DUP councillor Tom Smith, who last year broke ranks and supported the LGBT community, has resigned from the party.
In a social media post yesterday, he said "as of today I have resigned from the DUP".
A councillor on Ards and North Down Borough Council, he provoked controversy within the DUP last year when he voted in favour of a motion to light up Ards Town Hall in rainbow colours to mark LGBT Awareness Week.
Just last week he was deselected by the DUP for the local government elections in May. He said at the time he would never be a "nodding dog" for the party.
He has also hit out at the DUP for selecting councillor Thomas Hogg to stand in May's election, following his conviction for drink driving.
