A second SDLP representative on Causeway Coast and Glens council has resigned from the party.
Angela Mulholland told party chiefs yesterday of her decision to quit.
It comes just weeks after Stephanie Quigley walked away over the SDLP's stance in abortion.
Ms Mulholland has not elaborated on why she has decided to leave the party but said she had been considering her future for a while.
“Throughout lockdown and indeed beforehand I have been reflecting upon my role as a councillor,” she said.
“I want to be a voice for everyone in the borough and to serve the interests of all in a truly inclusive and open way.
“In this time of reflection, I have made the decision to become an independent councillor.”
Ms Mulholland, who was co-opted to the Co Derry-based council in 2018, said not being aligned to a party will give her “the opportunity to be an independent inclusive voice for the whole community”.
She said she owed “so much to party colleagues who have been truly supportive” and thanked those who voted for her in the past.
“I look forward with renewed ambition and determination to playing my part in building a better future for everyone here in Causeway Coast and Glens,” she said.
A spokesman for the SDLP confirmed it has received Ms Mulholland’s resignation.
“We regret Councillor Mulholland’s decision,” he said.
