Carla Lockhart satisfying hardliners by resigning party position - Wilson

Upper Bann MP Lockhart resigned as a party officer on Thursday, in protest at the lack of action by her party to hold First Minister Michelle O'Neill accountable for taking part in an unlawful protest against the Orange parade on the Garvaghy Road on 27 September.

If the DUP resigns Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly it would force Ms O'Neill from office.

This would effectively collapse Stormont powersharing; however, other ministers would remain in position and the assembly would continue to sit for a further six months.

Ms Lockhart's resignation has confirmed persistent reports of a split between her and party leader Gavin Robinson over how to handle the matter. It also fuelled speculation that she might leave the party or join the TUV.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson does not see Ms Lockhart leaving the DUP.

"Obviously, Carla feels a lot of the Drumcree pressure and more than most probably because it's their own constituency," he told the News Letter.

"Probably there were people lashing out and demanding that the DUP brings Stormont down - but how that helps the Drumcree cause or the country, I don't know.

"But I suppose people were looking for some kind of reaction and Carla felt right this was an appropriate course of action because the party had not taken that position.”

And as party officer was “probably the lowest level protest without any real consequences for her” he said.

"It's a way of making a token gesture as to her dissatisfaction that we weren't prepared to bring the assembly down."

But SDLP MP Colum Eastwood said her resignation is meaningless.

"It is just it's a distraction from what everybody needs to be focussed on - which is setting a budget," he told the News Letter.

"I think what the DUP would do well to remember is that it was Carla and Jami Bryson, put them in this difficult position. The rabble rousing needs to stop and people need to get back around the table and set a budget. This has been another total calamity for unionism which I think will be borne out in the assembly elections."

DUP Education Minister Mr Givan said he expects Ms Lockhart to stay in the DUP, Press Association reported.

“Carla bleeds DUP just like I do, and of course it’s disappointing that she felt not able to remain as a party officer," he told the BBC.

“But I very much welcome her remaining within the DUP because she is a valued member of our party, and I know that she’ll continue to make an important contribution to the party and in leading people in Upper Bann.”

In a statement on Thursday night, Ms Lockhart confirmed her decision to quit as a party officer.

"I cannot continue to be part of the team that decide on the direction and strategy discussions of the party, whilst clearly having concerns about that," she said. There was a need for the DUP to ensure there were “profound consequences” for Sinn Fein after the scenes on the Garvaghy Road, she said.

When DUP leader Gavin Robinson was asked about Ms Lockhart’s resignation by the BBC he replied:

“I’m sorry to see that it’s occurred.” Asked if he thought Ms Lockhart may quit the party, Mr Robinson said: “I hope that’s not the case.”

Also on Thursday, Ms Lockhart was asked whether she had confidence in Mr Robinson. She declined to directly endorse him, replying: “I have confidence that the unionist people want action.”

Sinn Fein Finance Minister Mr O’Dowd said he had been concerned for a long period of time “about people within the DUP who are not wedded to powersharing”.

“It’s been clear there has been an agenda within sections, a significant section of the DUP, who are looking to move away from the executive, from the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement,” he told Radio Ulster.”

However he countered that the way forward “is that we have to share power together and we have to work together, and that’s the only way forward for us as we prepare for what is inevitably constitutional change on this island.”