A DUP councillor who had an affair with party MP David Simpson has said she will not be a candidate in May's council elections.
Louise Templeton – a councillor in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council – said she did not put herself forward for selection as a DUP candidate.
The party at the weekend announced its three election candidates for the Portadown area, but Ms Templeton was not among them.
Ms Templeton, who was co-opted to the council in 2017 to replace DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley, yesterday confirmed to The Irish News she did not intend to contest the election.
The married councillor said: "No, I'm not running. I didn't put my name forward for selection.
"I had no intention of putting myself forward and I did make that known to the party."
Mr Simpson, DUP MP for Upper Bann, moved out of the home he shared with his wife and resigned from the Orange Order when details of the affair emerged last year.
Ms Templeton, who had worked in Mr Simpson's constituency office, sent a letter to party colleagues after the affair became public offering "sincerest apologies for the inappropriate actions I was involved in".
On Saturday, Mr Buckley announced that the party's candidates for the Portadown area would be current councillor Darryn Causby, former MLA Sydney Anderson and former councillor Lavelle McIlwrath.
Mr Buckley said he was "delighted to announce our DUP team for Portadown" and that the trio "bring a wealth of experience and passion for Portadown".
