Carla Lockhart, the Upper Bann Member of Parliament, has announced her departure from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). According to BBC News, the move follows a significant disagreement within the party over how to respond to First Minister Michelle O'Neill's involvement in recent political disputes.
Lockhart had previously demanded that the DUP take action to remove O'Neill from her position, specifically calling for Emma Little-Pengelly, the deputy first minister, to resign in order to force O'Neill from office. The DUP leadership rejected this approach, instead deciding that Little-Pengelly would decline to participate in joint official engagements with O'Neill and would not authorise the first minister to carry out duties independently.
The dispute stems from unionist frustration regarding Sinn Féin's role in organising protests that successfully blocked an Orange Order parade in Portadown, County Armagh, from proceeding along the Garvaghy Road, a predominantly nationalist area. First Minister Michelle O'Neill faced mounting pressure from the DUP over her involvement in Garvaghy Road protests as the PSNI investigated suspected offences and the secretary of state banned the Orange Order march.
In a statement shared on her X account, Lockhart described her decision as "a difficult and deeply personal decision". She explained her reasoning by writing:
The party has chosen its approach, as is its right. I must now act according to my convictions.
This development represents an escalation of internal tensions within the DUP that have been building over recent weeks. Lockhart had previously defended her resignation as party officer, rejecting claims she was appeasing hardliners and calling for meaningful action against First Minister Michelle O'Neill over the Drumcree parade dispute. Her departure from the party marks a significant moment in the ongoing controversy surrounding the handling of the Portadown parade and the political consequences for unionist leadership.
DUP assembly member Diane Forsythe had also joined calls for First Minister Michelle O'Neill's removal over her role in Drumcree parade protests, saying commitments to hold her accountable must be honoured. Lockhart's decision to leave the party entirely represents a more dramatic response than other dissenting voices within the DUP have taken.
