An SDLP councillor in Co Tyrone has been disciplined by his party after claims he voiced support for a Sinn Féin candidate in the recent Westminster election.
Patsy Kelly landed himself in hot water after reportedly using Facebook to back West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty.
SDLP chiefs have removed the party whip from the Derry and Strabane councillor for four weeks.
Mr Doherty stormed to victory in West Tyrone earlier this month ahead of the SDLP’s candidate Daniel McCrossan, who trailed home in third place more than 10,000 votes behind.
A former Strabane councillor, Mr Kelly is believed to have a strained relationship with some members of the SDLP in West Tyrone.
Writing on Facebook on the night of the election count, he is reported as saying: “I want PD to win yet I am 200 per-cent SDLP.”
He is also said to have tweeted a picture of what appears to be a bottle of champagne with the words “waiting with this bad boy for the West Tyrone results”.
In the days before the election Mr Kelly was not involved in his party’s campaign in West Tyrone, choosing instead to help out with Mark Durkan’s battle to hold his seat in neighbouring Foyle.
It is understood he also canvassed for his party’s candidate in the Fermanagh/South Tyrone constituency.
Mr Kelly did not respond to a request for comment last night.
A spokeswoman for the SDLP said: “Following an internal investigation into an alleged breach of discipline, it has been determined that the party whip will be withdrawn from Cllr Patsy Kelly for a period of four weeks. The whip will be restored following this period.”
