‘Stormont must go’, says rebel DUP councillor

Ards and North Down councillor Tom Smith, who said last week he has “no plans to resign” from the DUP “at this time” despite its decision not to select him to defend his seat, issued a statement on Tuesday morning titled “Stormont must go”.

He outlines his intentions to bring a motion to council to demand an end to the powersharing Assembly at Stormont.

Mr Smith, a member of the DUP for 12 years, recently said he will take a decision about whether or not to stand in the election as an independent in the next few weeks.

The DUP councillor publicly disagreed twice last year with his party group over proposals to light up Ards Town Hall in rainbow colours in support of the area’s LGBT residents.

In his statement today, Mr Smith said: “There is no longer any reason for us to continue with the sham that is meant to be devolved government here.

“The fact is devolution is not coming back any time soon and in the meantime we are all suffering.”

He continued: “We have schools that have run out of money, hospitals that are under-resourced and we have businesses crying out for help yet there is nothing but silence from those on the Hill.

“This month I will be bringing a motion to council calling on the Secretary of State to take action. It is time that councils all across Northern Ireland demanded that she stop trying to please 90 MLAs and instead work to ensure we have public services that are fit for purpose.

“The current paralysis at Stormont can’t be allowed to continue. Ratepayers here have paid MLAs around £10 million since they stopped working. When you add in their other expenses you could probably double that amount.”

Mr Smith continued: “That is a lot of money spent and with nothing to show for it. While it would be preferable to have local ministers who are locally accountable, that in itself is not a reason to allow this drift to continue.”

He added: “It really is time for change, time to change the broken record from Karen Bradley who tells us her priority is to restore Stormont. Her priority should be the people of Northern Ireland and ensuring we have the best public services possible.”

The DUP has been invited to respond to Mr Smith’s comments.