Carla Lockhart Resigns from DUP After Michelle O'Neill First Minister Removal Demand

Carla Lockhart, the MP for Upper Bann, has announced her resignation from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). The decision stems from her vocal criticism of Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill, specifically her attendance at an unnotified parade in Drumcree on 28th April, marking the 25th anniversary of the Garvaghy Road stand-off.

Lockhart had publicly urged the DUP to initiate proceedings to remove Ms O'Neill from the role of First Minister following the incident. This stance placed her at odds with the party's leadership, which had not taken such action. A spokesperson for the DUP confirmed Lockhart's resignation but offered no further comment on the specifics of the disagreement.

Ms O'Neill's presence at the Drumcree event, which honoured three loyalists killed by the IRA in 1999, drew condemnation from unionist quarters. The parade, deemed unnotified by the Parades Commission, involved approximately 300 participants. Ms O'Neill defended her attendance, stating it was a private act of solidarity and remembrance, not a political statement or an endorsement of illegal activity.