DUP MP Carla Lockhart has quit her position as a party officer.
She said she cannot continue to be part of a team that decides on the direction and strategy the party takes while “clearly having concerns about that”.
The Upper Bann politician’s resignation could be the start of a chain of events leading to her resignation from the DUP.
She has been on a collision course with party leader Gavin Robinson over Drumcree. Ms Lockhart believes that he should withdraw Emma Little-Pengelly as deputy First Minister and collapse the Executive.
The DUP leader has so far refused to do so but said it cannot be “business as usual” at Stormont in light of the Drumcree dispute.
In a statement on Thursday evening, after the Belfast Telegraph broke the news, Ms Lockhart said she had not intended to make the matter public but claimed someone within the DUP had leaked the development to the media.
“I believe in standing true to my principles. I cannot continue to be part of the team that decides on the direction and strategy discussions of the party, whilst clearly having concerns about that,” she said.
“I have already highlighted my concerns publicly about the need for profound consequences. Whilst the party has been clear that all options are still on the table, I believe that the speed of these needs to be quicker.”
Ms Lockhart added that she would not “shy away from standing up for what I believe in” and insisted her focus would remain on representing Upper Bann.
“Don’t believe everything you hear about me. I will speak for myself and anything I want to say, I will say in my own name.”
Will she stand as an independent or will she go into the welcoming arms of the TUV?
I know Carla divides opinion, so a reminder of our “play the ball not the man/woman” rule.
Managing Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not stuck in front of a screen, I am a parkrun Run Director.
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