Valentine's Day victor quits, predicting Nesbitt's demise

Councillor Black was first elected in February 2008 on the back of transfers from the TUV which was facing its first electoral test and alarmed the DUP with its strong showing in that Dromore by-election.

Yesterday, Ms Black quit the UUP with a broadside at Mr Nesbitt for saying that he would be transferring his vote to the SDLP immediately after voting for the UUP.

Speaking of Mr Nesbitt’s comments, she said: “I think it’s a disgrace and the ethos of the party has been destroyed. We are unionists and we should not be ashamed of being unionist; we are unionists and Protestants and Presbyterians, Methodist, Church of Ireland or whatever.”

She added: “I’m not saying we can’t do business with our Catholic neighbours – absolutely not – we need partnership with each other.”

Ms Black said that “in the past few months Mike has been a wishy-washy leader. I’m not sure what he actually stands for anymore. I think it’s a stage performance. It’s well rehearsed; it’s an act ... there’s just something not right there.

“Probably he’s a very nice person. I’ve never actually sat down and spoken to him.”

She expressed frustration that Jenny Palmer – who joined from the DUP and was chosen as an MLA candidate in Lagan Valley – hadn’t “earned” that position and added that already there are internal moves to remove Mr Nesbitt as leader: “All it takes is for Nesbitt to have a really bad election and he’s out.”

Ms Black said that she would not be joining another party, saying: “I’m not going to be dictated to by anyone any more”.

Ms Black’s UUP council colleague Alderman Jim Speers said he was “disappointed, but not surprised”. He said that the UUP had “a vision of unionism that embraces everyone ... we are open to all faiths and none”.