DUP leader 'hopes' Carla Lockhart will not leave party
Summary
DUP leader Gavin Robinson said he hopes MP Carla Lockhart will remain in the party, after she called for First Minister Michelle O’Neill to leave office. The DUP has stopped joint engagements with O’Neill and blocked her from attending a meeting of the National Economic Council, while other Northern Ireland parties criticized the move.Key Facts
- Lockhart said she would take her own course if O’Neill was not removed as first minister.
- Lockhart called for Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly to resign to force O’Neill from office.
- Robinson said DUP members unanimously agreed to stop engaging with O’Neill and Little-Pengelly.
- The DUP linked its action to Sinn Féin’s involvement in protests that stopped an Orange Order march in Portadown from using Garvaghy Road.
- O’Neill was prevented from attending the National Economic Council meeting, which included the prime minister and leaders of the devolved governments.
- Sinn Féin’s Chris Hazard said O’Neill had not breached her pledge of office and said the DUP’s action would harm businesses, workers, and families.
- Alliance Party MLA Kate Nicholl criticized Northern Ireland’s absence from the council meeting.
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