Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart resigns from DUP over Drumcree dispute

Columbus, Ohio readers tracking Northern Irish politics will note a sharp break in the ranks of the Democratic Unionist Party. Carla Lockhart, the Member of Parliament for Upper Bann, quit the DUP on Monday evening, effective immediately. She posted a copy of her resignation letter to DUP leader Gavin Robinson on social media at the time of the announcement. Lockhart stated she will continue to serve in the House of Commons as an Independent unionist MP.

The move had been anticipated for days. Lockhart first stepped down as a DUP party officer ten days prior. That earlier resignation stemmed from concerns she raised about the party’s strategy regarding the recent Drumcree parades dispute. Her departure reduces the DUP’s representation in the House of Commons to four MPs. That number compares to ten seats held by the party in 2017. Sinn Féin currently holds seven abstentionist seats in Westminster.

Lockhart joined the DUP as a teenager and served as a high-profile member for more than two decades. She described her exit as a decision reached on a point of principle. In her written statement, she expressed deep regret at leaving the parliamentary group. She called the DUP her political home for over twenty years. She described the decision as painful but necessary after much reflection.

The core of the dispute involves the involvement of First Minister Michelle O’Neill in the Garvaghy Road protest in Portadown. O’Neill, alongside other Sinn Féin members, participated in the protest. The demonstration blocked Orangemen from walking down a mainly nationalist route from Drumcree church. This was the first time the parade was blocked in 28 years. Lockhart objected to O’Neill’s direct involvement during the two-week standoff.

During the standoff, Lockhart maintained a permanent presence in loyalist areas of Portadown. She warned of profound consequences resulting from O’Neill’s actions. She repeatedly called for the party to withdraw Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly from the role. That move would force O’Neill from the joint office and effectively collapse the Stormont government. At a rally in Portadown last month, Lockhart invoked Margaret Thatcher to demand O’Neill’s resignation.

Lockhart told thousands of supporters that O’Neill must go. She stated that she was not for turning. However, DUP leader Gavin Robinson opted for a different approach. He selected a graduated response rather than the full withdrawal demanded by Lockhart. Under this plan, Little-Pengelly will no longer participate in joint public appearances or official events with O’Neill. This includes the Remembrance ceremonies scheduled for Sunday.

In an open letter to DUP colleagues last week, Lockhart criticized the graduated response. She called the removal of the deputy first minister the only credible option. She described the graduated approach as insulting to those who trusted the party. Her resignation letter was accompanied by an eight-page document titled Renewed Vision for Unionism. In the document, she called for a movement rooted in local communities.

Lockhart emphasized the importance of her word in politics. She wrote that when she says she will take a stand, people should be able to trust she will follow through. She acknowledged that the party had chosen its own approach. She stated she must now act according to her own convictions. The DUP issued a statement on Monday evening regarding her departure.

The party said it regretted Lockhart’s decision. It thanked her for her service to the party and her work on behalf of the people of Upper Bann. The DUP stated that the only winner from further divisions within unionism is Sinn Féin. The party shared the anger felt across unionism at O’Neill’s actions. It noted that the disagreement centers on the course of action needed to secure accountability and serve Northern Ireland.